Drill batteries are the power source of cordless drills. Due to the battery, cordless drills can be used in a wide comfort range. But it is not a permanent solution. Drill batteries can be damaged or dead. So let’s see how much time can a drill battery last long?
A drill battery can last long, about 2-3 years, or 1000 of complete charge-discharge cycles. Drill batteries are made with Li-Ion cell batteries, and those are rechargeable. The bad effects of environmental, mechanical, and chemical factors will reduce the capacity and impedance of the battery.
The lifetime of the drill battery depends on many mechanical, environmental, and chemical factors. According to the effect of each factor, it will be varied. You have to use the drill battery in a proper way to gain its maximum efficiency. So let’s see how we can use the drill battery with a long life span.
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How Does a Drill Battery Work?
Mostly drill batteries are made with small cells. Those small cells are made with Lithium-Ion. Some are made with Ni-Cd also. But Li-Ion is really popular for charging equipment nowadays. Normally drills are operated with the motor. Brushless or brushed are them. The motor requires 14V, 18V, 20V voltages with different currents. According to the power of the tool, its power requirement is dependent.
The drill battery is working as a power source. It can store the electricity power and release it when closing the circuits. Normally drill batteries are consist of small batteries. According to the battery capacity number of batteries has been included.
In the 20V battery, there are small batteries that are connected as a serial. In the 18V batteries, there are 3.6V*5=18V, and for the 20 V batteries, there are 4.0V*5 = 20V.
Drill batteries are designed for specific power consumption. So it can’t use by interchanging. If voltage and ampere are compatible, you can use it with interchanging. Generally, drill batteries are not sold with tools. You have to buy them separately. There is a separate warranty for that. According to your usage, its lifetime is dependent. You should follow proper methods for the best usage.
When there is a severe problem in the chemical process, it will not charge properly. There are both advantages and disadvantages of the Li-Ion batteries.
Read More About – Can I Use an 18V Battery in a 20V Drill? – Interchange Guide
Advantages and Disadvantages of Li-Ion Drill Batteries
Advantages
- Battereis are rechargerbale
- No need to completely discharge before charge
- Many charging cycles
- Self discharge 5% per month
- 2 times capacity considering Ni-Cd
Disadvantages
- 2-3 yeras durability or about 1000 life cycles
- Much expensive
- Not compatible with high temperature
- Fully discharge need jump start
- when seperator damage it can burst into flames.
How to Improve the Drill Battery Lifetime? – 09 Tips
When we consider the lifetime of the drill battery, it can really increase if you follow the below steps. All steps are very useful for the long lifetime of the drill batteries. So let’s see how to improve the lifetime of the cordless drill battery.
Tip 01 – Continuous Charging
This is really important. You can have this experience by using your mobile phone. If a phone is not charged for a long time, it will take time to start or be completely dead. So this is common for the drill batteries also. It should be charged every day, if you use them regularly. It will expand your life as well as it will comfort your tasks too.
When you charge continuously, its chemical reactions have happened properly. There are no energy barriers to break down. So for the maximum durability of the drill battery, charge it regularly and use it.
In this guide, we hope to use the maximum life cycles of the drill battery. Normally it is about 1000 and if we use 1 per day it will take 2 years and 9 months. This means we can use the drill battery equally for 3 years. we are not able to expand the life cycles of the battery. But we can protect them and have their maximum efficiency. It will provide the best durability to the drill battery.
Read More About – 09 Most Drill Battery Problems and Solutions
Tip 02 – Maintain the Minimum Charging
When you use the drill, you may need to finish the work using the last amount of the capacity of the drill. This is really reasonable, but it is not good for the drill battery. That means you try to discharge the drill battery to 0%. This will cause many problems.
When the drill battery is used up to its minimum capacity, there is no inside chemical reaction. So you have to force it to start. Sometimes you have to jumpstart it as you do for the car battery. This can be seen in the old batteries. But if you do this new battery many times, its lifespan can be reduced.
If you know the battery is not sufficient for the daily task, you had better use another one with the same capacity. So you can use both without fully discharging none.
You had better use the drill battery in 10%-90%. Do not discharge to 0% or do not fully charge to 100%.
Tip 03 – Avoid Overcharging
Charging is a chemical process. Lithium ions (Li-Ion) carry the current within the battery from the negative to the positive electrode when a battery is discharging. An external electrical power source is used during the charging to apply the overvoltage, forcing the charging current to flow within the battery from the positive to the negative electrode. So charging is important for the drill batteries.
This process is done under the recommended charger and conditions. Normally each and every battery has a recommended charger. If you are not able to use the proper way to charge the battery, it can explode. Some times battery can be heated up while it is charging. It is a normal situation. But if it is more than that, unplug it.
Use recommended temperature for the battery charging. It will lead to a smooth charging process without overheating. Finally, it will increase the life span.
Read More About – 09 Most Cordless Drill Problems and Solutions
Tip 04 – Charge 10% – 90% avoid 0% -100%
This is really important for the drill batteries. Normally we get used to charging the battery when it reaches 0% and then leave it until 100% in the charger. This is really not user-friendly for the battery. It will reduce the lifetime of the battery.
When the battery is fully discharged, we will need additional power to establish the chemical reaction inside. We may need to jumpstart it. This will negatively affect the inside process.
When the battery is fully charged 100% it will reduce the lifetime. because it can stress the battery and finally affect the life cycle of the battery. So make sure to use the battery 10%-90%. You can use the drill battery for a long lifetime.
Tip 05 – Store Properly While not in Use
After we buy a drill battery we are not able to use it every day if construction is not our job. We may need it rarely for the DIYs, or we may need to sell the batteries in the shops. So you should know how to store the drill batteries properly.
Batteries are really not heat-friendly. It can self-discharge a certain amount in certain temperatures. When the temperature is increased, its self-discharge rate is increased. Usually, the self-discharge rate is measured as a monthly percentage. It is about 2% to 3%. When the temperature is increased, it can be 5%. So roughly, we can assume it is 5%.
According to math fully charged 18V drill battery will take 30 months to become its voltage up to 3V. This can be varied with the environment temperature. You can use batteries in 18°- 24°C if you do not use batteries for a long period.
Tip 06 – Use Backup Batteries
A backup battery will reduce the use effect of the single battery. When you use a backup battery, it is really supported the task and battery lifetime. Normally we do not have enough drill batteries for our daily tasks. We need another 1-2 support batteries. When we select the backup battery, we must buy the same one that we use.
But there are some adaptors you can use the batteries by using interchanging. This is not highly recommended. Because each and every tool is specially designed for specific tasks, so adaptors will not convert the voltage and capacity according to the tool. If you wish to use an adaptor, make sure current and voltage are compatible with the tool. When a tool is used with a lack of current or voltage, many problems can be arise. Be careful.
Tip 07 – Use Proper Drill or Driver
First, you select the drill or driver and then select the battery. Normally drill batteries are highly affecting the drill performance. If you have an 18V drill and you wish to use the 24V battery, never do that. Because it can affect the tool performance. If you use it anyway, you can observe tool will overheat quickly.
Some time you may try to use the 12V battery in the 18V drill. In this step, you can observe it will quickly discharge because the tool needs more power from the drill battery. When a high amount of power is generated, the battery can be overheated and quickly discharged.
Hence select the proper drill or driver for the right drill battery for the maximum life span.
Read More About – Can I Use an 18V Battery in a 20V Drill? – Interchange Guide
Tip 08 – Use Proper Drill Bit
A proper drill bit will produce maximum efficient work. Many types of drill bits are available in the market. It is specially designed for each material. For the wood steel drill bits and for the metal, HSS drill bits are suitable. If you work on concrete, brick carbide drill bits are really suitable. For the tiles and glass, you can use diamond or carbide drill bits.
Each drill bit is specially designed for each material in order to drill maximum with limited power. If you try to use the steel drill bit for concrete, you will have to wait much time. Some time tool can be damaged, and the tool, the battery can be heated much.
The ultimate goal is to do the maximum task with a small amount of power. So each and every task should need a specified drill bit. You can use the carbide drill bit with a hammer drill for concrete. You can have quick and amazing efficiency. So always choose the right drill bit for the right material. it will increase the durability of the drill bit.
Tip 09 – Use The Optimum Drill Setting
Modern drill tools are with many settings. Some tools come with driver and hammer drill together. So you must know which function should be activated according to the material. When the function is not activated, it will affect the power source battery. As a result of this drill, the battery will overheat, and sometimes it can completely discharge.
When you use combi drill, there are 3 functions. Spinning, impact, and hammering are them. So, according to the material, you had better turn it on or off. Hammer action is suitable for hard materials such as stones, concrete, bricks, etc. For the metal, you had better you spinning only. You can use an impact mechanism when you drive a screw inside the wood.
So always think to protect the battery. If you use the tool properly battery will be last long.
