Battery Availability

[Birdhunter]

I own CSX, C12, TI15, and T18 drills. I have 2 batteries for each.

My concern is how many years into the future is Festool likely to offer batteries for these drills.

I understand that the new CSX batteries will work in my old CSX so that eases my concern for that drill. The T18 is relatively new so I'm not too concerned about batteries for it.

My guess is that 12volt and 15volt batteries will be phased out soon so I am most concerned about the C12 and then the TI18.

 

[GarryMartin]

I'd assume at least 10 years after the last device using them was sold in order to tie in to the spare parts availability. But there are also non-Festool batteries available (for examplehttps://bestbattery.biz/Festool_C12_Power-Tools_Battery.html), and I assume so long as there is a market, someone, even if not Festool, will continue to produce batteries.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'd assume at least 10 years after the last device using them was sold in order to tie in to the spare parts availability. But there are also non-Festool batteries available (for examplehttps://bestbattery.biz/Festool_C12_Power-Tools_Battery.html), and I assume so long as there is a market, someone, even if not Festool, will continue to produce batteries.

This is theoretically correct but in practice probably won't happen.  When Festool switched over to lithium ion they stopped production of all other batteries.  I wouldn't be surprised if this is just now going to be the norm with outdated battery technology.     

 

[AlexThePalex]

Not sure about the USA because Festool does lot of things differently there, but here batteries are still offered for very old machines like the TDD and CDD drills.

I don't see Festool dropping the 15 volt line anytime soon, it's a very popular line.

As Garry already mentioned, 3rd party batteries are offered. And you can find them for really old drills, drills from the 90-ties. And as long as you still have the original packs, you can always have them rebuild too. So you should not have to worry about running out of batteries for ANY Festool drill for the next 20 years at least. 

 

[GarryMartin]

This is theoretically correct but in practice probably won't happen.   

It's an interesting one.

Is a battery classed as a consumable or would it be covered by the spare parts guarantee? If the latter, and they've stopped producing them and they won't be available, then as the newer batteries don't work on older drills, secondary elements of the guarantee must kick-in whereby Festool will replace the tool with an equivalent one from their current catalogue.

[blink]

That probably won't happen either!

But given the original question, over the long term, the compatible battery market is probably the best bet if Festool batteries aren't available.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Not sure about the USA because Festool does lot of things differently there, but here batteries are still offered for very old machines like the TDD and CDD drills.

I don't see Festool dropping the 15 volt line anytime soon, it's a very popular line.

As Garry already mentioned, 3rd party batteries are offered. And you can find them for really old drills, drills from the 90-ties. And as long as you still have the original packs, you can always have them rebuild too. So you should not have to worry about running out of batteries for ANY Festool drill for the next 20 years at least.

Alex, it is my understanding that the lithium ion are the only batteries Festool produces.  I believe it has something to do with new regulations for nickel based batteries in Europe.  They may not be allow to be produced at all any more, but I'm not sure if that's completely correct.  I'd assume the batteries available for the older drills are new old stock.   

 

[AlexThePalex]

Alex, it is my understanding that the lithium ion are the only batteries Festool produces.  I believe it has something to do with new regulations for nickel based batteries in Europe.  They may not be allow to be produced at all any more, but I'm not sure if that's completely correct.  I'd assume the batteries available for the older drills are new old stock. 

I don't know if they still produce them, just that they sell them. But there are also miriads of ways to circumvent European rules, like importing the cells/batteries. I do know NiCd cells are still readily available over here.

Given the deterioration of battery cells over time, smart thing to do for Festool would be to just to stock up on plastic battery shells and have a batch outfitted with brand new cells when their current stock runs low.

 

[Birdhunter]

Thanks for the input. Hopefully, Festool will keep my treasured drills spinning for a really long time.