Convert cordless tools to corded

[William Krems]

Wonder if Robert Graham got the job done he posted question last January about converting cordless to corded. I did it today using an old Western Auto 10 amp car battery charger. I used the tools today (7.2 volt Black and Decker saws that had 2 VersaPak removable batterries each), no problems, also wired a Black and Decker drill, 4.8 volt with built in battery pack, (removed the battery pack). Still used the 12 volt setting on the old Western Auto

10 amp charger. Simply took cords off of old radio's and stuff opened up the tools and figured out positive and negative, forgot to mark the other end of the cord and had to take apart and use meter to get it right. Works great, got them set up at thier own work bench with the charger on shelf, can see amp needle on charger, when start drilling or sawing the needle jumps all the way then settles back to 5 amps, 6 or 7 when drilling with hard pressure.

[Old Nick]

On 5 Sep 2004 20:24:45 -0700, [e-mail] (William Krems) vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Well. 4.8v mnotor on 12v. We will hear from you again tomorrow?

***************************************************** I know I am wrong about just about everything. So I am not going to listen when I am told I am wrong about the things I know I am right about.

[Dave in WA]

Just because it can be done is no reason to do it. Corded tools are probably safer and I'd bet a hell of a lot more powerfull...pound for pound, or comparably priced. But I guess if you have a few spare tools, a lot of time and a desire anything is possible?

[Upscale]

Maybe so, but I can think of a few reasons to do it. Car battery on hand, cordless batteries have died or are not retaining much of a charge. Maybe cost of new batteries or rebuilding batteries is too much. Maybe it's just an educational exercise. Haven't you ever tried something just to see if it works? A large proportion of what we do is a waste of time and money.

[Old Nick]

On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 10:31:18 GMT, "Upscale" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Actually, it's interesting. I have a rellay expensive 12V cordless. The guts are great, but the supplied battery packs (at $120 per pack) are dead. They were proprietary NiCds, and a ripoff.

Suddenly it occurs to me that I can get NiMH cells with umpteenth the capacity, for a tenth of the price of replacement of the prop packs.

The only trouble is, of course, that the charger will go in the bin, and that I will have to crack the pack to charge the new cells in the intelligent NiMH charger. Temperature and all that.

There has to be a market there somewhere. I have a couple of 2-ways that you can get in-radio chargers for, but of course the chargers take 24 hours to charge 800mAH NiMh cells, because a quick charger cannot measure temp if the cells are still in the radios. Devices that talk to the chargers? Why not? Probably $1 to make and $10 on the price.

***************************************************** I know I am wrong about just about everything. So I am not going to listen when I am told I am wrong about the things I know I am right about.

[William Krems]

Another reason is recyceling, those tools will go to the dump otherwise. I don't understand the 12 volt setting working on the 7.2 and 4.8 volt tools but I've used them several times with no problems, no heating up or anything.

[J. Clarke]

Who knows, if you could develop the technology you might have a nice little niche market going. I've got a couple of dead DeWalt packs here that it's not cost effective to have rebuilt with NiCd but if I could get NiMH in them for the retail price of a new NiCd pack or less and get a fast charger to go with them I'd do it in an instant.

[Grandpa]

Yuppers, many new things have been invented by people tinkering around. Good stuff Maynard! Besides, we've become too much of a throw-away society. Grandpa

[Badger]

I've done a similar thing with the cord and plug off a dead truckair compressor and an old metabo 12v drill that had 1 dead pack and one on its way out (the charger went years ago, charged them off a bench psu). Now I can plug into a lighter socket in any car/suv or use my 7ah leadacid power pack, much better than throwing away a perfectly good drill that packs can't be bought for.

Badger

[Morris Dovey]

I wouldn't be too if there was a voltage regulator in the tool.

[Robert Galloway]

There's theory and then there's the real world. The internal resistance of an auto battery charger is pretty high. A twelve volt potential should push enough current through something designed for 4.8 volts to fry the sucker. In the real world, with the setup he describes, while not a sure bet, is likely to work for a good long time. The internal resistance of the charger is likely enough higher than the battery pack the drill came with that both machines (drill and charger) will survive in good shape.

bob g.

Old Nick wrote:

[Robert Galloway]

How about a cordless tool that works but the replacement battery costs more than you want to spend and you don't use the cordless feature that much anyway. I can't imagine a whole lot of folks running out and buying cordless with the plan to convert but if you've used the thing until the battery quits, what do you have to lose?

bob g.

Dave > Just because it can be done is no reason to do it. Corded tools are

[Chris]

LOL - Everything I ever made in my shop comes to mind...

-CJ