Batteries for cordless tools, both Festool and others

[Wooden Skye]

If you had NiCd batteries can they be upgraded to lithium ion?  This goes for both Festool and other manufactures. 

 

[semenza]

If you had NiCd batteries can they be upgraded to lithium ion?  This goes for both Festool and other manufactures.

For Festool  ..............  the LiOn tools will run on NiCd batteries. But not the other way around.

Don't know about other brands backwards compatibility , but probably not since they seem to change the shape of the batteries when moving from NiCd to LiOn.

I have had NiCd batteries rebuilt , and the rebuild service said that rebuilding to LiOn was not an option. So I am guessing the tools would not run on them.

I think there are other factors within the internals of the batteries that might prevent a NiCd Festool battery from being rebuilt to a LiOn.

Seth

 

[Wooden Skye]

Seth

Thanks, I figured that was probably the case, but wasn't certain.

 

[RJNeal]

Seth, where did you have your batteries rebuilt?
Do you remember how much?
Thanking you in advance.
Rick

 

[semenza]

Seth, where did you have your batteries rebuilt?
Do you remember how much?
Thanking you in advance.
Rick

  Primecell . I am sure there are many services available. That just happened to be the one I used. They were good used then several times.  Lots of good battery info on their website.  NiCd can be upgraded to NiMh.  Price was about 10 - 20% less than OEM and cells were guaranteed to be fresh high capcity. Not sitting in a warehouse for years.  The rebuilds performed well. It has been several years since I had any done so can't comment on current conditions of the service.

 
http://www.primecell.com/index.html

Seth

 

[RJNeal]

Thank you. I'll check them out.
Rick

 

[stvrowe]

I had PrimeCell rebuild both batteries for my CDD12 drill just in the past month.  It took less than 2 weeks including shipping from my location and back.  I tried to go with the NiMH upgrade but they were returned rebuilt with NiCd batteries with a note that  that particular battery pack could not be upgraded.  So far, the capacity seems to be about the same as I remember the original batteries when the drill was new.  This was much more economical than purchasing new battery packs or even a new drill. 

 

[Harvey]

The Dewalt 18v tools can use either li-ion xrp packs or 'conventional' xrp batteries

18v Li-ion XRP

 

[RJNeal]

Thanks for the info. Steve.
So I can possibly up grade my c12 NiCd to NiMH and the drill and charger will still work?
Rick

 

[stvrowe]

Thanks for the info. Steve.
So I can possibly up grade my c12 NiCd to NiMH and the drill and charger will still work?
Rick

I tried to do the upgrade and they couldn't do it so just did the lower price NiCd rebuild. They didn't really explain why the upgrade couldn't be performed.  According to their website, if they can do it, your drill and charger will work with NiMH.

 

[RJNeal]

Thank you.
Rick