Rechargeable batteries for cordless tools

Short answer. No.

Getting someone else to re-cell the battery will work out about as much as a new battery. Buying the battery cells, and doing it yourself may well be cheaper, though not by much. The problem with sealed battery packs is getting them apart in the first place, then suitably sticking them back together.

Ebay is probably the best source of new batteries - currently £22ish delivered. If your Bosch 14.4v drill is the same as I had, then a complete new drill with 2 batteries can be bought for £50 on ebay. I bought one as a spare for around £35 iirc, so if you keep checking ebay, then you can get 2 new batteries, charger and a spare drill for less than £50. Screwfix also do occasional special offers - they had the same Bosch drill for £49 last year.

Alan.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember alan@darkroom.+.com (A.Lee) saying something like:

Depends on the model. Replacement decent batteries for mine are 90quid, I can re-cell it for 35ish. What you say holds true for middling tools where the pricepoint is cutthroat.

Try Multicell on Tel: 01455 283443

I have used them a number of times (for Bosch tools) and Multicell's prices are usually about 50% of the new price. They also have a very fast turn-around time.

Rechargeable cells have a life generally based on cycles. If those batteries were used every day that could be some 1000 cycles which is about par for the course. Cell life also depends on how kind the charger is to them - and this does vary.

As a rule of thumb with like to like replacement cells they'll cost more. As the battery is just expensive cells in a cheap plastic case. Even DIYing the replacement is likely to cost more - unless you can find a source of similar quality cheap cells. One way might be to look for the same sized (and type) battery from another maker on special offer, and swop the internals. The cells are likely to be physically the same size.

I forgot to add their web url. Sorry:-

Nearly always sub-c's for power tools and nickel technology.

There is also:

This ia almost certainly a bad idea, but has anyone actually tried recelling with AA size NiMHs? Higher capacity and stupidly cheap...

NT

I very much doubt it has had 100 cycles in its lifetime let alone

I'll probably buy a new drill if I can get one for £50 as another poster said.

Thanks to everyone who replied for your helpful suggestions.

A point.

about 85% of the cost of a a cordless is in the batteries.

That leads to two opposing points of view

- if the batteries are shot, replace the drill.

- if the batteries are shot, paying as much for new batteries as a new=20 drill will get you much better batteries for the same money..

I'd go for the former since I wouldn't be confident that the replacement batteries would be any better than the originals, even if they are more expensive.

(I note that a replacement Bosch drill with 3 batteries is only £20 more than one with 2 batteries.)

I also note that the Makita BDF343RH (14.4V LXT Lithium-Ion Drill Driver) is about $130. That might be a better long term buy. Only one battery though.

Oh. I would.

I've abused a lot of rechargeables flying toy planes., and good branded=20 ones are simply a different reality to cheapos.

Less internal resistance,, less self discharge..

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@care2.com saying something like:

Superficially, why not, indeed? There's a huge element of economy of scale in the price. Iwt that max current draw would be restricted though. Otoh, it's cheap enough to try it and if it doesn't work, easy enough to dismantle and re-use the cells.