We run a lot of DeWalt battery equipment - over 60 units. We tried several rebuild outfits. We have quit and now buy new replacement DeWalt batteries. The rebuilds just don't seem to last and the cost is not enough better than buying new. These are used heavily.
Anyone know of a good company that replaces cells in power tool batteries. I have 2 18 volt dewalt XR2 batteries that need replacing or re-celling. They have lasted many years and 1 actually still works pretty good, but I think it's time. Thanks.
Some added info. I've looked on Google for new ones and for repair places. I'm really just asking if anyone has any good or bad reports of companies doing the cell replacement work. Also, the batteries I have are the older XR2; now they are selling XRP. I don't know if the change from 2 or P is advertising hype or that they are really improved. Is it worth buying the XRPs or will the rebuild essentially upgrade them to XRPs. BTW, I've found places that will re-cell the batteries for $60. For that, I will buy new.
I've used Voltman before to re-cell my PC drill's batteries. I'd go there again.
I've heard others reccomend
Perhaps it depends on where you live. All Canadian cities approaching
1 million population each have at least one specialised battery repair/ replacement store. Construction and tool-using tradesmen need this service.?Batteries Plus was rebuilding the cells, and from what I heard, they worked great.
Mark
"Don Phillipson" wrote in news:i85igr$j47$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
Our local Interstate Batteries place does this. Thus whole state only has
600K people. Google to see if there's one around you and if they offer that service.
I looked into this recently for an old Milwaukee battery pack I needed. It cost almost as much to have it rebuilt as you can buy a new pack for on Ebay. I decided to rebuild it myself and bought the batteries on Ebay for less than 1/2 of what rebuilding would have cost. It was a bit tricky because there isn't much spare room and everything has to fit back in precisely. I just made it by leaving out one shim piece.
PRIMECELL.COM does a excellent job, and uses newer high capacity cells.
they even rebuild battery packs that are glued together.
you can check their website for pricing, run times doubled from my tools brand new time, now thats impresive:)
Thanks for all the responses. I too found that you could get brand new 2010 date code batteries on ebay for about the same cost of having them rebuilt. I have rebuilt battery packs in the past, but you really should have a small spot welder to connect the cells together. Soldering does work but can damage the cells. When my 2 new batteries arrive, I will try to rebuild one of my old ones just to compare the results.
I don't think soldering will damage the batteries as long as you get the ones that have the tabs already spot welded to the batteries. Then you just solder onto the tabs which are an inch plus long and should not transfer that much heat to the battery. I did it by myself, but it would be much easier with an assistant to keep everything aligned. Also, I didn't realize the batteries come with a least some charge in them. You have to be careful while working not to short them out.
Ya, I think that's true especially if you use a large hot iron. With plenty of solder iron mass, you should be able to solder on a tab pretty fast without building up too much heat in the cell. If you sued a small iron, like the ones for use on a PC board, it will take a lot longer to heat up the metal on the end of the cell and it will thus transfer heat to the cell itself.
Yes, but, you must, not only the tab hot, but the spot on the top of the cell being soldered to. Most good electronic irons have a pretty hefty element, though a smaller tip, and temperature control. Good preparation of the cell top is also good. Some electronic-type solder paste would also help.
I think you missed my main point, which was to get batteries that already have the tabs spot welded on them. Then there is no need to be concerned with soldering tabs to the batteries. You just solder the tab to the next battery tab, or to a wire, etc. Far less heat gets to the battery.
Yes, I guess I missed that. But, most of the cells that I have seen and used, only have 1 tab welded to the cell. I admittedly have only seen a few. That would be good if you can get both + and _ - tabs welded on.
The NiCads I got on Ebay had tabs on both ends.
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