Black & Decker drill/driver mains adaptor polarity

[Mike Atkinson {see sig for ret]

Due to a freak (I hope!) occurrence, about 6 months ago many mains adaptors in our house were knocked out of action. Our local power supplier arranged to have these replaced, but I unfortunately forgot about an adaptor located in our garage...

I discovered recently that the charger for my Black & Decker drill/driver (HP9096) is now fubar. Before I threw this away I was careful to note the stated output voltage and current rating, but didn't note the polarity (if it was indicated?). Now I've purchased a generic mains adaptor that can supply sufficient current of the correct voltage, but I don't know the correct polarity (positive or negative 'tip' according to the new adaptor's instructions). Does this matter?

I've checked the drill's supplied instructions, and the B&D website, but am unable to find this information. For some unknown reason I kept the end connector of the B&D charger, so I can determine that inner connector corresponds to the wire with a white stripe running down it's length. Is this stripe to intended to identify the negative feed?

Please could someone put me out of my misery. Does the polarity matter? I'd like to know before I leave my driver charging during the day - I have visions of exploding batteries!

Many thanks in advance for any advice, Mike

[BigWallop]

Do you have a torch or an electric test meter? With a torch bulb and a battery you can place the bulb in a bit of bared wire and touch the wire to one end of the battery. The other end of the battery touches against the battery connector tab inside the drill, and then touch the tip of the bulb against the inner pin of the charger socket on the drill. Using the logic of the drills original battery, that should be marked with a + and - symbol, you should see which connector is which when you touch the torch battery against them inside the drill.

Remember to check and double check which way round the drills own battery goes inside the handle.

[Martin Angove]

IM(limited)E, white stripe usually means positive. Likewise, probably greater than half of these sorts of connectors I meet have the positive on the inner or the tip, and the negative on the outer or the ring.

BUT, this may not be the case with your drill. The only additional suggestion I have (apart from hoping someone will pop along here who has the same drill) is to check the hole where you plug the charger; there is often a small diagram printed or moulded into the plastic nearby.

Hwyl!

M.

[Rusty]

Charging the cells backward will wreck them, which is why multicell NiCad's shouldn't be discharged 100% as there is always a weakest cell that goes to

0v first then charges backward from the other cells. I can't think of any tests to do on the drill as it will probably run in the same direction whatever the battery polarity if it has a wound field rather than a permanent magnet.

The only B&D kit I have is an ancient 2.8v screwdriver/drill from about 1990 whose charger has two flat connectors on either side of a plastic bar. I checked and the black wire is neg and the black&white is positive as the other post indicated. So B&D should be farily consistent.

Oddly I threw the driver out as it wouldn't charge. Now I find it was a broken wire in the charger that was the problem. Bah.

rusty

[P.R.Brady]

Mike,

Yes polarity may be very important. It may just not charge (if B&D put a protective diode in) or it may bang spectacularly. That end connector is going to be useful in diagnosing which way round, but you will need a test meter.

Try this:

Identify which wire is which on the old connector using the meter on resistance range.

Connect the wire from the OUTER of the old connector to the outer of the new charger connector using tape, a wooden clothes peg, etc leaving the two 'inners' isolated and unconnected. Plug old connector into the drill/charging base/battery and the new charger into the mains.

Check voltage between the two inner connectors with the meter set to a DC voltage range of about 30 volts. A paper clip is good for getting into the hole of the new connector.

Reverse polarity of the new supply and check voltage again.

In one case you will get a high reading of supply voltage PLUS battery voltage (for this 9.6v drill expect about 20 volts) - this is the WRONG way round.

In the other you will get a lower reading (about 3 volts) being the difference. This is the right way round.

Good luck! Phil

[Pete C]

Hi,

If the charger has an LED it'll only light when the adaptor is the right way round.

Usually it's negative tip though some audio equipment like Sharp, Sony have positive tip.

In any case someone is/was selling them on Ebay so might look at one for you.

cheers, Pete.

[Mike Atkinson {see sig for ret]

Thanks for the response - there's unfortunatley no such indication.

[Mike Atkinson {see sig for ret]

Brilliant - thanks for such a useful reply. With the polarity the correct way around, I do see approx. 3V. With the polarity reversed, I actually get 0V, which I'm guessing is due to some internal protection in the drill?

The upshot is that the supply *is* 'positive tip' (i.e. central contact is positive), and this corresponds to the wire with a white stripe running down it's length. This is in line with both Martin and Rusty's posts.

My drill/driver is now charging (I hope!). Many thanks for all responses.

Regards, Mike

[Lane in London]

Just a brief ?further? about this issue: This has proved to be the sole source (much after its origination) from which I have been able to glean this pertinent accurate information. My ?Stone Age? Black & Decker® HP9096 Type

1 Cordless Drill/Screwdriver (a useful tool) is, after nearly a decade of idle discharge, once again functional! Thank you all, this is obviously an enduringly useful forum/website.

[Graham.]

You are indeed using a forum /website (called Flashnewsgroups) but the rest of us are on Usenet. Glad you found the posts informative, but it's been ten years since they were made, and the people you are thanking are likley to have moved on, if they havn't passed away.

[Lane in London]

Yes Graham..., thus my post; thanks to you too.

N.B. My personal time-frame basic unit is the decade, that?s just a blink. You may well be reading this again in 2025 from your ?new? perspective and still find it useful/interesting. Thanks again. bfn

[Armando]

replying to Graham., Armando wrote: Thanks. This saved my day... :)

[pdworley]

I have located a B&D 9.6v drill, but cannot find the adapter to charge the battery. I have a multi volt adapter that has a polarity switch, but my problem is I don't know which polarity to set for charging. Help please.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

See my other reply. Be very very careful. Brian

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

PC Plod

[newshound]

+1

What type of battery? Or, how old is it? More than a few years old, then throw it away and go off to Aldi/Lidl when they have them in stock.