Makita batteries?

[The Medway Handyman]

A few weeks ago my 14.4v Makita combi died & I had to panic buy another combi to fulfill jobs. Ended up with an 18v Hitachi LiIon

In 4 weeks it managed to develop 4 annoying faults; the charger didn't always kick in, the forward/reverse switch stuck, the hammer/no hammer switch stuck & the hammer action was almost useless.

Took it back today & exchanged it for a 14.4v Makita. Bliss.....

This came with 2 x 1.3 a/hr NiCd's and I already have 3 x 3 a/hr NiMh, so I have a surfeit of batteries.

I'll probably carry on with the NiMh because of the capacity, but how do I store the NiCd's?

Do I charge them now & then a regular intervals, or charge them & leave them, or leave them flat?

They are worth about £50 on the open market so I don't want them ruined by lack of attention.

[John Rumm]

Unlike (say) lead acid, I don't think NiCds mind being left flat. However you could just ebay the spares now, and then buy fresh ones in a few years when you next need some.

[Dave Liquorice]

Correct you don't buy NiCd's in a charged state, they need to be charged before use. So storeage is best done with them discharged.

Lead acid are bought charged and the store should top them up every few months, if they are sat on the shelf for that long.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you bought from a large motor factor, they used to be dry charged and the correct acid was added at sale.

[Dave Liquorice]

I bet that hasn't happened for a long time. The Elves would have kittens at the thought of the average garage "technician" handling Sulphuric Acid. And of course most batteries these days are "sealed for life".

[The Other Mike]

That still happens with some motorbike batteries.

[therustyone]

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Except the EU, in its wisdom, is trying hard to ban the import of NiCads to limit possible pollution of groundwater on disposal and are likely to succeed. So NiCads will disappear from the market shortly.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not a garage monkey - the factor did it. And not at the sales counter.

Not so. Most still have the conventional stoppers with a self adhesive label over them. So could easily be added at sale after filling.

[robgraham]

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Which seems to suggest that cordless battery tools are exempt.

[Ian Jackson]

In alt.home.repair, there's a current thread 'Reviving old NiCd batteries'. Among other things, it appears that the correct way to store nicads is at 0V, with individual cells shorted (that's important). As the saying goes, "Not many people know that" (I certainly didn't).

[The Medway Handyman]

How would one 'short' them?

[Ian Jackson]

Discharge the cell to zero volts, and connect a conductor between the

+ve and -ve.

I repeat - and to avoid any confusion - this can only be done for individual cells. Of course, it cannot be done with cells in series, ie 'a battery' - unless you can get access to each cell. Take a look at the alt.home.repair thread, from the beginning (17 June).