Drill Battery Care

Cordless drills are the most convenient tools for home improvement and in some cases commercial work. Although there are many different cordless drills on the market as well as different voltages, the one thing to keep in mind is the higher the voltage, the stronger the drill. Cordless Drills run from 7.2 volts to 24 volts and of course the higher the voltage the more you are going to pay for the tool. If you are lucky enough to afford one of the more expensive cordless drills, my suggestions is to maximize the battery life by charging it properly and cleaning the contacts. By keeping up with this maintenance, it will save you from buying another battery prematurely.

To improve the effectiveness of your cordless drill battery and make it last longer, charge your battery completely after using it and especially before storing it. Many people make the mistake of charging it for only 10 or 15 minutes. This will result in a lower performing battery. Most Manufacturers recommend a full charge the first time you use a cordless drill because the battery has only a surface charge when it leaves the factory and will not deliver its full run time. To keep your cordless drill battery strong and improve its performance, charge it completely after your battery runs down. The way to tell if your battery is fully charged is to look for a red and green light on the charger. When the red light is on, your battery is charging. When the green light is on, the charger has cut off and your battery is fully charged. Although some manufactures will use the same light to indicate that the battery is charging, only changing to a steady light verses a blinking light when it is fully charged.

Refer to the manual that came with your drill. Cleaning the cordless drill battery contacts is a way to improve its performance as well. Batteries usually have two contacts (one negative and one hot). Some use three, but one is for the charger to sense the voltage during a charge. Use a clean rag and wipe away any dust or debris on all the contacts. Make sure that your cordless drill contacts are clean of any type of junk because this can affect the charge of the battery. Knowing that your cordless drill is the most convenient tool you can own, you can maximize your purchase by keeping the battery powered up and clean and this way your cordless drill will always be ready the next time you need to use it.