Battery Compatibility

[jbasen]

I wasn't really sure what to call this post.  I was in my local Festool dealer not long ago and for some reason they had a TI15 on the clearance rack for a great discount.  I have a 12 volt Bosch impact driver but figured this would be a nice upgrade.  I grabbed it along with a few other things and then it hit me; I have a T18 drill so my batteries won't work in the TI15.  With a sigh I put it back on the shelf for some lucky person to get.

It makes no sense to me why Festool would create a system where people who buy a T18 can't use their impact/driver without a major investment in new batteries.  It is like Chevy telling Corvette owners if you wanted the nice stereo you should have bought the Spark or the Sonic and saved yourself some money. 

That being said, I would really like to see Festool batteries be adaptive such that you can use, for example, an 18v battery in any 15 volt tool.  The battery would sense the lower voltage requirement of the tool and step down the voltage to match.  Using a higher voltage battery in a lower voltage tool wouldn't give you any more power; the battery would just last longer.  This would make all the tools and batteries fully interchangeable and would eliminate compatibility issues.

Extending the run time of tools by using a higher voltage battery would also be a big benefit for professionals working on job sites.

Thanks

Jay

 

[semenza]

I know this isn't what you are after , but they can be used the other way around. 15v battery in the 18v drill. Etc. There is a battery compatibility chart on page 110 of the 2013 catalog.

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Seth

 

[TelcoRandy]

Why would you even want the TI15 anyway? It's not a good drill, nor is it a good impact driver.  [tongue]

 

[Brice Burrell]

Why would you even want the TI15 anyway? It's not a good drill, nor is it a good impact driver.  [tongue]

Actually, it is a good 15V impact.  People that don't think the the TI15 is powerful are comparing it to the larger 18V impacts out there.  It's better than any 15v impact I've seen.

 

[jbasen]

Thanks Seth.

I sat there holding the TI15 in my hand and double checked the battery compatibility on my phone before putting it back on the shelf  [sad]

Just to throw out one more point; if Festool batteries were downward compatible with their tools they could market extra long life 24v, and even 36v, batteries that would fit their existing tools.  I think, for example, people installing decks that drive screws all day would find these valuable.

Jay

 

[Captain_Cow]

Found out about the downward compatibility by accident.  I put in my 15v battery onto the T18 and it worked.  It may not be much of a big deal (I think) but it did put a smile on my face.  Perfect for those "glad I had a spare battery" moments.

 

[semenza]

Found out about the downward compatibility by accident.  I put in my 15v battery onto the T18 and it worked.  It may not be much of a big deal (I think) but it did put a smile on my face.  Perfect for those "glad I had a spare battery" moments.

Welcome to the forum !  [smile]

          Yes it can be handy for those moments. Or even when you just want to make one of the larger  battery tools a bit lighter or more compact for a given situation.

Seth

 

[jbasen]

Thanks Seth.

I sat there holding the TI15 in my hand and double checked the battery compatibility on my phone before putting it back on the shelf  [sad]

Just to throw out one more point; if Festool batteries were downward compatible with their tools they could market extra long life 24v, and even 36v, batteries that would fit their existing tools.  I think, for example, people installing decks that drive screws all day would find these valuable.

Jay

Is this something that any manufacturer supports?

I'm not aware of anyone that does.  I started the thread because Festool is a company that thrives on innovation and offering products that are better than their competitors.  Offering this kind  of battery technology, at least to me, would fit right in.  Suddenly everyone with 12 and 15 volt tools could  be in the market for new 18v batteries.