When it comes to cordless power tools, you will want to know that the batteries your tool uses is up to the job. Nobody wants their batteries running out in the middle of an important job, and no one likes to wait hours for a tool to charge before they can use it. In order to shed some light on potential problems and to ensure that you get the best out of your power tools, My Tool Shed has gathered up some information on the types of batteries commonly used to power cordless power tools.
Lithium ion batteries are a variety of rechargeable battery used in powering cordless power tools. The first Lithium batteries became available in the 1970′s, however attempts to create a rechargeable Lithium battery met with failure till the first Lithium Ion batteries were released by the Sony Corporation in 1991. As Lithium is an element that reacts strongly to water it is important that the batteries be completely sealed and protected from water. Lithium Ion batteries have a very high energy density that means that for their size and weigh they can store more energy than any other rechargeable batteries.
Advantages:
- Efficient weight to power ratio
- High energy density
- No memory effect
- Low maintenance
- Slow loss of charge when not in use.
Disadvantages:
- Short service life - ages faster than NiCd or Ni-MH batteries (storage in cool conditions can slow this)
- High temperatures can shorten charge life and in extreme cases cause the battery to rupture, ignite or explode.
- Expensive to manufacture
Examples:
Ryobi BPL-1220 12 Volt Lithium-Ion battery 1.2ah
DeWalt DE9140 Nano Li-ion Battery 14.4 Volt
A.E.G. Power Tools L1830R Cordless Battery Li-Ion 18 Volt 3.0ah
