How to Keep a Cordless Drill Battery Performing Well

Working with power tools is a great way to save time and effort when completing a project at home or on the job. The benefits of modern technology allow jobs to get done more quickly and workers to pay more attention to the details that make a project great.  To keep a cordless drill battery performing well and lasting for many years, it is important to understand some basic operational, power tool battery charging tips. Amongst the more important considerations are the unit’s batteries and its speed of operation.

Cordless Power Tool Batteries

By holding a charge for months instead of weeks, and taking less time to charge while delivering more operation time, using a lithium-ion battery is one way to keep a cordless drill performing well. Remember, too, that, although it may cost more up front, a cordless drill with a smart charger lasts longer than one without. This feature allows the drill to automatically shift up or down in power, thereby delivering the right torque and speed settings for the project underway. This adjustment thereby prolongs the cordless drill battery life, preventing unnecessary wear and tear on its motor.

Another good suggestion is to know the battery’s limits. As soon as the battery starts to slow, it should be removed from the drill and returned to the charger. Pushing a Makita 192532-2 Drill Battery beyond its tired point greatly reduces its longevity.

When and where the battery is changed are other factors. Some batteries do well when charged overnight, every night; others wear down faster if kept on the charger for too long. Make sure to find out what charging frequency is best for the particular battery so its life is not unnecessarily shortened. Also, in general, swapping this power source in high or low temperatures can not only reduce its lifespan, but may ruin the battery entirely. For this reason, drillers should carefully consider not only when and where they change the Hitachi EB 1414S Drill Battery, but where they set up the charger.

Cordless Drill Settings

It is a common desire for people to want to “grab and go”. The temptation to depress the clutch and operate the drill is strong, but taking time to consider the proper speed and to adjust this switch mid-job, as necessary, not so much. Operating the cordless drill at the proper speed, though, goes a long way in keeping the power tool performing well. One way to approach this task is to view the cordless drill as one would an automobile with manual transmission. Shifting into fifth gear does not work when driving at low speeds; similarly, insisting on first gear on the motorway burns out the car’s engine before too long.

The same holds true with a cordless drill. Operating at high speed is just too much power when inserting a simple screw. Not only is the risk of overheating greater when powering too high while a lower speed would have been better, but users may find themselves driving the screw well past the level of the wood, thereby ruining the job at hand.

Returning to the manual transmission analogy, use of the clutch is another important consideration in cordless drill longevity. This aspect allows operators to control the amount of force their drill is exerting, preventing such aforementioned mishaps as drilling too deep.