Non charging battery packs?

[PTsideshow]

Ok my dad had a Ryobi 14.4 volt drill motor and flashlight set. The two batteries probably haven't been charged in 3 years. When I tried to charge them, nothing much happened other than the deep charge LED blinked the whole time.(one over 8 hours in charger).

As most I have some Dewalts18v,Makita 18v, 9v, ones that also stopped charging. Other than replacing the cells in the packs, or sending them out for rebuild.

Any body have any links or ideas on a way to get them back to life?
 

[John Rudd]

PT,
If the batteries haven't been charged for three yrs plus, then they're likely shot.....
Crystals form inside them and cause them to self discharge, sometimes they can be recovered by zapping them with an external source, like a dc welder...but the result is usually short lived...
Nicd batts usually last three-five years anyway....time for some new ones I think 

[Chuck in E. TN]

I feel your pain... I have several B&D 18v tools. 2 drills, Sawsall, chainsaw, and hedge trimmer.
I investigated getting my 2 batteries rebuilt, but the $70+ each at the local 'Batteries are Us' about gave me a heart attack! I priced their replacement battery cells and the price was almost the same.
Then I found a battery at WalMart for $40 and bought it. It wouldn't charge either so I took it back. Got a refund and found a 3/8" B&D drill kit in the same store with 2 batteries, drill and charger for $9 more than the bad battery alone.
There are several videos on rebuilding battery packs on U-Tbe, including this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtOS5evrqrQ.
If you can solder, you can do it yourself, just make a carefull drawing of how the individual cells are connected to get the voltage and current needed.
I gave in to buying new because of immediate need. There are several vendors on E-Bay selling the cells. Make sure you get the same type as what is in your battery or you risk damaging the chargers. Some say if you disassemble 2 battery packs, you can get enough good cells to rebuild 1. Good luck!
Chuck

[awemawson]

There are some lousy cells on eBay from Chinese sellers. Capacity nothing like what they are supposed to be and very light to boot. Ask me how I know

[PTsideshow]

Found one on Amazon for under $30.00 shipped new, will use that and then take apart the other two and see what happens. I don't do flea bay as too many rip off's! Amazon seems always to have better deals, and they stand behind the buyers more than sellers.

[Chuck in E. TN]

PT, good luck on the rebuild. Let us know how it works... I may take one of my bad batteries appart and make it into an AC adapter for longer jobs...
Chuck

[davidh]

if your going to try to replace the bad cells yourself, some of the tricks I learned while doing it as part of my tool repair business were:
carefully flatten the connecting bands where they will attach.  on the end of the battery, ruff up the surface just a little, I used a slow speed little wheel on my dremel.  tin both surfaces just a little.  I used a liquid flux and solid solder.  use a soldering iron, not a electric soldering gun.  you should have nearly instant heat so the battery does not get hot, hence the soldering iron.  (I would call it a soldering club as its just a heavy hunk of copper on the end of a shaft, that's heated with a propane torch)
(im trying to find the words here that will be understood across the pond. . . .) then rinse off the acid flux that's left on the connection.  I've done hundreds and have been quite successful.  getting the batterys hot is not in your favor.

[John Rudd]

Glen
If your going the rebuild route I suggest you try an r/c hobby shop for nickel plated battery tabs for connecting you cells....
Most rc battery packs are welded using the above tabs and then enclosed in heat shrink.....but as you probably don't have a door welder to hand soldering will gave to suffice....

Good luck ....

[Jonny]

I went through this lot 4 years ago with also a 14.4v and Makita 18v 2.4 Nicads which were bought new in 2005.
Tried zapping did nothing, then sourcing replacement cells worked out dearer than buying a new battery. Then the hassle OF swapping the cells over.

In the end went for Lithium ion 2.8 new batteries (4 yrs ago £47 each delivered) and new charger £17 near on the price of obtaining the NiCad cells. Cant use NiCad charger for some reason to charge Lithium.
Theres a fair few cells in these battery packs.

Downside to the Lithium is that whilst they deliver near on full power right the way down, theres no warning when discharged, just the ticket when got a repo saw locked up in a job. Dubious whether they last longer than NiCad.