run dewalt drill from socket/replace bats in pack ?

[raul segura]

Q. rigging De Walt drill for battery/wall plug

I have a De Walt 14.4 drill, ( 12 batteries are sc1100 mah 1.2v )
opened the battery pack and looks fairly easy to replace the batteries in it would this be feasible or has any one tried ?

Other thing I d really like to due is us a transformer in place of the battery pack has any one ever tried this solution, and what transformer would one need for this ?

[Mitchell Andrus]

Couldn't you just buy a drill with a cord? A cheap one will probably cost less than adapting a transformer.
.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, you would need a 10 or 12 volt transformer, a bridge rectifier and a capacitor of at least 20,000 microfarads.

Or you could use a 12 volt battery charger (probably about 10 amps) and the above capacitor to run your drill.

I've run from a 10 ampere DC supply..........Rod.

[Roy Bennett]

Several battery suppliers here in little ole Mobile offer rebuilding service for those battery packs. I had two Dewalt 14.4V pacs rebuilt for ~$50 with more AH's than original! Shop around.

Roll Tide, Roll

[Pete Shermet]

try
www.batterybuyer.com (http://www.batterybuyer.com)

[Van Huskey]

Couldn't you just buy a drill with a cord? A cheap one will probably cost less than adapting a transformer.
.

+1 even a Dewalt 3/8" will only set you back ~60 and will be a LOT more drill for when you use a cord.

[raul segura]

I really like the drill, rather than replacing the battery pack I almost feel like getting a new drill. Just figured if my bat's run out it would be nice to plug in.
Thanks for the juice advice Ill look into the loose batteries and the transformer/bridge.
I did go out and get a really cheep plug in drill black and Decker ! works for quick stuff and don't mind trashing it. Only thing is it has hard to tighten chuck never tight enough so bits slide when going through metal.
Ill have to spend a little more and get a 1/2.

Thanks guys I appreciate it! Quote:
Originally Posted by Mitchell Andrus http://sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1306885#post1306885)
Couldn't you just buy a drill with a cord? A cheap one will probably cost less than adapting a transformer.
.

+1 even a Dewalt 3/8" will only set you back ~60 and will be a LOT more drill for when you use a cord.

[Jay Jeffery]

The current on a typical drill on start up and when not spinning is well over 20 amps. The only way to know would be to actually measure it; there aren't any numbers on the plate to tell you how much current you need. The larger the motor, the larger the current draw will be. Current draw when spinning idle is of very little consequence, so don't think just sticking your amp meter on it with nothing in the chuck will tell you much.

A 20 amp or higher 12 volt power supply will likely cost you much more than your typical drill. Perhaps a golf cart battery charger or something if you see someone giving them away would work. If you decide to tether to a charger or battery, make sure the wire you use is of a substantial gauge. 12 ga would be an absolute minimum, with 8 or 10 ga being better.

I've made adapters to run cordless drills off of car batteries. I can get them to spin, but they have rather low power. They are so impractical that beyond just using them for the sake of using them, they have just sat. It has not worked out well for me, but if you think it would work out well for you, give it a try. It should go without saying that you can't effectively run a drill through the cigarette lighter plug, but you will need to clip it directly to the battery.

I've had some success rebuilding my own battery packs. Harbor Freight sells battery packs for a pretty reasonable rate. The cells aren't top quality, but if you have the patience, it can be worth doing if you need a short-term solution. The battery pack won't last any better than a HF drill's (probably less if you have to solder to the cells), though so don't expect DeWalt-like battery life.

Most tool battery packs use sub-C sized cells. When I've priced them in the past, the cost did not justify rebuilding them myself when buying bare cells. If you can avoid soldering to the cells dirrectly, do. Welded battery tabs are much better as heat degrades batteries. If you do solder them, use a reasonably high wattage iron so that you only have to have heat on it for a very short time. Flux is you friend. You hopefully know that bare rechargeable cells are extremely dangerous. If they short, they can get really hot really fast, start fires, explode, and all of that. NiCads aren't as explosive as Li-ion, but they are still dangerous. Make sure your thermal fuses stay in tact so that you don't end up burning down any houses.

My recommendation to anyone who can afford it would be to buy another drill, or another tool that comes with a compatible battery. It will most likely be cheaper in the long run. These lithium-ion drills are awesome and I for one am never going back to Nicad. Ridgid warranties their battery packs for life if you are willing to do the LSA paperwork.

[raul segura]

Jay,
Thanks for the education, yes I was going to solder, my mig welder would probably be a bad idea :eek:. Most my tool use is for home repair and some simple furniture etc. I don't make a living with my drill.
Dewalt is good but if I have to replace
( Ridgid warranties their battery packs for life )
looks like a very good deal. I have never used tried one but I suspect it'll work. Looks like to much work for me for end results !
lots of information especially the load factor , when using the thing.
Thanks,

[Jay Jeffery]

Jay,
I was going to solder, my mig welder would probably be a bad idea :eek:.

Battery tabs are resistance welded. MIG welding them would indeed be a very bad idea. I wonder what MIG welding current would do the the battery if you grounded one side and welded the other?