Following on from my previous posting on recommendations for cordless screwdrivers (many thanks for the helpful and informative replies), I'd be grateful to learn:
a. How much standardisation is there in the same-technology batteries eg NiCads between different drill manufacturers?
b. How much standardisation is there between batteries of a given drill manufacturer?
c. If there is standardisation, how much between different battery technologies eg between NiCad fittings and NiMH or Li ions?
(I'm wondering whether one can buy, let's say, a Wickes drill and then buy a second battery from a different manufacturer, and whether one stands any chance of replacing the batteries say a year or 2 down the line when they get tired, either from another drill supplier or from a specialist battery supplier.)
You mean will a battery from (say) DeWalt fit a Bosch drill? In general the answer is no, although there are some exceptions. You may also find some budget tool makers copy the battery connector design of some of the big names, and hence my get some interchangeability there.
For example I have an old 7.2V Richmond drill/driver that had fallen into disuse since it was outclassed by latter acquisitions and its charger took ages to recharge its only battery. I then found that its battery would fit my Makita fast charger, and this gave it a new lease of life as a light screwdriver since I can now charge it in 20 mins (from) flat.
Again it varies, but usually from moderate to good. With many if you stick to one voltage, then the batteries can be moved from tool to tool. Obviously a tool is usually designed for a particular voltage battery so using a different one will not usually work well or at all. The chargers on most decent tools however can usually charge a range of batteries. The charger supplied with Makita 18V NiCd and NiMh tools will charge either cell technology and cope with anything from 7V up to 18V.
Some brands make a (marketing exercise) of bragging about reuse of packs between tools. however in reality most of the better makers will sell "bare" tools without charger or cells at a considerable cost saving over buying the full kit each time.
Some makers have a habit of changing connector design every few years, which is a pain. Others (like Makita) have essentially used the same design for the last 15-20 years.
Between NiCd and NiMh it is often not bad. One charger often does both. however LiIon often tends have it own unique chargers and connectors, and is usually not backwards compatible with tools designed for the other technologies.
The black bodied Wickes stuff is the same old chinese tat that every other badge engineer flogs. So you in effect take pot luck - you may or may not be able to get a compatible battery later. However you ought to be able to get the old one re-celled, and that alone will usually increase the performance of the tool significantly.
The Wickes grey bodied stuff is tends to be badged versions of better quality stuff. (Some will tell you that their drills are made by Kress, although this is an over simplification - some are, but other OEMs provide others in their range). Getting new packs for these ought to be simpler. Again re-celling is an option.
The traditional "pro" brands like Dewalt, Blue Bosch, Makita, Hitachi etc will usually carry on supporting older tools with spares for many years to come.
The majority of power tools use the same physical size cells - Sub-C. But they like most cells come in different capacities and quality. There doesn't seem to be quite the variation with NiMH, though.
It should be possible for many years to come to replace the cells in any battery. Better makers will sell complete ones since there's a fair old profit in them.
They are only meant as a rough guide for the average punter, but do, at least, test things to destruction. I suppose there may be trade mags that do better, but I've not seen them.
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