Tool Forum

[7oaks]

Battery Rejuvination

[ Disclaimer]
----------------
If you try this on your batteries and it does not work or they freeze and split open or some other bad thing happens to them, I am not," responsible"
It worked for me and I am just relating the results.
Pioneerguy600

You better believe I'm going to be trying this tomorrow...Thanks Jerry

 

[Metals406]

You better believe I'm going to be trying this tomorrow...Thanks Jerry

Ditto!! It makes sense to me too. . . I hope it works.

Jerry's the man for sharing this info!!

 

[bigbadbob]

Ditto!! It makes sense to me too. . . I hope it works.

Jerry's the man for sharing this info!!

The Makita cells are going for a freezing tomorrow!!!!

 

[Brmorgan]

Like freezing a butane lighter before refilling. Good one.

 

[Metals406]

The Makita cells are going for a freezing tomorrow!!!!

I've really battled these Ryobi 18v batteries. . . They seem kinda sucky when new.

I hope this gives them a little more run time.

 

[tdi-rick]

Well no close answers on the battery charge deal so here goes. I remembered reading some years ago that a hot or heated up battery from the drill would not take as good a charge as a cool battery would so when I was thinking what I could do with my 4 batterys that thought crossed my mind again. I went and put one battery in the freezer, left it there one hour, took it out and put it in the charger.
[snip]
Pioneerguy600

Geez i'm thick sometimes, I didn't twig and I've done this myself.

It does work sometimes and has been written up about in various places. Success varies, depends on how bad the cells are.

I did it quite a few years ago with some mobile (cell) phone NiCad's but alas, it didn't work with them, I had to buy new ones......

 

[Native87]

Yes thanks for the battery advice. Anything would have to improve the operation of mine. THANKS.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I hope you all have the same success I did with mine.
Pioneerguy600

 

[WesternSaw]

Ni Cad Batteries

Jerry,Thanks for sharing that information for all of us!I tried to rep you but they say I need to spread it around a little more.So maybe others could chip in with a little rep
Lawrence

 

[WesternSaw]

Bigbadbob

Bob,Thanks for sharing those photos of the old tools you have,it's great to see some that were used by family members as well
Lawence

 

[pioneerguy600]

Like freezing a butane lighter before refilling. Good one.

I did know that trick for refilling butane lighters but had not crossed that thought train over to batteries until last Friday. I told an electrical contractor friend today what I had done and at first he was, shocked, to say the least but after a couple seconds of thought he told me that some of company`s drills got left out over night during the winter. When they tried them the next day they were very low on power but after a recharge they seemed to work better than ever, he just never related the freezing to why the drills worked better. He is also going to try out the freezer to charge routine.
Pioneerguy600

 

[blackoak]

I'm going to be hearing cordless drills running in my sleep tonight LOL. I been doing your tip all morning. I have Ridgid, Makita, Ryobi, and Craftsman cordless tools. All have a some weak batteries. A couple weeks ago I threw away three 18 volt weak Ryobi batteries, Damnit!!!!!!. So far I have increased charge time the first go around by around 25 minutes on a 9.6 Makita battery. About 18 minutes on an 18 volt Ridgid battery. Thanks for sharing this. It could be a real money saver

 

[Metals406]

I've done one full cycle on one of my 18v Ryobi's already. . . Waaayyy better just from the one cycle!

I'll hopefully have 2-3 full cycles on all 3 batteries by tonight.

Thanks again Jerry!!!

 

[pioneerguy600]

I'm going to be hearing cordless drills running in my sleep tonight LOL. I been doing your tip all morning. I have Ridgid, Makita, Ryobi, and Craftsman cordless tools. All have a some weak batteries. A couple weeks ago I threw away three 18 volt weak Ryobi batteries, Damnit!!!!!!. So far I have increased charge time the first go around by around 25 minutes on a 9.6 Makita battery. About 18 minutes on an 18 volt Ridgid battery. Thanks for sharing this. It could be a real money saver

i kinda know what you mean, I had two drills running all day Saturday running down the charged batteries, I could hear them even when I put them out on the back deck, 45-50 feet from where I was and that durn squeal still made it to my ears.
Pioneerguy600

 

[pioneerguy600]

I've done one full cycle on one of my 18v Ryobi's already. . . Waaayyy better just from the one cycle!

I'll hopefully have 2-3 full cycles on all 3 batteries by tonight.

Thanks again Jerry!!!

Happy to hear it is working for you also.
Pioneerguy600

 

[BigE]

Like freezing a butane lighter before refilling. Good one.

You can pick up an adapter to refill your portable 1lb propane tanks. I think HF has one for around $16. They recommend refrigerating the little tanks for 20 minutes before filling. They also don't recommend trying to fill 2x without using the propane first.

I figured if chilling them in the refrigerator works, then the freezer would be better. 20 minutes? Heck, I left them in for a couple of hours. Tried it out - yep, took a lot of propane to fill it, but it still wasn't quite as heavy as a new one, so back in the freezer it went. I filled it up again (who needs instructions). 30 minutes later, I hear a hiss, and the over-pressure system was kicking in!

I quickly carried said unit out to the woods and let it sit there by a tree until all the propane leaked out.

The other bottle I filled started bulging but never started leaking. After I used up the propane in that one, I tossed it.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to NOT freeze your little propane tanks before filling!

 

[pioneerguy600]

You can pick up an adapter to refill your portable 1lb propane tanks. I think HF has one for around $16. They recommend refrigerating the little tanks for 20 minutes before filling. They also don't recommend trying to fill 2x without using the propane first.

I figured if chilling them in the refrigerator works, then the freezer would be better. 20 minutes? Heck, I left them in for a couple of hours. Tried it out - yep, took a lot of propane to fill it, but it still wasn't quite as heavy as a new one, so back in the freezer it went. I filled it up again (who needs instructions). 30 minutes later, I hear a hiss, and the over-pressure system was kicking in!

I quickly carried said unit out to the woods and let it sit there by a tree until all the propane leaked out.

The other bottle I filled started bulging but never started leaking. After I used up the propane in that one, I tossed it.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to NOT freeze your little propane tanks before filling!

Well at least that is not as dangerous as the method one of my buddies uses to fill his little green cylinders, it involves heating the 20 lb bottle.
Pioneerguy600

 

[Mastermind]

Jerry, have I ever told you that you are indeed the man?

Works like a charm, my 18 volt dewalt is no longer trash...thanks.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Jerry, have I ever told you that you are indeed the man?

Works like a charm, my 18 volt dewalt is no longer trash...thanks.

Cool, I think we started a trend. LOL
Pioneerguy600

 

[Outlaw5.0]

I kept my Dewalt 18volt batterys in the garage, well the cold winter temps killed them. It got cold enough to freeze water, so keep that in mind.