Drill/Driver Charging NOT!

[Wes Bischel]

Just figured I would post an update - not that anyone really cares, but more for someone searching in the future.

Well, I ended up buying a "rebuilt" unit off eBay for just under $25. It had two scratches on it - otherwise perfect, and all the cells in the batteries tested "good". So now I have two drill/drivers and 4 batteries. I figure now it will be worth it to rebuild batteries as they die (to keep 2 drill/drivers going).

FWIW, Wes

Original post:
I need some help with my Craftsman 16.8 drill/driver. Yesterday I was working it hard onsite (not in the shop). I had the second battery charging. When the first started to slow, I changed batteries, but the recently charged battery was almost dead. I thought it had gone bad but then noticed the battery I had been using wasn't charging anymore. The light went on when I placed it in the charger, but would go out after 45 seconds or so. The battery that should have been charged would light for about 5 seconds, then dim out.

I would think with both battery packs going south at the same time it might point to the charger. But, when I put a meter on it I get 20.8V (transformer is marked as 24vdc). Looking inside, the small board shows no sign of anything being fried.

So what do I do next? Test the cells in the packs? (if so, how is that done) Is there a way to test the charger under load?
Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to get the batteries rebuilt only to find the charger's dead.

Thanks, Wes

[Mike Evertsen]

thats what happened to my 16.8 craftsman,,I bought a charger from e-bay only to find out when the charger went somehow it took he batteriers with it,,, after puting out 35.00 trying to get this one working I ended up buying another screw gun,,,

[Carl Eyman]

[Wes:
Are you pretty sure your voltmeter is accurate? If so, and the 20 v you read from a 24 v transformer would indicate to me You aren't getting enoug voltage. Can you reach the terminals with the battery in place? If so, try to get a reading uinder load. It must be more than the 16+ volts of your batteries. If not, it looks like your charger is over the hill. - Just my amateurish opinion

[EliotMason]

Wes:

I recently encountered the same... two batteries, one charger and no charge. My problem popped up after a period of non-use, but both batteries were indicating "bad" or "fault" or something. The instructions say a few things about this but nothing worked.

I got a new charger via eBay (very frustrated with Sears! entering in the part number off the bottom of the charger prompted the basic "you're an idiot, part not found" response). Now one battery works, the other still indicates "fault."

I took the battery apart, but none of the cells is visibly damaged. Replacing all the cells would cost about $60 (imms), and a replacement battery was about $75 (imms). The economics of this suggest waiting for a sale when Sears has two batteries included. Then use the new drill, or scavenge the two batteries and toss the new drill.

Or buy a new driver from DeWalt/ PC or...?!

[Wes Bischel]

Oh crud,

I was afraid to ask because I think I already knew the answer. Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to poke around some more but I think I'll be looking for a new unit. My last Craftsman drill/driver died in the middle of a big project - on a Saturday as well. I ran out to the only place open - Sears - and bought another one to get the job done. I guess this one will join my other dead Craftsman products (drill/driver and router) in the back of a cabinet. :mad:

I don't think I'll tempt fate again with another Craftsman.

Wes

[Robert Mayer]

Get a Hilti.....