Rechargeable Lithium Battery Link

Been a while, but seems every 7 to 10 years, I need a new Nicd for my Makita cordless 9.6V. I think I bought it in 1988, got a few more years on the battery. It has served me very well, thank you. Although I like the new cordless with the LED lights built in so you can see what you are working on. Now if I could just find my damn reading glasses that fell off my nose while working.

Li cells have more storage in a smaller package so your cordless tools weigh less. They also have no "memory" like a NImh or NiCd.

My venerable Makita set (NiMh) is now packed away in a box with a bad charger and weak batteries. Even using my home brew regeneration method can't bring them back to life.

I bought a Ridgid cordless set because the tools, the batteries, and the charger have a lifetime warranty. I got tired of parking usable tools on a shelf because of bad batteries and failed chargers.

You are better off buying complete NEW battery packs.

You can get new 18V packs for your Ryobi for about $34 each which is a bargain compared to a lithium fire..

RYOBI BATTERY PACKS

That price is for NiCd battery packs. The Li ones in the link are two for $125, same as the local Home Depot. It also has the $99 for drill, driver and two batteries package. It seems the tools are free and the batteries overpriced.

Would NiCd batteries be the way to go because the lithium cells will inevitably develop a tenth volt differential among the cells and die? I know people who have used a NiCd driver battery for a decade.

Thanks for the link to Li cells.
Would it be safe to attempt eliminating the differential between cells by slightly charging the lowest voltage cell a wee bit - say 50 mA for ten seconds?

X2 Gde, don't mess with individual LI cells.

Harvey51 wrote:
Where can Lithium cells be obtained? I have a Ryobi 18 V tool battery that will not run a tool despite being charged to 9.5 volts. I am told the circuit in the battery pack doesn't allow current to flow if there is a voltage differential over a tenth of a volt among the 6 cells. One weak cell kills the whole thing.

You DON'T wish to monkey with replacing individual lithium cells, you will not save money AND you will be taking a huge FIRE risk.

Generally Lithium cells ARE NOT SOLD to the general public since they require considerable amount of care in designing a proper charging system.. The only times I have found Lithium cells have been from Surplus electronic parts stores but I would not recommend playing with these since you will not have proper specs on charge and discharge ratings..

Lithium battery fires are extremely hot, well over 2500 F and these batteries is miss used, broke open, overcharged, over discharged or physically damaged WILL result in severe damage.. so they really are not something the average person will want to mess with.

You are better off buying complete NEW battery packs.

You can get new 18V packs for your Ryobi for about $34 each which is a bargain compared to a lithium fire..

RYOBI BATTERY PACKS

That is some impressive battery pack.

And the best battery store I have found (If you like sticks and bricks) is Batteries Plus. They have both S&B and internet stores. I plan to visit one next week.

You may be able to do better shopping the net, but I like a store where I can look at the actual product, not a photo.

Where can Lithium cells be obtained? I have a Ryobi 18 V tool battery that will not run a tool despite being charged to 9.5 volts. I am told the circuit in the battery pack doesn't allow current to flow if there is a voltage differential over a tenth of a volt among the 6 cells. One weak cell kills the whole thing.

many of my camera lithiums are 3.6 volt but got lots a AAA,AA,D etc. that aren't.
bumpy