For battery powered tools not in use, do you try topping batteries up or let them go dead and charge before use.
Nicad, NMH, LiIon.
Nicad, NMH, LiIon.
Do you let your tool batteries go dead in storage
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The rechargeable (40v) batteries for my grass-trimmer are $100 each.
So I read the Owners Manual.
Manual shows for longest life:
1) Don't over charge
2) Don't let battery completely discharge
3) Store at 30% - 50% charged
4) Store battery at 80* F or less (I keep in my basement / not the 'hot' garage
My batteries have a button to push that shows battery charge (1-4 LED's)
The LED's make maintaining batteries very easy.
So I read the Owners Manual.
Manual shows for longest life:
1) Don't over charge
2) Don't let battery completely discharge
3) Store at 30% - 50% charged
4) Store battery at 80* F or less (I keep in my basement / not the 'hot' garage
My batteries have a button to push that shows battery charge (1-4 LED's)
The LED's make maintaining batteries very easy.
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None should be stored dead. NiCd and nimh need to be cycled full to completely dead once in a while or they loose capacity. Lith batteries can be killed if they go too dead, but some have circuitry to protect against that. I have been keeping my Lithium batteries in the house for the winter and they seem to last longer. I don't have a heated garage.
Someone read the manual. I am impressed. Ed
Lithium batteries seem to not like being topped off, I know they are limited in the amount of times they can be charged. So I usually kill them on a power tool, and then recharge. My boss has some 5+ year old M18 batteries that are physically thrashed with one falling apart, and they are just starting to lose their capacity. I am pretty sure he just kills them and recharges, he is not the type to care about things like that.
I had a rechargeable flashlight with an 18650 and the battery would not charge within a year because I kept storing it on the charging base.
The only thing that does not follow this is cellphone batteries. I charge mine every night regardless, and they usually last two years or so. My last phone had a weak battery that I was thinking of replacing after two years, but I broke the screen and it was not worth fixing.
I had a rechargeable flashlight with an 18650 and the battery would not charge within a year because I kept storing it on the charging base.
The only thing that does not follow this is cellphone batteries. I charge mine every night regardless, and they usually last two years or so. My last phone had a weak battery that I was thinking of replacing after two years, but I broke the screen and it was not worth fixing.
Mine never get the chance to sit in storage, they are in use most of the time. I run them get to about 1 bar or 25% then charge them. I alternate them so it will be in use after the one in the machine is charged again.
With L-ion I just run it until the protective circuitry shuts them off, then go get the other one off the charger.
I'm amazed how long my drill battery will last just sitting in the unheated garage for a few weeks then used for a few minutes, then sitting until next weekend. In that usage pattern it last for months sometimes.
I'm amazed how long my drill battery will last just sitting in the unheated garage for a few weeks then used for a few minutes, then sitting until next weekend. In that usage pattern it last for months sometimes.
I have 7 various DeWalt li-on from 1.5ah to 4.0 ah. The oldest 1.5 are from 2011 and they still work and hold a charge without issue.
I'm surprised how well they hold up. I'm not using them everyday, but the 1.5ah were used to build an 8*12 shed and used to frame my basement.
I never attempt to fully drain them and keep them topped up.
I'm surprised how well they hold up. I'm not using them everyday, but the 1.5ah were used to build an 8*12 shed and used to frame my basement.
I never attempt to fully drain them and keep them topped up.
Originally Posted By: mx5miata
No I keep all my lithium batts charged up
That's almost the worst thing you can do. As others have said lithium batteries don't like being topped off or stored full. I have about 12 18v lithium batteries that I cycle through, trying to wear them all relatively equally. When I store them I always make sure they are not full - only around 50%. They will stay like this and not run down much further for at least a year.
It's also not good to completely discharge them. If you recharge at around 30%, they will last significantly more cycles than if you just let them die completely every time.
Even my laptop has an option so that if you usually leave it sitting on a desk plugged in, as I do, it will only leave the battery charge at around 60% to keep it as healthy as possible.
It's not CRITICAL to keep lithium batteries this way - you can run them all the way down and charge them all the way up and they should still last longer than any older tech batteries. But they will last significantly longer if you treat them right. Don't top them off.
No I keep all my lithium batts charged up
That's almost the worst thing you can do. As others have said lithium batteries don't like being topped off or stored full. I have about 12 18v lithium batteries that I cycle through, trying to wear them all relatively equally. When I store them I always make sure they are not full - only around 50%. They will stay like this and not run down much further for at least a year.
It's also not good to completely discharge them. If you recharge at around 30%, they will last significantly more cycles than if you just let them die completely every time.
Even my laptop has an option so that if you usually leave it sitting on a desk plugged in, as I do, it will only leave the battery charge at around 60% to keep it as healthy as possible.
It's not CRITICAL to keep lithium batteries this way - you can run them all the way down and charge them all the way up and they should still last longer than any older tech batteries. But they will last significantly longer if you treat them right. Don't top them off.
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