I’ve got 3 19.2 Porter Cable batteries that are about used up. Rather than buying 3 more at $79 each, I found what might be a scam (or not) on ebay. Someone is advertising a small manual that gives you step by step instructions on refurbishing the battery.
Sounds suspicious, just wondered if anyone’s tried it and what the results were.
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Replies
Try searching the archives here. There have been previous discussions on the method, and a company that refurbs batteries also.
Basically, as I understand it, the battery pack is simply a series of something like rechargeable C-cells arranged in a series. You unscrew to disassemble the unit, or use a tool to heat and melt it apart, and replace the cells with similar from Radio shack or XYZ or ACME hardware and put it all back together again.
All depends what your time is worth and whether the replacement cells are as good quality as the originals.
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Thank you. I looked specifically for EZ Fix battery, but nothing turned up. Maybe I was too specific. I'll try to look in a more general way.
Yeah, try "rebuilding batteries"
or just batteries
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post the question to frenchy, he is quite the expert on batteries. i have read a few of his posts on different betteries, and how the do it yourselfer can get the most out of them.
Batteries Plus can rebuild most of them. Last time I checked the charge for a 18 v DeWalt XRP was $49.xx.
I think all these guides just show you how to blast nickel-cadmium cells with high current to burn out whiskers. You have to check each cell in the pack with a meter to identify the bad ones then connect a high current source across them for 5 seconds or so. I have used a car battery to do that and it does work. Corroded cells are shot. Sometimes cells are open internally and nothing happens. I have heard of using a couple car batteries to blast an entire battery pack, but I would be surprised if that would work very well.
This can be dangerous because the battery can explode, and if that's not a problem, now you have cadmium all over the place, which is a poison.
You would be paying $7 to a shyster who would only tell you what Mark already told you.
Here is a little more detailed skinny, please send $7 to your favorite charity.
NiCd batteries age and develop dendrites, which are crystaline growths (commonly called whiskers as Mark did).
The dendrites a very small and can easily be fused open with a few hundred milliamps of current.
My personal method is to use a 12 V 2A current limited supply on single cells, touching the terminals for only 1/4 second or so - longer and you risk irreversible cell damage. Unfortunately, once dendrite growth has started, more dendrites are already growing, so zapping whiskers only lasts a few weeks at a time, until the point where there are so many you can no longer 'zap' them. I zapped cells for 15-20 years, but now only replace cells after I found a 50 cent per cell replacment source 10 years ago. (BTW, my first NiCd use and credentials for knowing a little about them was using double height sub-C cells for the emergency escape lighting power supplies on 707 aircraft)
Cell replacement: Very simple if you know how to solder and can remember 2 basics:
1. Never solder directly to a NiCd cell case or the center round terminal, only solder to the spot welded tab. The heat damages the cell.
2. Wait for HF 18 V replacement battery sales for under $7 - they occur often for the HF brand tools.
HF (harbor freight) NiCd stacks are all Chinese. Dont buy the $5 sale batteries, they are usually only 1.2 mAhr rated cells, the $7 or $9 specials have 1.7 mAhr cells (if you have a HF store in your area, the 1.7 mAhr cell pack is noticeably heavier).
You will need to take the old cells out of you PC and replace them with the new HF cells. It takes about 10 minutes once you learn how, so you are 'earning' over $60/hr doing your own replacement. I bandsaw the cases apart (if they do not have screws)and reassemble with hot glue.
Do not forget to reattach the temp sensor if your batt pack has them.
Dont forget to send $7 to your charity <G>
That *sounds* pretty easy. I hope it's as easy as it sounds. The HF cells are 18v, the PC is 19.2. Is that any kind of problem? If I also want to replace cells in my DW 14.4 pack, do I just look for a matching mAhr and volt rating at HF? Is there anything special to look for in a soldering gun? All I have is one of those really tiny soldering torches or the big plumbing torch.
Edited 5/26/2008 10:21 am ET by jdarylh1
NiCad cells are 1.2 volts each.Use as many or few as needed to get the voltage needed.2 of the 18 volt packs would give you enough to do the 19.2 and the 14.4 with a couple left over..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
What bill said.
At HF , you will NOT be able to see amp hour rating until you tear the pack apart, that is why I suggested comparing the weights at a store if one available in your area.
The voltage ratings are all the same, 1.25 V per cell. Your cell pack will last as long as the weakest cell.
Fortunately I have a store reasonably close. If my pack won't charge completely, how would I tell which cell to replace? Just replace them all? I could measure the voltage of each one, but if the pack won't fully charge the voltage could be down on perfectly good cells.
Replace all the cells. You want them to be "balanced".
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As near as I can tell, I’m getting good results with old, worn down Makita Ni-Cads by draining them down to zilch in the drill kit flashlight, then recharging for 24 hours. Maybe someone who knows more than I do about Ni-Cads can comment. I got the idea from a post on rechargeable batteries, that was a bit over my head, by a guy who worked for NASA.
Sometimes it works for NiCad, sometimes it kills the battery. Won't work for Li-Ion, iffy for NiMH.
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Anyone know of a source for Lithium Ion cells?Steve
Google around for them -- there are sources. But they're much harder to replace.
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May
I was about to send some bats to these gals for rebuilding: http://www.wcbatteryrebuilders.com/
Thanks for the tip. That's a great price. I just emailed them to get the S&H costs. The Porter Cable service tech told me yesterday that new 19.2 batteries are over $90 each. Your west coast contact is $38 for a rebuild. Have you ever used them?
Haven't used em yet. Was just about to.
Heard back from them on shipping. $10.80 for one, $13 flat for more than one. Called Batteries Plus, they want $79.95 for a rebuild. Ridiculous!