Ryobi +1 batteries

[fatfillup]

I know this doesn't fit exactly in this forum but I much prefer to ask advice of folks I respect and are knowledgeable, so I will ask here.

I have three sets of Ryobi +1 impact drivers and drills.  I have had good luck with them but have recently lost 2 batteries.  They just crapped the bed and will not recharge.  And this set is not the most used by a long stretch. 

So I googled Ryobi +1 batteries and they come up as well as a bunch of generics at a much lower price.  Thinking I would go Ryobi branded to be safe but what say you guys.

As to why I have 3 sets, one for truck, one for home shop and one for Mama.  Guy who works for me has 2 sets himself.  I think I am the only one to loose a battery so far

[Papaw]

In my experience, cordless drill batteries from the maker seem to be better. For cameras, the generics work well for me.

[bonneyman]

Definitely stick with OEM batteries for a drill.
I found an old blue Makita 9.6 volter, and almost converted it when I found a box deal of 3 batteries and a charger at an estate sale for $15. One battery wouldn't charge, and the charger needed some bad solder joints retouched. Then 2 weeks ago found another stick battery for $2 at a pawn shop - and it took a charge!

[Nolatoolguy]

Was it the set left in the truck? The original ni cad batteries don’t do well left in cold. If it’s the newer style lithium ion it shouldn’t of been a big issue. Also Pretty sure ryobi has a 3 year warranty on batteries.

[fatfillup]

Lithium Ion, and the ones the that crapped out are in my home unheated and uncooled shop.  Note, one of the batteries may have been hurt by a charger that went rogue and started smoking and I understand that one.  The other never saw that charger.  I do have some Nicads that sit in the same shop and have given the expected service over the years. 

I think I will stick with the OEM's, hopefully I can find a deal

[bonneyman]

Well, there's always the mod option if you're bold enough. I'm considering doing that to my one bad NiCad stick battery and convert it to LiPo. Just love the drill, have used that type exclusively since getting my first one, don't want to change. So since the NiCads are getting hard to find and $$$, might just try my hand at conversion.

[RustFarmer]

Keep the batteries somewhere that has air conditioning.  (Just the batteries, you can keep the bare tools anywhere) Charge them ever couple of months, even if the battery packs have not been used.

Batteries do not like heat.

Most li-ion packs have a chip that permanently disables the pack if voltage drops below a certain level.  The batteries do self discharge a little over time, so don't let partly discharged packs sit for long periods of time.

When the tool stops working, charge the battery pack that day.

Home Depot has a sale a couple times a year on two packs.

I find the more batteries I have, the harder it is to keep on top of them.

Use a VOM to check their state of charge.

[international3414]

check home depot web site,2 for 100,the high capacity..,,..seems like a lot to me?

[fatfillup]

Rust Farmer, thanks for the info. 

I'll keep an eye out for a sale. 

[fatfillup]

Well the Fatman ain't too smart but he is lucky.

Was in the shop last night and found I had left one of my batteries in another tool so I do  have one good one left for that set after all. 

I only lost the one to the errant battery charger so life is good.

The other good thing that comes out of this is I pulled a Dewalt impact driver out of the needs to be checked out pile before trying to sell and now it is being checked out.  I rarely sell used battery tools because most times the batteries are junk so now this set will be tested and I can sell with confidence

[Spartan-C]

My local Interstate Battery store carries generic batteries for most replacements in power tools.  I have both a older DeWalt 9.6 volt drill and Makita 12 volt drill that I rum generic batteries in them for over 10 years now.  My Interstate battery store does carry OEM batteries too at a decent price, too.

Ken

[brslk]

I've also found it less or the same price to have the batteries rebuilt at a battery place.  I had a couple of 40V lithium batteries for my mower go bad and I could order them from B&D for $120 each but I have the packs rebuilt for $60 locally.  Probably a lot less expensive in the US.

The weirdest thing is,  I've got a couple of old 20V lithium powered B&D drills that just won't die.  I keep wating for them to die so I can get something better but they won't stop working and the batteries keep taking a charge.  They've gotta be at least 5-7 years old and been used a bunch.

[amecks]

We have a couple Hilti drills here at work that we use daily.  I had a set of batteries rebuilt at Interstate Syracuse.  They worked well until one shorted.  It was still under warranty (one year!).  Got that fixed and sent two more batteries for rebuild.  This time the cases were bulging and we had to push/pull to install/remove them in the drill or charger.  They said the batteries were just a bit larger than original but they held more charge.  We had them redo one and it is better but still has to be pushed in.
I'm OK with having them rebuilt but next time I am going to tell them to make sure they fit properly or I'll have them done elsewhere.
Al


eddit speelling

[fatfillup]

I've also found it less or the same price to have the batteries rebuilt at a battery place.  I had a couple of 40V lithium batteries for my mower go bad and I could order them from B&D for $120 each but I have the packs rebuilt for $60 locally.  Probably a lot less expensive in the US.

The weirdest thing is,  I've got a couple of old 20V lithium powered B&D drills that just won't die.  I keep wating for them to die so I can get something better but they won't stop working and the batteries keep taking a charge.  They've gotta be at least 5-7 years old and been used a bunch.

Batteries can be hard to predict.  I have a B&D nicad drill I got at a sale either cheap or with a bunch of other stuff, likely with other stuff because I rarely purposely buy used battery tools.  It sits on my home bench with a 1/2 inch drive bit in it to spin sockets to clean them.  It has been there for months and still going.  Have only charged it the initial time.