08 Drill Battery Problems and Solutions

Drill battery problems occur due to drill machines, parts of the drill battery, environmental effects and human mistakes. The main drill battery parts are cell (Li-Ion, Ni-Cd), terminals, casing, charging indicator, PCB control unit, and battery protection unit. Damaging these parts are the main reason for the drill battery problems.

The most critical 9 drill battery problems are the drill battery not charging, fully discharging (dead), quick discharging, heat too much, taking too much time to charge, the indicator light is not blinking, shutting abruptly, not powering up the drill, and producing more heat. In order to prevent this, you can have many solutions mentioned below.

In order to prevent drill battery problems, it should be charged and stored in a suitable environment, avoid deep discharging, use the right battery, allow the drill battery to cool, regularly inspect the drill battery, keep the terminals clean and monitor the battery temperature while charging. You can use a single drill battery for all drills using an adaptor, and you can revive it using a fully charged drill battery and conduction wire.

Drill Battery Parts and Problems

Drill-Battery-Problems-and-Solutions

The main drill battery parts are Li-Ion cell, terminals, casing, charger indicator, PCB control unit, and battery protection. Most of drill battery problems arise when these parts get damaged. Below are the most critical damages in the relevant drill battery part.

  1. Drill battery terminal connections problems – The terminals on a drill battery can become corroded and wear out with time this occurs to charging and discharging problems.
  2. Drill battery cell degradation – Battery cells composed of nickel-cadmium or lithium-ion. These can degrade over time, with misuse. Overcharging, undercharging, or heat exposure can cause the cells to lose capacity or fail entirely.
  3. Drill battery casing & protective shell damaging – Damage to the battery casing can expose the delicate internals to damage, moisture, and temperature extremes. That can harm the battery’s performance.
  4. Drill battery problems in charger indicator – Sometimes, the issue isn’t with the battery but with the charge indicator. Faulty indications can lead to overcharging or undercharging that causing to battery degradation.
  5. A faulty PCB control in the drill battery – A faulty PCB can overcharge, undercharge, or not charge the drill battery at all.
  6. Drill battery memory – Certain types of batteries, like Ni-Cd, have a memory effect that reduces their usable capacity if they’re repeatedly recharged before fully discharging.
  7. Damages to the Lithium-Ion protection in drill battery – These batteries have in-built protection against extreme temperatures, overcharging, and rapid discharge. If this feature fails, it can lead to accelerated battery degradation or even dangerous situations like a fire or explosion.
  8. Drill battery ageing – Drill batteries, like any other battery, have a limited lifespan. After a certain number of charge-discharge cycles, their capacity begins to degrade. It cause to lead shorter run times and charging problems.

What are the 8 Drill Battery Problems and Solutions?

01. Why Drill Battery is Dead?

A drill battery can die when its charging has reached the minimum (V=0). This can happen when it is not in use for a long time. A dead drill battery can be identified by zero voltage multimeter reading, not powering up the tool, not charging with the charger, rusting terminals, and corroded batteries in the pack.

Solution

Use the same size drill battery or the same DC voltage power source. Then, connect similar terminals together using a conductive wire or any metal. Then keep 5-10 minutes and then start charging using the charger. This jumpstart method will live your drill battery.

02. Why is my Drill Battery not Charging?

Your drill battery will not charge due to below 4 reasons.

  1. Inner wire can be damaged or loose
  2. The charger does not plug into a power source
  3. Around air temperature is too cold or too hot
  4. Inner pin can be damaged
  5. The battery is fully dead
  6. Short circuit

There are 5 more reasons to not charge a drill battery properly. You can see the exact drill battery charge time by using this guide for all drill battery brands.

Solutions

  1. Check the charger LED lights up with the appropriate color (mostly green)
  2. Keep the battery charging temperature between 65°F and 75°F (18°- 24°C)
  3. Check the plug is connected to a proper power source
  4. Check the terminal clogging before connecting the charger
  5. Revive the fully dead battery

03. Why is the Drill Battery Discharge Quickly?

When you are working with a fully charged battery, it can be discharged quickly without any workload. That is abnormal and difficult to use continuously. So there will be main 6 reasons for this.

  1. Work under high temperature
  2. Work with more workload
  3. Use in the wrong tool
  4. Inside circuit shorts
  5. Continuous usage
  6. Use the wrong tool

Solutions

  1. Do not work under too much heat or cold. As well as do not keep the tool under heavy sunlight.
  2. Use the drill battery in recommended power tools
  3. Do not use lower voltage batteries with higher voltage power tools
  4. Do not store the drill battery in the conduction medium

There are another 5 reasons to die the drill battery. You should read this to protect your drill battery safely.

04. Why Drill Battery is Heat Too Much?

Heating a drill battery is not a serious problem. But if it is overheated, it is a huge problem. A drill battery can be heated due to the below 3 main reasons.

  1. Keep under heavy sunlight
  2. Use in higher voltage tool
  3. Continous working
  4. Ageing and wearing the battery
  5. Higher discharge rate
  6. Faulty battery
  7. Incorrect drill battery charging

Solution

  1. Do not work under heavy sunlight
  2. Use the correct voltage and current tools
  3. Have a rest for the tool.
  4. Use few batteries together
  5. Identify the drill battery problem

05. Why Does Drill Battery Take too Much Time to Charge?

When a drill battery takes too much time to charge it, rather than its regular charging time, there will be a problem with the charger and the condition of the battery.

  1. The battery can be a dead one
  2. Battery receives a small current
  3. Battery has a lower state of charge
  4. Charging temperature is high
  5. Charger is not compatible with the battery
  6. Charger inner circuit problem (burning wire)
  7. The charger pin and battery pin do not connect properly.

Solutions

  • Charge the battery between its capacity 10% – 90% do not use 0%-100%
  • Check the charger current and maintain the charger at leat once a month
  • Check battery for dead
  • Use in lower temperature
  • When there is no proper connection between the charger and the battery, it will be delayed.

A brand new drill battery will take much time to charge because it can be fully drained while it is not charging during the storing. Hence a drill battery should be stored properly when it is not in use a long period even it is brand new.

06. What is The Reason for Indicator Lights Do Not Light Up?

The charger indicator battery will not light up due to these 6 reasons

  1. Faulty power tools
  2. Defective power cord
  3. Charger malfunction
  4. Battery connection issue
  5. Battery condition
  6. Charging mode indicator problem
  7. Temperature issue

Solution

  1. Use in proper power tool
  2. Check the power cord before charging
  3. Check the charger for defects using expert
  4. Check the battery terminal for clogging
  5. Check whether the battery is dead

07. Why Drill Shuts Abruptly?

When you mount the fully charged battery and then try to start the tool it shuts off abruptly. That is unexpected and there are also some reasons and solutions.

  1. The battery pack has reached its maximum thermal limit
  2. Out of charging the drill battery
  3. Faulty in the drill battery
  4. Overloading the drill battery
  5. Faulty trigger
  6. Motor issues

Solutions

  1. Use the drill in the proper temperature
  2. Place on the charger and allow to charge
  3. Inspect the drill battery
  4. Use the drill battery in proper tools

08. Why is Drill not Powered up?

If the tool is not powered up there will be main 8 reasons

  1. Battery pack not installed
  2. Battery pack has a low charge
  3. Faulty battery
  4. Incorrect battery insertion
  5. Dirty or corroded battery terminals
  6. Charger issues
  7. Incorrect battery compatibility
  8. Faulty drill contacts

Solutions

  1. Check battery pack charging requirements
  2. Check battery pack installation
  3. Inspect and maintain the drill battery
  4. Insert the battery properly.
  5. Use a proper charger
  6. Use the proper battery in the proper tool

How to Avoid Drill Battery Problems?

Most of drill battery problems can be avoided by following the proper steps and guidelines. Drill battery problems can occur due to drill machine, environment, and battery part damaging. Below are the 8 safest ways to use a drill battery to avoid the problems.

  1. Charge the drill battery in a suitable environment – Charge the battery in a well-ventilated and dry area. Avoid charging in extreme temperatures, as both high and low temperatures can impact the battery’s performance.
  2. Store the drill battery in a cool, dry place – Store the drill and its battery in a cool and dry environment when it is not in use.
  3. Avoid deep drill battery discharge – Try to avoid fully discharging the battery regularly. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in power tools, perform better with shallow discharges rather than deep ones.
  4. Use the right drill battery for the job – Avoid overloading the drill or using it for tasks beyond its capacity.
  5. Allow drill battery to cool – If you’re using the drill continuously for an extended period, give it time to cool down between tasks.
  6. Regularly inspect the drill battery – Periodically check the battery for any signs of physical damage, wear, or corrosion on the terminals.
  7. Monitor the battery temperature – Be careful of the battery temperature during use. If the battery becomes unusually hot, stop using the drill and allow it to cool down before continuing.
  8. Keep drill battery terminals clean – Ensure that the battery contacts and the contacts on the drill are clean and free from dirt or debris.

Read More About – 08 Drill Battery Tips

Can I use a Single Drill Battery for all Drills?

Yes, you can use a single drill battery by interchanging using an adaptor if the drill voltage and the drill battery voltage is similar. If you use a lower battery in a higher voltage tool, the battery will be overheated.

Read More About – 9 Cordless Drill Problems and Solutions

Can I Revive a Drill Battery?

Yes, you can revive the drill battery using conduction wire. You should take a similar or higher voltage battery and then connect similar terminals using a conduction wire and keep 5 – 10 mins.


Tom Mackency

Tom Mackency

Hi, I am Tom Mackency. It has been 10 years that I have been working as a professional woodworker since 2013. I am really enjoying my carrier by creating many kinds of projects in my workshop. But mostly I like for home improvement projects. Home improvement and DIY projects are the most interesting things for me. More than that, the coolest things are power tools. Those are very precious and efficient than a decade ago. So I try to introduce so many things about power tools, woodworking, DIY projects, home improvement and many more interesting topics here.


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