subject: Power Tool Battery Cells [print this page] Power tools are a great convenience for anyone. From the professional carpenter to the weekend Mr. Fix It, anyone using a power tool can appreciate its usefulness and convenience no matter how big or small the job may be. That's why, when a power tools battery goes dead, the tool becomes virtually useless and the situation turns very frustrating in a hurry. Luckily, tool batteries can be recharged and used over and over. However, the battery will eventually run its course and fail to charge up again after dying. When this happens, the batteries must be reconditioned, replaced, or rebuilt.
Batteries can greatly increase the portability and practical applications of power tools. "Secondary cell" refers to a rechargeable battery. Nickel-cadmium and lithium-ion batteries designed for use in cordless power tools are secondary cells. Their rechargeable property makes them handy for use in the field where you cannot easily access an electrical outlet. Many consumers employ two rechargeable cells while in the field; they use a backup battery while another recharges, allowing for uninterrupted use of a cordless power tool.
You may be surprised to learn that power tool battery for ryobi are actually made up of many smaller cells found inside the hard plastic casing that you see. These power tool battery cells are usually a little smaller than a C size battery and the number found in the battery depends on the overall voltage rating of the battery. The cost effectiveness of rebuilding tool batteries comes from replacing these cells only, leaving the casing, wires, and contacts of the original battery intact. A technician spot-welds these cells together in the exact same configuration as the original power tool battery and reconnects the wires and contacts to complete the rebuild.
Besides the price of a rebuild, the other major advantages are quality and capacity. Most rebuilders will guarantee their work for several months, effectively extending the warranty that may have come with the battery originally. Regardless of the warranty, however, most rebuilt ryobi battery is more likely to last because they are assembled by a single technician instead of mass-produced in a factory. Each battery receives individual attention and should stand the test of time very well. In addition, many battery rebuilders will give the option of using stronger cells when rebuilding the battery. This will increase the run time of the battery without changing anything else except the time it takes to charge the battery, which will also increase slightly.
DeWalt manufactures secondary cells engineered for use in their cordless power tools. They make a few models of lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium batteries that are interchangeable. You can use them in any one of several DeWalt cordless power tools. Their "XRP" line of cordless power tool batteries features a lithium-ion and a nickel-cadmium battery. Their "Compact" batteries series also features a lithium-ion as well as a nickel-cadmium cordless power tool battery. Each battery model in both lines of DeWalt cordless power tool batteries is an 18-volt secondary cell. The XRP lithium-ion power tool battery takes approximately an hour to charge and weighs 1.5 pounds The XRP nickel-cadmium battery takes an hour to charge and weighs a hefty 2.4 pounds. DeWalt's Compact lithium-ion battery recharges in around 30 minutes and weighs in at one pound. The nickel cadmium battery in DeWalt's Compact series takes an hour to charge and weighs around 1.7 pounds.
