When a power tool battery stops holding its charge, the decision of whether to rebuild or replace can be tough. Replacement is quick and convenient, and the process is often as simple as walking into a home improvement store and buying a replacement off the shelf. While choosing to rebuild is a definite money saver, the process is a bit less convenient. To help bring some perspective to this decision, we need to have an understanding of the rebuilding process. As an example, let's take a look at the process of rebuilding a Dewalt 18v battery from a typical cordless drill.
Step one is to take or send the battery to the shop handling the rebuilding. After they receive your battery, they will disassemble the pack and remove the old cells. The Dewalt 18v battery contains 15 individual 1.2v cells a little smaller than your average C sized battery. Most shops will recycle the old cells. After the cells are removed, the battery pack is cleaned and prepared for the rebuild.
Drill Battery Charger
With an industry specific spot welder, 14 of the cells are welded together in series and assembled into the pack; the final cell is then welded on the top of the pack and is contained inside of the shaft of the battery pack that slides into the drill. This cell also has the contact on it which is again welded to the top battery to provide the necessary power to the drill and for the charger. Most shops will then mark the date and sometimes even the initials of the technician who performed the service inside the battery pack.
Before closing the battery there is one final step that should be performed. The thermistor, a small heat sensing resistor similar to a circuit breaker, should be checked for proper function to ensure that the battery will charge properly. After finished the battery rebuild process, the top is screwed back into place and the battery is charged. After charging, the battery is ready for pick-up or shipment. Total turnaround time is typically 10 days to 2 weeks, but some companies like The Power Tool Doctor in Michigan are known to ship back a battery within 24 hours of receiving it.
While this article has outlined the basic process for rebuilding the Dewalt 18v battery, the process is similar with most common power tool batteries. Having an understanding of this process should prove to be beneficial when making the choice between replacing and rebuilding your power tool battery.
Black Friday DeWalt DW9118 7.2V - 14.4V 1-Hour Battery Charger 2011 Deals
Nov 15, 2011 16:09:24
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