I just bought a Makita Combo kit including an impact driver and 1/2″ drill for $200 at HD on black friday. It came with two 18V Lithium Ion batteries. My research indicates that the Impact driver (what I was mainly interested in) is a good choice.
An acquaintance has since told me that Li Ion batteries don’t last as long as NiCad or NiMh and that they only last 2 or 3 years. I hadn’t known this and since hearing it I have looked for information on the expected life of Li Ion batteries and found very little. I see lots of manufacturer’s boasting an increased # of cycles but not anything about its life in terms of time, assuming max cycles isn’t reached. I’d hate to have my new purchase be near worthless in 2 or 3 years.
I’d be interested to hear from others who have had Li Ion Power Tools for a while (believe they first came on market around 2006) that are still good, if so how old are they. Have you had any die, if so how old were they?
Thanks for any information.
Tim
Replies
I've been using the
LXT 3.0 AH batteries for about three years and so far they are performing fine. Out of six that I have, one is a little less robust than the others, but they are all up to professional use. Using up batteries and buying new ones is part of the deal.
Well, you've already bought it, so it's probably better not knowing.
(Anyway, there are lots of variables. And a lot depends on the charger. The two worst things you can do is leave the battery on charge for weeks at a time and go without charging it for months at a time.)
Go to Battery University
batteryuniversity.com
Lots of information, including how to prolong battery life, etc.
Thanks for the replies so far. I looked at Battery University and found:
"Aging is a concern with most lithium-ion batteries and many manufacturers remain silent about this issue. Some capacity deterioration is noticeable after one year, whether the battery is in use or not. The battery frequently fails after two or three years. "
If these Li Ion batteries end up typically lasting only two or three years I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed. My 14.4V Makita NiCad batteries are 6 years old and are still fine. I had some 12V Dewalt NiCads that lasted I think around 8 years.
I can see contractors possibly benefiting from the weight/capacity aspect of Li Ion but I would think most everyone else will find the shorter life (calendar not cycle #) to outweigh that aspect. Hopefully they do last more than 3 years.
I'd be interested to hear from others who have had Li Ion Poiwer Tool batteries .
As I mentioned
I've had some of my Makita batteries for about three years and they still work quite well. Dan's right about cell phone batteries, the one in mine is REALLY old and still fine.
If you don't like batteries, they still make tools with cords!
Another thing to keep in mind is how long a battery may have been laying on the shelf. When you buy a "new" tool it may have been sitting in the stockroom for a year or more, and that subtracts even more from the battery's life than using it for that long, since it's not good for a battery to sit unused and uncharged for a long time. (This is also a major consideration when buying a replacement battery -- the one you're buying may be no newer than your original battery. Unfortunately batteries aren't always date-stamped, so this is hard to know.)
This makes a good case for the Rigid cordless tools - as long as you register the warrantee, even the Li Ion batteries are lifetime free replacement.
Are you sure batteries are covered? Sounds way too good to be true. I searched to try to fond something to back up what you're saying and found this:
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/RIDGID-Warranty-2/index.htm
I would expect to be told that a battery wearing out is normal wear and tear.
If you have something to support that a battery would be covered please share it. I hope you're right and it certainly would make me inclined to buy ridgid.
Thanks
We'll see - haven't worn out the battery yet!
They have abandoned their customers on the lithium battery warranties. Go to Rigid's own forum to read all the complaints!
Jon
As others have noted, LiON Batteries start losing capacity from the moment of manufacture, hence the freshness date concerns. This is different from NiCad or NiMH technologies whose performance and longevity largely depend on use.
I checked with Hitachi when I purchased a LiON tool and was told by an engineer that I should get around 2-3 years based on the date code I gave them. It's been 3+ years and the batteries are still working fine, but I have noticed the capacity has been decreasing. Of course with LiON, the tool will work at 100% right up until it stops unlike the older technologies which start fading and lugging the tool.
Compared to the old NiCad and NiMH tools I have used, I am a LiON convert. No memory issues when used infrequently, better weight/power, etc.
The only downside for me is that LiON's can't be used in seriously cold weather (below 32F) for very long before they stop, so if you plan on using them in the frozen tundra, look elsewhere. FYI, the LiON tech being put into electric cars is slightly different, but still have the temp issues.
Keep in mind that most cellphone batteries have been lithium-ion now for several years. Most manage to last several years OK.