At Direct2Trade.co.nz we sell many different products but by far our most popular sellers are cordless power tools so I thought it might be useful for some of our non tradie friends to cover off some of the main cordless power tool types in a 101 style series.
Before we start looking seriously at the tools though let’s discuss the bits that power them – Batteries.
Cordless Power Tool Batteries – Voltage, Chemistry & Amp Hour Ratings
The default standard voltage at the moment and for the foreseeable future is 18 Volt. 18volt has superseded the 12 volt (12V) and 14.4 (14.4V) volt systems in both trade and DIY tools. The best way to think about the difference voltage makes is in relation to outright power. The higher the voltage the hight the power output of the tool.
The change to 18v has come about with the improvement of battery technology and you can thank mobile phones and your iPod for this! Old power tools and cheap quality new power tools generally use old battery technology including NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride). Some of the draw backs of the old style batteries include battery memory issues, over discharging causing damage to the battery cells and excess weight. New 18v gear uses Li Ion (Lithium Ion) battery technology giving you great power, low weight, quick charging and reliable capacity.
Perhaps one of the most important characteristics of modern power tool batteries is their Amp hour rating. What is the amp hour rating? and how does it relate to your chosen tools performance?
Put simply the Amp hour (Ah) rating is like the fuel tank of a car. The larger it is the more work you will get done between battery charges.
Capacity has grown recently. The ‘standard’ for trade used to be 3Ah but this has now moved to 4Ah. Lighter duty options are available and are generally in the 1.5Ah to 2Ah range. Remember that this has no bearing on the performance of the tool just the working life of the tool before you have to charge it.
The required Amp hour capacity of the battery also drives the amount of individual battery cells needed within the casing so in turn drives the size and weight of the battery. The higher the Ah rating the more the battery will weigh.
All this can have a deciding factor when looking to purchase new tools. If you aren’t a constant user and only use the tool sporadically you can probably save a few bucks and get the lower Ah battery or get the next model up with better features without too much extra outlay.
Cordless Battery Interchangeability
Can I mix and match 18V batteries?
Well, yes and no (it’s always that answer isn’t it!). The reality is each brand has their own mounting and electronics systems so you can’t put Dewalt batteries on an Hitachi drill or vice versa.
These two brands in particular have changed their battery mounting over the last few years from a cartridge style to a slide mechanism to facilitate the use of Lithium ion (Li-Ion) batteries and brushless motor technologies (more about this in future posts) and while it may be a pain for those of you with the older style batteries the real benefit is when you need to upgrade your tools as the new batteries lead to superior performance and less working weight.
Conclusion
So there you go everything you needed to know about cordless tool batteries (almost). The next part of the Cordless Power Tools 101 series will cover off the most popular tools used.
Stay tuned and please don’t forget to buy your gear at Direct2Trade.co.nz. We have a full range of Hitachi and Dewalt batteries, cordless tools, chargers and cordless kits at great prices and No Parallel Imports!
Cheers
Liam @ Direct2Trade
Direct2Trade Blog - Liam Southall 