Was at the B&D outlet store in Destin this week. I asked the age old question - are B&D and DeWalt cordless tool batteries interchangeable if you file off the little plastic tit? Answer - Yes. BUT......before you buy a bunch.....
The man said that B&D is moving to a slide on battery like Milwaukee (they already had some B&D sliders in the store), replacing the plug in battery with two tabs on the side that we are all used to. He said that the tabs are failing on the plug in style and the battery won't stay in the tool (strange - I haven't had any problem with my 10 or so DeWalt plug in batteries for the last 5 years...). So, prepare to be disappointed when you go buy new tools and you can't buy more of what you have. I always buy DeWalt 12V because everything I own is 12V DeWalt, so as my batteries crap out, I have a steady supply from new tools.
Yes. That's a decent lifespan for any NiCD battery. They also claim possible charge numbers up to, and even over, 1000. Expect more like 500-650, IME.
This does not apply to just DW batteries, but to all the better brands that I've tried long term.
Charlie Self "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy." Ernest Benn
Charlie already responded to the life question, so I'll bypass that one to comment on disposal of the batteries that have "had it". Take a look at
formatting link
. I'm not affiliated with them in any way other than having had one pack (so far) rebuilt by them.
I had an old 18v DW XRP battery pack that was tossed in on the purchase of a used 18v hammer drill. The pack was known to be bad, but I accepted it anyway because I wanted to give the Primecell people a test case. They rebuilt it with higher capacity for about
2/3 the cost of a new battery, including shipping both ways, in about a one week turnaround.
. I do not as yet have any opinion on the reliability of the rebuilt battery or it's expected lifetime. But now it takes and holds a charge when it didn't before. I haven't used the drill enough with the rebuilt battery to know if the extended capacity is real or imaginary. I'm still on the original charge after rebuilding. But, initial indications are that it's going to last longer between charges than its "supposedly good" companion that also came with the drill. That battery only drills about 10 or so 6" deep by 1/2" diameter holes in old concrete before slowing to a crawl. The rebuilt one was still going strong after the 9th hole. I suppose I could have continued drilling until it quit, but that was all I needed at the time.
All I can say with certainty is that having them rebuild the battery was significantly less up front expense than dropping the old battery in the BORG recycle bin on the way to buying a new one. And if it turns out that the battery life is equivalent to, or better than, the OEM battery, it will be a significantly better life cycle expense as well.
Alas, it seems the price to replace two 12v DeWalt batts is almost as much as buying the "kit": drill charger and batteries when its on sale. The batteries alone never seem to go on sale. As for my Craftsman 12V, buying a new kit was cheaper than buying 2 - 12V batts..Sigh, the "throw away" society R
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.