qcroanoke
Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
- Location
- Roanoke, VA.
- Occupation
- Sorta retired........
Which would you buy?
Go!
Go!
NI-cad or Lithium Ion Battery drill
- Thread starter qcroanoke
- Start date
- Status
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Can you buy anything other than LiO these days?
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Ni-cad is last decade technology.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
True. LiO technology is so exciting. You never know when you're pocket or tool bag will burst into flames! :lol:
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
.
lithium. not even a question.....
chris kennedy
Senior Member
- Location
- Miami Fla.
- Occupation
- 60 yr old tool twisting electrician
Recently bought a razor and a vac, both Ni Cad, I was shocked.:blink:
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Ni-Cads weigh a ton. My old 18V B&D Ni-Cad packs weigh three times what the new 20V Li ones weigh, with half the power. The only advantage I can see with them is they give more warning before dying, and they are much cheaper (usually).
The real question is what tool system do you buy? Dewalt has a 20/60V battery pack now; 2 of them can run their chopsaw, and there is an AC/DC adapter so you can run it wired as well.
The weight alone is why I went to Li. My 12V Li Hitachi weighs about what the 18V B&D battery weighs, and has enough power to drive hundreds of screws (mounting boxes and ENT clamps on wood studs) before it needs a recharge. Charge time on Li batteries is a fraction of Ni-Cad too.
The real question is what tool system do you buy? Dewalt has a 20/60V battery pack now; 2 of them can run their chopsaw, and there is an AC/DC adapter so you can run it wired as well.
The weight alone is why I went to Li. My 12V Li Hitachi weighs about what the 18V B&D battery weighs, and has enough power to drive hundreds of screws (mounting boxes and ENT clamps on wood studs) before it needs a recharge. Charge time on Li batteries is a fraction of Ni-Cad too.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Be careful.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Not sure what you think the hazard is. My Groomsman beard trimmer is so old the battery (NiCd) won't keep a charge but other than that I've never had an issue.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Chris said he was shocked, I said be careful, it was a joke.
- Location
- Massachusetts
For me the best choice is whatever type the shop provided me to use.
When it breaks it gets replaced.
When it breaks it gets replaced.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
For me the best choice is whatever type the shop provided me to use.
When it breaks it gets replaced.
:roll::roll:
- Location
- Massachusetts
FionaZuppa
Senior Member
- Location
- AZ
- Occupation
- Part Time Electrician (semi retired, old) - EE retired.
btw, there are many different types of Lithium batts
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Your complexion blinds me. :lol:
- Location
- Massachusetts
:lol:
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I thought it was funny. Well, at least humorous.
Rampage_Rick
Senior Member
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
I have a huge collection of legacy Dewalt 18V tools and about 10 batteries. At this point it would cost a fortune to jump ship. When the packs wear out it's possible to have them rebuilt with higher-capacity NiCd cells, or with NiMH cells. (only the newer yellow chargers support NiMH) They briefly sold Li-Ion batteries that fit the legacy tools as well.
Dewalt finally came out with an adapter to allow the use of the newer Li-Ion batteries with the legacy tools:
The big killer for Li-Ion is running the voltage too low. The 20V Max tools have the low-voltage protection built into the tool, so presumably that's also built into the adapter.
Dewalt finally came out with an adapter to allow the use of the newer Li-Ion batteries with the legacy tools:
The big killer for Li-Ion is running the voltage too low. The 20V Max tools have the low-voltage protection built into the tool, so presumably that's also built into the adapter.
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
iwire is on the right track. Get a tool that you will use and have someone else handle the replacement
IMHO the single most annoying 'feature' in a battery powered tool is a fully functional _tool_ with an unusable battery. I have a Milwaukee drill and saw which (if they were plug in) would be perfect; not new but fully functional with lots of years left...but replacing the batteries is difficult; I only see generic replacements with unknown cell quality, not OEM packs.
I am strongly tempted by the Ridgid battery warranty, but don't know enough about it to be sure it isn't a gimmick.
-Jon
IMHO the single most annoying 'feature' in a battery powered tool is a fully functional _tool_ with an unusable battery. I have a Milwaukee drill and saw which (if they were plug in) would be perfect; not new but fully functional with lots of years left...but replacing the batteries is difficult; I only see generic replacements with unknown cell quality, not OEM packs.
I am strongly tempted by the Ridgid battery warranty, but don't know enough about it to be sure it isn't a gimmick.
-Jon
qcroanoke
Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
- Location
- Roanoke, VA.
- Occupation
- Sorta retired........
That's the way I went, only saw one Ni Cad and as posted here it was heavy.
Dewalt 20 volt w/2 batteries, Charger and soft case $99.00. At the Blue box store.
As much as we've spent there in the last 6 weeks they should have given it to me....
Remodeling a bathroom and several other things. Bath's can be very expensive.....
- Status