My Ryobi electric screwdriver/drill battery needs replaced. It's a cheap 9.6 volt unit. Home Depot doesn't stock replacements but they offered me 12.x and 18.y units. So I had to order from the manufacture ($32) and wait 2 weeks for delivery.
So, it looks like they purposely introduce a new voltage level every so often just to force you to purchase new equipment. Do all the equipment makers do this? Dewalt? Makita? etc.
Yes.
And it's not just power tools you'll notice. Marketing maxim: growth is powered on the sale of new products.
If you buy one Ryobi item and remain happy with it forever, they can't very well grow as quickly if they addict you on the latest of everything right?
-- Todd H.
The makita 9.6 drill I have from 85 is still made , stick packs are still sold, even my original 1985 pack still works, so I bought a second drill kit. My Ryobi pack did not last 6 months. Makita uses Sanyo cells, the best, Ryobi uses chinese junk. By a Makita, Milwaukee, if you need serious work out of your tools and no battery obsolesance.
Stubby wrote in news:EtGdnf32ss4fP7fYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Those cheapo Ryobi unit batteries/charging system are crap in my opinion based on experienced. But that's all you get with the lightweights and it's silly to be using 18v drills for light duty stuff.
The 18v Rigid ones I have has been going for years. The charging system senses it's present condition and discharges/charges it accordingly. When you put in a battery that just went dead in a tool, the charging unit will also sense the battery is hot and not begin the charge cycle until it's cool.
True, for the 400-500 contractor kits the batteries are properly constructed but I believe the charging system is just as important as the battery itself.
How long car batteries last is another one. I had a pickup battery for 11 yrs living near the Canadian border where winters dipped to -30. It never failed to start. I attribute that to battery construction and charging system.
Stubby wrote in news:EtGdnf32ss4fP7fYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
For that price plus taking into consideration of the inconveniance, you could have probably bought a new unit with a increased power (torque) rating.
Higher battery voltage means more available source of power to the unit which translates into the unit being able to deliver a better performance/response. It has nothing to do with manufacturers "sucking people" into buying newer units (well, not entirely anyways! ). Battery development over the years has slowly improved to the point now that units, such as skill saws and sanders, for example are now available in cordless models....options that were either not possible or not worthwhile under the older technology.
That's my take on it anyways and as usual YMMV........ :-)
Daaaaamn. That's impressive.
well yeah, wouldnt you?
go to
Actually, Ryobi has standardized on 18 volts and they offer replacement batteries that will work with any 18 volt toll they have ever made for a very low price. Their competitors have not kept up with them on this point. I believe you can buy a pack of TWO Ryobi 18 vilolt batteries for about $40.
CWM
Hi, Hey, I still have Bosch made in Japan 7.2V drill still going strong. I bet this is older than yours, LOL. I have couple other power tools, De Walt, Porter-Cable stuffs. My idea is to buy a good one and keep it long time with less frustration.
There are many places that will rebuild batteries or stock third party batteries. Stop by one of those battery specialty stores. Bring your old batter with you and ask them what they can do.
You need to use another comparison. You can't remain happy with a Ryobi for longer than about six months, unless you never open the package in the first place.
All of my cordless tools still have replacement parts and accesories available. They are expensive, but they are still available. Some of them are well over 15 years old. Cordless stuff doesn't last forever, though.
The car battery life is often long because you rarely totally discharge it.
Agree. Battery plus would probably beat that price.
Or as other said, rebuild yourself. With a voltmeter it doesn't take long to find the defective cells.
Robert Allison wrote in news:KNzWg.4502$2l5.1052@trnddc07:
My 9.6v Makita 6095 still has the 9.6v sticks available,and they are still about $28 each at *local* sources. I can still buy a replacement charger for it that also accepts NiMH sticks,which -are- made for my old Mak.
IMO,Ryobi is crap.
Mak,Hitachi,Panasonic and Milwaukee are good brands. Maybe Porter-Cable,too.
BTW,the move to higher voltage is more about more torque and longer run time than "planned obsolesense". There's more energy in a 12v/2AH pack than a 9.6V 2AH pack. The same goes for higher voltages.
The trade-off penalties are heavier weight,higher cost.
Yes, but that doesn't help with my 9.6 volt tool.
Al Bundy wrote in news:Xns9857A0ECBE9A4AlBundy@216.196.97.142:
Move to a hot climate and that L-A battery will not last like it did up north. Even "sealed" batteries are not truly sealed.
Al Bundy posted for all of us...
Heat is the big enemy of car batteries. In fact some are using insulators around them; so don't throw away the baggage.
It is partly to keep you buying new stuff, but also due to changing battery technology. A few years ago I don't think any battery-powered tools used lithium-ion batteries, and not many had nickel-metal hydride batteries. All are superior to nickel-cadmium batteries that have been around for decades.
Lithium-ion batteries have more power per pound when compared to nickel-cadmium batteries, plus they have some other benefits.
Remember when battery-powered household smoke detectors used 3" long, 1" diameter mercury batteries? (mid-70's) Do you want to go back to that?
That all depends on what you decide to do. You were asking if all manufacturers force you to buy new equipment by changing the voltages. In the past they all did, but now Ryobi no longer does that. They have standardized on 18 volts and offer replacement batteries at a much better price than their competors. They make one battery that fits every 18 volt tool they have ever sold, past or present.
CWM
snipped-for-privacy@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@ripco.com:
Yea, if someone called me a liar on that one I wouldn't blame them.
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