Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

[lakelover]

My Craftsman 14.4v cordless drill batteries are giving up the ghost & I'm not able to buy new ones or a new drill right now, so I thought I'd try this. One battery is dead and the other only holds a charge for a short time.

Here are the best two videos I've seen yet about it:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8hHLyXAyQ

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=qQYdi48N81U

The only problem is that it looks like I need about 2x the voltage & have to figure out a source. I have a car battery charger but it only puts out 12v. Also, the polarity is not marked on the battery, how do I figure this out?

Anyone ever tried this?

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

In further reading, I've read that you can do this using a car battery or a multi-meter. Seems bizarre. This is getting confusing.

It looks as though opening the battery and zapping each individual 1.2v cell w/ 12v would be more successful than just doing them all at once if no higher voltage is available.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Morning Lake. As far as figuring +/- on the battery - if you have a meter measure across the contacts. If it shows pos (use the battery that get partially charged) the red lead is on +, if it shows neg voltage the black is on the pos.
Hope that helps.

From what I've read/seen the batts last a little while longer but it isn't a sure fix. And no I haven't tried - I just keep sticking the batts in the charger.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Thanks, yeah, I'm reading that it's a band aid and not a long term fix. I'll probably try it just to satisfy my curiosity. Who wouldn't want to play with toys that spark, might shock you, or blow up something?

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Thanks, yeah, I'm reading that it's a band aid and not a long term fix. I'll probably try it just to satisfy my curiosity. Who wouldn't want to play with toys that spark, might shock you, or blow up something?

I think blowing up if a definate possibility if you run 12V from an automotive battery charge through one of those batteries!

It's pathetic that it's cheaper to buy a new drill than fix a broken one these days.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

It's pathetic that it's cheaper to buy a new drill than fix a broken one these days.

I agree, we live in a throwaway society...

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

It's pathetic that it's cheaper to buy a new drill than fix a broken one these days.

That, and it's a PIA to shop for these things and get the features you want and only those features, at the best price! Wish they would last longer.

 

[mscher]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

A new drill may be money well spent.

NiCad battery time stinks, compared to NMh, which now are not even as long as LI-ION. Most of my rechargables are NMh, which I am very happy with and have used the tools for several years. They don't like cold very well, though.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

A new drill may be money well spent.

NiCad battery time stinks, compared to NMh, which now are not even as long as LI-ION. Most of my rechargables are NMh, which I am very happy with and have used the tools for several years. They don't like cold very well, though.

Nicad batteries develop a memory. While nickel metal halide and litium ion batteries are generally a better choice all around, I've had several Nicads for years that still perform very well. When you get them brand new, don't even turn on the product until you've given the battery or batteries a full charge. Don't recharge them until they are almost completely discharged, even if that means running them down. This will prevent them from developing a "short memory". There are smart chargers which discharge them to the optimal level prior to recharging. A lot of smart chargers can also recondition the batteries by putting them through a series of discharge/recharge cycles. They work very well; but are rather pricey (at least they used to be). I havn't bought one in quite a while.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

I have started buying these at Menards under their brand, thy carry replacement batteries, and are resonablly price.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

A new drill may be money well spent.

NiCad battery time stinks, compared to NMh, which now are not even as long as LI-ION. Most of my rechargables are NMh, which I am very happy with and have used the tools for several years. They don't like cold very well, though.

I'm with you there. I gave it a shot yesterday using my car battery charger. The charge in my drill bateries went up momentarily, but started going immediately back down. I'm not saying the method doesn't work, but mine are probably too far gone. I think I'll start saving my pennies for a good one with Li-Ion batt's. I'm absolutely amazed at their performance in my digital cameras.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Nicad batteries develop a memory. While nickel metal halide and litium ion batteries are generally a better choice all around, I've had several Nicads for years that still perform very well. When you get them brand new, don't even turn on the product until you've given the battery or batteries a full charge. Don't recharge them until they are almost completely discharged, even if that means running them down. This will prevent them from developing a "short memory".......

With rare exception, I did fully charge and discharge these batteries throughout their life, and they lasted even less time than the ones I had in my previous dril (both Craftsman). Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I just don't get why they are so costly. I hate replacing perfectly good tools. It seems to me that the NiCd is obsolete technology at this point, considering how much better the other two types perform.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

With rare exception, I did fully charge and discharge these batteries throughout their life, and they lasted even less time than the ones I had in my previous dril (both Craftsman). Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I just don't get why they are so costly. I hate replacing perfectly good tools. It seems to me that the NiCd is obsolete technology at this point, considering how much better the other two types perform.

I've had some batteries in the past which didn't last long. I attribute that to... it happens. For the most part, though, the method I described has worked really well for many years.

As with everything, there will always be better products being developed. Every now and then you'll get something really terrific that doesn't work so well for others (and vice-versa, of course).

I have several Bosch tools, cordless and corded. Ive found them to be the "die-hard" quality tool which Milwalkie used to be. I stopped buying Milwalkie tools years ago. You may want to give Bosch a try.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

I had a Craftsman combo set. The drill, saw, and light set. When the batteries went south, I bought a new CRAFTSMAN pair of batteries. They didn't last half as long as the originals, and like someone said, could have been well on my way to a new drill for the cost of the batteries.

Last Christmas, my wife surprised me with a new Makita cordless gun. It has turned out to be a great gun to use. Better balanced than the Craftsman, and just seems to be a better overall piece of equipment. Then in Feb., of 2011 I found a Makita drill, and a impact gun, along with a light that was on sale, and I bought them. The impact gun is (IMO), worth its weight in gold.

Just my $0.02

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

If you are willing to go to the trouble of disassembling your battery pack why not just replace the cells while you have it apart? The cells aren't that much money and you could probably replace with NIMh while you're at it for even better performance. If you don't want to replace them yourself find a local battery shop who will do it. I've had several NiCad Milwaukee batteries rebuilt at a local shop here. I think it was under $50.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

I have several Bosch tools, cordless and corded. Ive found them to be the "die-hard" quality tool which Milwalkie used to be. I stopped buying Milwalkie tools years ago. You may want to give Bosch a try.

Thanks, in the research I've done so far, the Bosch reviews have been impressive. A personal recommendation here is helpful.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

If you are willing to go to the trouble of disassembling your battery pack why not just replace the cells while you have it apart? The cells aren't that much money and you could probably replace with NIMh while you're at it for even better performance. If you don't want to replace them yourself find a local battery shop who will do it. I've had several NiCad Milwaukee batteries rebuilt at a local shop here. I think it was under $50.

That's something to think about too. Even with NiCd, that would theoritically double the life of the tool. Would NIMh require a different charger?

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Personally I`ve had them all over the years from makita to ryobi to milwaukee and it seems that the quality has gone down on all of the in the last few years. I think its just that battery tech just cant keep up. I had gone back to using a corded drill for most projects because I was tired of buying new drills and replacement batts.

The admirall bought me the new Rockwell 3rill for xmas and I have to say for the little bit I have used it so far I love it. Nice balance, good grip and the impact is the cats meow for bigger projects. I`m not a spokesman for rockwell and they arent paying me anything but you guys might want to check one out. The biggest plus for me is they have a free batteries for life program. Thats right for life.
http://www.3rilldrill.com/

 

[M9.9]

Re: Rejuvenating NiCd batteries - anyone tried it?

Uha, it is a throwaway society these days. I have the same problem, only my batteries powered a drill and a hardly used sawzall. The OEM no longer makes the battery and the connector-type is no longer made either. Changing the battery-guts is easy enough but does'nt warrant the cost of the raw batteries. Purchased a Hitachi 18v; figured they may have new batts available 10 years down the road-lol.