Restoring an 18v battery
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 1
From: New Mexico
Restoring an 18v battery
My Bosch 18 volt NiCad tool batteries don't seem to hold the charge much any more. I don't abuse them and they aren't that old.
Anyone know how to restore them to take and hold the charge? They charger is doing its work. But after a few days on the shelf they run the drill/recip saw/planer etc for just a short time.
Anyone know how to restore them to take and hold the charge? They charger is doing its work. But after a few days on the shelf they run the drill/recip saw/planer etc for just a short time.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 3
From: tulsa
some places will rebuild you batteries for about 1/2 of what you can uy new ones for. We have an interstae batterie store that rebuilds my dewalts. but after they go down hill they are normally done with.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
NiCads can have a 'memory' problem if you don't run them all the way down.
They 'remember' that they recharged at an early point, and they start to crap out at about that point.
The NiCad people say it's not true, and then they go through an explanation of something that sounds like a memory problem.
I have heard that this can be corrected by completely discharging them, and then recharging. You will need a resistor of fairly low value connected across the terminals -- don't just short them out. Leave it for a day or two, and then recharge them. Hopefully it will help.
After that run them a long way down when you use them. If this isn't convenient, use the resistor trick. You may have to do that anyway because some devices will cut out at a certain point, and you won't get a good discharge.
Hope it works for you,
ford2go
They 'remember' that they recharged at an early point, and they start to crap out at about that point.
The NiCad people say it's not true, and then they go through an explanation of something that sounds like a memory problem.
I have heard that this can be corrected by completely discharging them, and then recharging. You will need a resistor of fairly low value connected across the terminals -- don't just short them out. Leave it for a day or two, and then recharge them. Hopefully it will help.
After that run them a long way down when you use them. If this isn't convenient, use the resistor trick. You may have to do that anyway because some devices will cut out at a certain point, and you won't get a good discharge.
Hope it works for you,
ford2go
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 1
From: New Mexico
18v battery problem
I'll give that a try. The NiCad people have written that running the battery all the way down can switch the voltage direction. I can't image there not being some type of diode in there somewhere but then who am I?
I'll try the resistor thing. And, I googled the issue and some guys are arcing them with a little higher voltage to solve the problem. Its said to be a dendrite issue. I'll need a bunch more research on that one before I hook it to my dc welder. Sounds like a Darwin Award finalist stunt.
Thanks for the response.
I'll try the resistor thing. And, I googled the issue and some guys are arcing them with a little higher voltage to solve the problem. Its said to be a dendrite issue. I'll need a bunch more research on that one before I hook it to my dc welder. Sounds like a Darwin Award finalist stunt.
Thanks for the response.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,868
Likes: 9
From: Rhode Island
Don't discharge a NiCD battery pack all the way to nothing with a resistor, if one cell drops to a lower voltage then the other, it cause reverse current flow.
Your best bet would be to give the battery a bunch of hard working, fresh off the charger and use it until the the power tool its powering stops working.
It would be perfectly safe however to take the battery pack apart, and discharge and recharge each individual cell however
Your best bet would be to give the battery a bunch of hard working, fresh off the charger and use it until the the power tool its powering stops working.
It would be perfectly safe however to take the battery pack apart, and discharge and recharge each individual cell however
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