Festo charger problem

[Enrico74]

Hi,

I was given a festo drill (CDD 9.6ES) that comes with a NiCd Charger named MC 60 CDD.
This charger does not seem to work properly:
- when it is plugged in, two orange LEDs light up (OK)
- when the battery is placed to be charged, the LED to the left starts blinking red (If I trust the small label on the charger, this means there's a problem).

[attachthumb=#]

Does anyone know what the problem could be ?
Which part is defective, charger or battery ?
I don't have the user manual so I can't even refer to it.

Thanks for your help,
Thomas

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I was given a festo drill (CDD 9.6ES) that comes with a NiCd Charger named MC 60 CDD.
This charger does not seem to work properly:
- when it is plugged in, two orange LEDs light up (OK)
- when the battery is placed to be charged, the LED to the left starts blinking red (If I trust the small label on the charger, this means there's a problem).

Does anyone know what the problem could be ?
Which part is defective, charger or battery ?
I don't have the user manual so I can't even refer to it.

Thomas

Welcome to the Festool Owners Group!

The manual for the CDD 9.6 drill is in the Drilling and Screwdriving section -> Cordless Drills section of the User Manuals section of the Festool UK website.

Although the MC60 charger isn't mentioned in the drill manual, there are instructions for the MCU15 charger, which seems the same in appearance.

There is also a separate manual for the MCU15 charger which has the following English (and French) instructions and diagram. The two LEDs (numbered 1.9 in the instructions) refer to the two separate charging chambers (charging stations) - the left-hand LED is for the left-hand oval charging chamber (numbered 1.2 in the instructions), and the right-hand LED is for the right-hand rectangular charging chamber (numbered 1.1 in the instructions).

.

The two LEDs (1.9) indicate the respective charging operation of the charger.
The right LED is the display for charging chamber (1.1), the left LED for charging chamber (1.2).

LED yellow - steady = Charger is ready for use.
LED green - flashing = Battery pack being charged.
LED green - fast flashing = Battery pack being charged at max. charging current.
LED green - steady = Battery pack fully charged, conservation charge on.
LED red - flashing = General malfunction, e. g. incorrect polarity of battery pack, full contact not being made, short-circuit, battery pack faulty.
LED red - steady = Temperature of battery pack is outside permissible limit.

If the battery pack is removed from the charging chamber during charging, charging can only be continued after 1-2 seconds when the LED shows a steady yellow.
By the influence of powerful electromagnetic perturbations while charging it can be switched over to conservation charge.
Thereby the charger can not take in a dangerous or unsafe status.

Charging:
Connect charger to mains.
Warning: The line voltage and frequency must correspond with the data on the ratings plate!
Insert battery pack into charging chamber:
Insert battery pack with the fin (1.3 or 1.5) in the lower groove (1.12) of the charging chamber.
Push battery pack into charging chamber until it catches with the lock (1.8 or 1.7) in the groove (1.10 or 1.11).
The battery pack is now charged.

Press the button (1.4 or 1.6) to unlock it and remove it from the charger.

Which charging chamber are you using? If you are using the right-hand rectangular one, it is the right-hand LED that should change from yellow/orange to green or red, not the left-hand LED.

If you are using the right-hand charging chamber, make sure the battery is inserted properly, according to the above instructions.

Hope that helps

Forrest

 

[Enrico74]

Actually I am using the right chamber, I was wrong saying left... the CDD 9.6 uses a kind of battery pack that can only go there.
As far as I understand the manual (even if it's not the exact one), the battery pack is more likely to be the defective part.
I will try to test the connections and the NTC thermistor to see if it comes from here.

Many thanks for your help (I was stupid not to look for the manual of the drill itself).

Thomas

 

[nickao]

Awesome answer Forrest!

 

[Enrico74]

Hi,

The battery pack seems ok: the thermistor has the expected behavior (resistance drops while it is heated) and the voltage and polarity of the batteries are correct.
Looks like I have to check the internal charger circuitry... 

Thomas

 

[CharlesWilson]

If you narrow it down to the battery, and plan on replacing it, you might try a couple of restorative techniques to extend the battery's life.

One that I am familiar with it placing in a freezer (in a plastic bag, of course) for a few days. Supposedly it will accept a charge afterwards.

Another, if you are brave, is to 'jolt' it with an automobile battery charger (which I believe can break through built up internal resistance inside the battery). Just remember to go positive to positive, ground to ground. I think this only works on Nicad batteries. This technique worked on some old video camera batteries I had, and they lasted until the camera bit the dust (for other reasons).

Good luck,

Charles

 

[Steve Jones]

There are companies around that will rebuild batteries and battery packs, I think one is called "Mr Battery", no idea where they are based but you might try a web search. I've had laptop batteries rebuild some years ago, The technology is not that fancy, most manufacturers use standard cell sizes inside the case and these guys have ways of cutting them open, replacing the cells and sticking them back together. The reason for the odd voltages (9.6, 14.4, etc) is because the standard rechargeable cells actually produce less voltage than the standard throwaway cells which are 1.5 volts, rechargeables make 1.2 volts (so 8 cells make 9.6 volts, 10 cells make 14.4 volts, 15 cells make 18 volts etc). Most "battery packs" are simply a plastic box with several "C" cells hard wired together, when the pack dies usually one cell only has died and will no longer take a charge.

If your feeling adventurous and have a soldering iron you can rebuild most battery packs yourself pretty easily.

These comments are based on general (non festool) experience, I've never had reason to open a Festool battery pack (and don't own any).

 

[f6gnz]

Hi,
I have the same problem with my second-hand MC 60 charger: inserting one of 100% good batteries causes right LED to go briefly green and immediately reverts to blinking red. After examining the electronics board, I found that this charger was alreay serviced by somebody and some components have been changed.

Even being competent in electronics, I have no ways to find the failure without the circuit diagram or at least the value of the capacitance and operating voltage of the original electrolytic capacitors that seem to have been replaced...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Radivoj