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View Full Version : Cordless Drill Batteries


John Wibbenmeyer
09-13-2007, 5:30 PM
Is there a way to get batteries to re-take a charge? I have a Dewalt 9.6 cordless drill I've just got back and the batteries are dead They will take a charge but won't hold it very long.
I was told there is a way to get them to re-take a charge.
glenn bradley
09-13-2007, 6:11 PM
None that has been proven yet other than a rebuild. I have a 9.6 DW that is dying a slow death. I dearly love the balance of that drill and will seriously consider having the batts rebuilt rather than buy a new tool. My 9.6 Makita that has had two more years and twice the abuse is still going strong. Fortunately, I love that drill too.
Matt Meiser
09-13-2007, 6:27 PM
It sounds like they've developed "memory." I had some Ryobi batteries that were really bad and some Porter Cables that were getting there. I had both rebuilt and the difference was like night and day. The Ryobis are clearly better than new.

I used http://www.batteryrebuilders.com. Jason Abel, the owner, is a member here.
Jim Becker
09-13-2007, 7:36 PM
I recently rebuilt my Dewalt 14.4 battery packs with kits from Jason at the address that Matt just posted. Gallops along like new again!
Bill Cunningham
09-13-2007, 10:11 PM
I assume it's nicad batteries.. A old Ham Radio Operators trick is to 'zap' it .. According to theory, nicads grow path whiskers inside over the life of the battery when the path whiskers get long they have a tendency to cause the battery to die early.. The old trick was to charge a 30-40k MF capacitor with 12 volts (IMPORTANT: DO IT THROUGH A RESISTOR, 50 to 100 ohm should work :eek: ) then use it to zap the battery, thereby burning out the internal pathway whiskers.. I'm no electrical engineer, but I know this works, because I have used it in the past for nicad transceiver batteries.. Don't expect it to give years of life to a battery, but it will keep it working for a while.. P.S. I still have all my fingers, and I was never dumb enough to check the charge on the Capacitor with my finger... Be careful, it will 'bite' you if your careless :eek:... Maybe you better just buy a new battery, it's 'much' safer:D..