T15+3 Battery Replacement

[Axeyard]

I can't import Festool products to Japan, but found this one on AliExpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002704792491.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.ab233c00QMV7ku&mp=1

It doesn't have the 3 contacts on top, unlike a genuine Festool battery.
What do you think, folks?

 

[Bob D.]

I have a T15+3. I bought it new from Woodcraft about 5 years ago IIRC.

I have wondered what I would do if both batteries died as they are well
beyond warranty. I wasn't even aware Festool still sold 15V tools and
batteries, but they're are out there which works in my favor as far as
getting a replacement battery goes.

Sorry you can't get Festool parts in Japan.

 

[Coen]

That is a NiMH battery. If your tools are compatible with the Lithium batteries... don't bother with NiMH.

You might look at refurbishing your current battery if it failed. That is like 8 new 18650's and some spot welding.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Be very aware of anything you buy from those Chinese sites like AliExpress. Don't be surprised if you're not getting what you thought you would get.

Festool still makes 15 volt batteries, I bought 3 brand new a few weeks ago from Amazon. My advise is to get in contact with somebody in a country where they are sold and have that person send them to you.

 

[Axeyard]

Thanks for all the ideas and info, great advice too.  ;D
I'd never heard of 18650 batteries. I found this info: "18650 batteries are lithium-ion batteries. They get their name from their size: 18mm by 65mm."
Checking the 8 cells in the Festool battery, I measured them at 65 x 18.2 mm, or so.

Edit: Wow, these things are really tight in there, in those plastic clips. Replacement might not be quite as easy as I'd imagined. Also, the 18650s that I see on Amazon Japan have the projecting positive terminals, like regular AA batteries. Not as stable as the flat terminals on both ends of the Festool cells. Tricky soldering job too.

In case anyone would like to see the inside of the battery, I took a few pics for reference:

 

[Coen]

Haha, they used an 18V shell for a the 15V battery? darn.  :-X Straight out the window with the space savings of not going 18V.

Yeah, for rebuilding packs you most likely need the flattop cells. And a battery spotwelder, no soldering.

But if you had to search what 18650 was then I suggest you don't attempt this as these cells can cause seriously bodily harm and fire if mistreated.

 

[Axeyard]

Good advice all 'round. Much appreciated.
Bottom line is that I have to let both of my Festool drills go. I don't think I ever even used the angle attachment, which was probably the main reason for buying the T15+3 in the first place. [unsure].
I thought these batteries would last longer though. I have some AA and AAA batteries that are older and they still charge and work okay.
In recent years, I bought a bunch of Hitachi and Makita drills that seem just as good as Festool. I can drill for dowels all day on a single charge. So cheap that I could buy 2 drills for the price of a single Festool T15+3 battery!
Thanks for the education, folks, most helpful.

 

[Coen]

Are they completely death? Some can be 'revived'. I got a free Bosch 18V 4Ah "death" battery. I put 4A charge on it, telling my charger it was a NiMH battery and after two minutes it came back up from 0.4V to 13V and I put it on the Bosch 18V charger and it charged up to about 70% of new capacity.  [tongue]

 

[AlexThePalex]

I thought these batteries would last longer though.

My drill is from 2008 and I still use the original batteries. Good for a full day of work, but then they must be charged. Another pair from 2010 is also still working.

 

[Axeyard]

Thanks again for all the advice. Just thinking about this again, as I may have found a way to get one shipped to me.
My Festool T15 is about 10 years old and came with a 14.2v 3.0 Ah Li-Ion battery.
Do you think the newer replacement batteries (Festool 15 V Thin 5.2 Ah) will fit and work okay?https://www.festoolusa.com/accessory/500530---bpc-15-5,-d-,2-ah-li-ion-usa#Overview

 

[AlexThePalex]

I very recently bought 3 new 5.2 Ah batteries from Amazon.nl for my T15. They work just fine in all my 15 volt machines, and also in the 18 volt Carvex 420 and PDC 18/4.

 

[Bob D.]

I found 5.2A batteries on Amazon for $75. Listing says sold by Hartville Tool.https://www.amazon.com/Festool-15V-5-2Ah-Li-ION-Battery/dp/B00XK5CF1E

And the same battery at Woodcraft for $70https://www.woodcraft.com/search?q=festool+500530

When I added to my cart I did not get any warning about
low stock or delays in delivery.

I know we'd all like them to cost less but $70 seems reasonable to me. And at
that price point there is no way I would risk injury from an exploding battery
by attempting to replace it myself.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Meh, I paid €105 a piece for them.

 

[Coen]

Meh, I paid €105 a piece for them.

So you actually paid more than another FOG member  [eek]

 

[Paul_HKI]

I can't decide what's funnier:

1.  The Dutch guy realising he paid more for something than the other guys
2.  The 'other' Dutch guy trying to reconcile this in his own mind

[big grin]

 

[AlexThePalex]

So you actually paid more than another FOG member  [eek]

Yeah, a very rare occurance.  [tongue]

But batteries are things you can't buy used, they're all dead. You have to buy new.

I can't decide what's funnier:

1.  The Dutch guy realising he paid more for something than the other guys
2.  The 'other' Dutch guy trying to reconcile this in his own mind

[big grin]

Glad to see you're so amused again over something so trivial that you need to share your amusement with us. I recouped my money with 1 day of work, and from that moment on they make me money every second I use them.

What I find remarkable, and irritating, is that Festool makes batteries relatively cheap for the USA boys, and charges us Europeans an arm and a leg. For a long time, these batteries even cost €140 here.

Sure, we're all so green and environmentally conscious here, but often you have to throw away good tools just because their batteries are dead, and suppliers extort you so much for new batteries, it is more economical to just buy an entirely new set.

 

[squall_line]

What I find remarkable, and irritating, is that Festool makes batteries relatively cheap for the USA boys, and charges us Europeans an arm and a leg. For a long time, these batteries even cost €140 here.

Sure, we're all so green and environmentally conscious here, but often you have to throw away good tools just because their batteries are dead, and suppliers extort you so much for new batteries, it is more economical to just buy an entirely new set.

Thinking out loud, I wonder how much of of that price difference is related to environmental levies on the batteries that go towards cleanup and recycling, and how much of it is driven by the way that many companies in the US use batteries as "loss leaders" to get people invested in their system.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Thinking out loud, I wonder how much of of that price difference is related to environmental levies on the batteries that go towards cleanup and recycling, and how much of it is driven by the way that many companies in the US use batteries as "loss leaders" to get people invested in their system.

I have no idea. All I know is I have also bought a whole bunch of Makita 4.0 Ah batteries for my crew for €45 a piece. I don't think environmental levies would make such a difference between the two brands.