| WAIT! You don't have to buy a new battery for your | | | | your batteries. It's 11 PDF pages long and full of great |
| drill just because the old one won't hold a charge | | | | pictures and thorough explanation. Again you should |
| anymore! There are some great companies who will | | | | search for your particular make and model first, but |
| rebuild those batteries for you… AND some great | | | | this is a great place to start (I was an english major in |
| companies that will sell you the parts you need to | | | | college though, not electrical engineering so I can't |
| rebuild batteries yourself. As ever I take my initial | | | | vouch for if he's right or not – also I cannot vouch |
| inspiration for this post from Woodnet: Laptop | | | | for my grammar, so there you go). |
| Batteries and Power Tools Batteries | | | | Power Tools Batteries, Cordless Drill Batteries, Dewalt |
| Companies that Rebuild Rechargeable Batteries | | | | Power Tools Batteries, Makita Power Tools Batteries, |
| First and foremost I have to mention Jason Abel of | | | | Bosch Power Tools Batteries, Milwaukee Power Tools |
| MTOBattery who posts regularly at both WoodNet | | | | Batteries for USA power tools users. |
| AND SawmillCreek. I know from experience that | | | | High Quality and Superb Service, Season Promotion, |
| WoodNet can be a tough crowd. If several members | | | | 35% discount |
| there openly and eagerly endorse Mr. Abel then I think | | | | DEWALT DW9091 power tools battery |
| you'd do well to have him rebuild your batteries. | | | | 14.4V, 3000mAh, Ni-MH, Black |
| Secondly I'd like to point out the folks over at Now | | | | US $75.28 |
| they didn't have any forum recommendations I saw | | | | Rebuilding a Craftsman 18 Volt Power Tools |
| but they seem like they have a good time repairing | | | | BatteryThis is a good write up that should extend |
| batteries. Plus they made a funny video that I | | | | beyond just the Craftsman. The original author includes |
| embedded below in the video section. They're worth | | | | his email address so I assume you could write him with |
| checking out if Mr. Abel can't get to you | | | | questions if the forum fails you. Here's the author: "The |
| Building/Refurbishing Rechargeable Batteries Yourself | | | | project took about 2 hours and the total cost was |
| Every battery pack is different, and most of them | | | | really just the cost of the batteries – around $30. A |
| connect to your cordless power tools using proprietary | | | | genuine Craftsman replacement battery would run |
| systems. Most of the smaller batteries inside your | | | | about $80 with clones costing around $50." |
| battery pack are NOT proprietary. If you decide to | | | | Battery Rebuild DIY Projects |
| rebuild your batteries yourself then you should definitely | | | | Here is a list of DIY projects that Battery Space paid |
| do some searches on your particular make and model | | | | to have written… Some are better than others. You |
| of power tool. There could very well be a tutorial out | | | | may or may not be able to ask questions of the |
| there already written. I also want to scare you a little if | | | | writers. You will get a response from someone, but |
| you're planning to DIY… this is from the excellent | | | | English is not likely to be a first language for them. |
| forum at BatterySpace: | | | | Ni-Cad Rebuilding |
| "OK, I got all inspired by this and rebuilt my 14.4 Dewalt | | | | This has one of the best write ups of the pitfalls of |
| battery with 4200mAH NiMH bats…. It has not gone | | | | battery rebuilding that I found. It's very straightforward. |
| well." | | | | It's from the This Old House forums. |
| Battery Forums | | | | Rebuilding the Makita Battery Pack |
| Your first and foremost resources should be the | | | | This write up is more of a warning than anything, as |
| forums at the rechargeable battery suppliers sites – | | | | the writer was unable to fix his battery pack for less |
| they don't sell the whole battery packs, but rather the | | | | than the cost of a new battery pack. That happens. |
| pieces and parts that go into the battery packs. I found | | | | DIY Cordless Drill Battery Improvement This brief |
| two such forums and you will need to spend some | | | | how-to shows breaking open and rebuilding the battery |
| time there as well as in the stores that relate to each | | | | pack on a DEWALT drill. |
| one. | | | | Homemade Spot Welders: Apparently most battery |
| Battery Pack Theory Pages: | | | | cells come with tabs pre-soldered to them so you |
| Both links here probably fall into the "too much | | | | don't really need a spot welder. Plus they are |
| information" category. If I was about to start this | | | | expensive. Plus, if you're crazy enough you just might |
| project I wouldn't want to bog my head down with | | | | want to build your own even though batteries come |
| theory. Then again, that's probably why I would mess | | | | with pre-soldered tabs: The Home-Brew Spot Welder |
| up the first couple of times. Anyways, if you're the | | | | Also see: Homemade Spot Welder. |
| theory type who prefers to understand what's going | | | | Battery Rebuilding Videos |
| on rather than following direction I suggest both of | | | | Video from Voltman Batteries: |
| these pages. | | | | This is mostly a long advertisement for them, but it |
| Information from Battery Rebuilding DIYers:how to build | | | | does show some of the basics of battery building |
| the Milwaukee SuperTough 12V Battery pack (PDF) | | | | about 2/3 through. |
| This *should* be the only guide you need for rebuilding | | | | |