Power tool batteries...interchangeability ?

Hillhater

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Does anyone know of a site or source of info regarding the interchanability /compatability of 18/20 volt battery packs for power tools...drills, drivers, saws, blowers , vacuums , etc etc. Matika, DeWalt, AEG, etc.
Seems like evey brand has some difference in fitting design but with some accasional similarities.
Some manufacturers even change the fitting on different models in the range ?
I suspect most of these packs are now made in China/Tiwan, so there are likely a few common sorts simply rebranded.
But i am more interested in finding a source of cheaper Li ion battery packs than the OEM units from DeWalt Matika , etc.
Someone, somewhere must have dug into this previously
 
All except Ryobi One+ regularly change the physical design, making previous lines obsolete.

The One+ series has a huge number of tools. Must buy at HD for warranty in the US.

None interchange between mfg AFAIK.

Knockoffs are available, but not nearly as good quality.

YT videos exist for hacking them to harvest cells or DIY replacements, using as USB powerpaks etc.
 
I've never seen anything that will fit anything else, between manufacturers, without physical and sometimes electrical modifications.

Sometimes certain ones are "close" but unless you change them they won't fit, or they'll go in but get stuck, or are different electrical connections and either don't work or damage things.

Some clones (and counterfeits) exist for some popular brands, but they dont' always even fit right, and they dont' perform like the originals. (no personal experience on those, but a few reports from friends have randomly ordered off interwebz and come to me afterward).

WIthin a brand, some of them have certain lines of tools that use interchangeable packs, but only within those lines.



If you're looking for cheaper toolpacks to use as toolpacks in the original tools, you'd most likely have to buy up bunches of broken/worn-out packs of the models you need, and then bulk buy good cells to replace the failed ones, once you find out what's in there to get comparable cells to do the same job. Then get a good spotwelder and materials to make new packs to go inside them.

Then you can sell off some (most) of the rebuilt ones to pay for the bulk of what you had to buy to rebuild your own, and save as many as you need for yourself. As long as you don't count your labor cost, this should make them cheaper than OEM. ;)


It's too much work even for me....


If you're just looking for cheaper cells to use to make other power sources with, you'd be better off buying known good cells in bulk, from sources already verified here on ES in the various cell-discussion threads. Be sure to get the cells that match your needs, because some cells are good at capacity, and some are good at power delivery, and some are some balance between those. None are best at both.
 
Ryobi One+ is the exception, well over 100 tools all interchange. Yes "one line" but it is a big line.

Totally not worth it economically rebuilding yourself, if you want quality.

Many DIY battery guys in fact harvest from new Ryobi lithium, cheaper than getting the equivalent bare cells from China and **much** safer.

But only buy from Home Depot, for the generous warranty.

Periodically sales come up, I got a pair of 4AH lithium for under $90.

Note not LFP, so limited lifespan, do not use for building a daily use House bank.
 
Well , there are on line reports that several of the lesser brand tools ..Xfinity, Works, Workzone, Westco, etc etc...all have a common pack fitment....
But that is likely because they are all made the same chinese factory !
But for non professional tools, often they are more than adequate, with most now offering 50+ Nm brushless models.
I recently bought several 4 Ah, 20v Xfinity lithium packs for Au $20 each. Those have Samsung 2.0 Ah cells.
Also, there are folks offering 3D printed adaptors and print files for various fitments,
But i would like to see a "compatability chart" to confirm if there are any electronic "handshake" issues or similar , before i get too involved.
 
Ridgid Tools from Home Depot for their 2ah 4ah and 5ah batery packs. Have a life time warranty On tools to be repaired or replaced and batteries if you have a bad battery put it on the tool at the same time when returning to get full replacement same time. I'm a welder and my buddy throws tools so they're all messed up and we're not cutting wood or cutting metal. So he replaces everything including batteries all the time sometimes a hassle sometimes it's not but if you have a bad battery in a bad tool put them both together at the same time when you turn them in. Plus we bought the two parallel charger it only charges One battery at a time when finished moves to battery number 2 will not charge both batteries at the same time
 
Hillhater said:
lesser brand tools ..Xfinity, Works, Workzone, Westco, etc etc...all have a common pack fitment....
But that is likely because they are all made the same chinese factory !
Very likely, never heard of any of them. Australia?

 
Makita is one brand I know packs can be re built using fresh cells relatively easily, while you're at it upgrade the capacity 😎

AU $9.49 11%OFF | BL1830 PCB Circuit Board With Li-Ion Power Tools Battery Case Replacement For Makita 18V BL1840 BL1850 LXT400 Plastic Shell
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/ckY3Duxm
 
Ridgid makes great tools, as do Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch and Makita.

Necessary for professionals or a big extensive project.

But they all frequently chop and change their battery specs each generation. Sure no problem for those buying new stuuf frequently, plenty of tool storage space.

Ryobi may not make the best / strongest **tools**, but the occasional DIY does not need that, they're plenty good enough and usually much better value.

If you need a bunch of tools, want portable lights, air compressor / inflator, fans, even music boom box, cooler, etc,

all to share the same few batteries, that's the way to go.
 
Imagine that you are a contractor who uses a LOT of cordless batteries. You chose a certain brand so all of the batteries will power all the tools in your crews' tool bags. What's to stop you from buying a new battery pack, and then taking the receipt and trading-in one of the older battery packs? A memory chip in the battery (not the tool)...

What else does that memory chip record? I asked a regional dealer years ago, when the only way to get high-amp 18650's was to buy cordless tool packs and cut them apart. That memory chip tells the chip-reader what brand, make, and model it is. It can tell you what factory the cells were made in, and what factory assembled the pack. (DeWalt might have several cell suppliers and several pack assembly factories) If there is a quality control issue, they want to know what factory is screwing up, and which cell manufacturer sold them a high percentage of defective cells.

It records how many times you charged it, and if the over-temp sensor ever tripped.

Between DeWalt, EGO, and others, not only do they not want you to use "X" batteries in a "Y" tool, they don't even want you to use their own batteries in certain tools.

For example, my EGO 5.0-Ah and 7.5-Ah battery will run everything they have, but...the 3.0-Ah pack will ONLY run the weed-wacker and blower...but not the mower or snow-blower. How does the battery know? The chip. Pulling too many amps from a small battery can hurt it, but pulling low amps from the big battery is fine.

DeWalt has a 15-cell battery pack that works as a 5S / 3P pack in one tool, but...it becomes a 15S / 1P pack when the same battery is plugged into another tool. Most DeWalt batteries will not fit on either of those tools, and they are all from the same company!

Techtronic owns Craftsman, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Hoover, and Dirt Devil...and none of those battery packs are interchangeable. Same company.
 
Somehow I didn't. Mention that Ridgid Tools at Home Depot with the interchangeable tools and in the changeable batteries have a lifetime warranty somehow I'll put that in the first post I put in about Ridgid Tools and tool batteries.
I made my old post better.
 
Are you claiming they will give full exchange on a toasted battery years later?

And yes, no one is saying Ryobi makes great **tools** here, only "good enough" for non-professionals. Yes, avoid Ryobi if you need the best quality of pro, level tool.

But they explicitly make the stability and universality of their One+ line a huge point of their mission, explicitly promising "never" to change the physical design, ensuring multi-chemistry compatibility in the chargers etc.

And that is the topic of the thread, not tool quality.

Interesting about the chip, makes sense if you hack with it they can deny warranty claim, good for them.
 
I apologize for not being clear enough. If you try to trade-in an old battery, some companies will pro-rate the trade-in. By that I mean that if you have used half of the rated "charge and discharge" cycles, they will give you a new battery pack for half-price.

Most will give you nothing. If you try to trade-in a battery pack that is old while claiming it is a pack you bought a week ago, you might be prosecuted for attempted fraud. They all have serial numbers, even if you can't see them.

It would be nice if Ryobi keeps the interface of the One+ line of packs the same for a few decades, but I doubt they will interchange with the tools from DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, or any other brand...
 
As stated several times above, no.

Design stability, enormous # of devices they fit and a great warranty through HD, that's all.
 
Ryobi
Now has 6.0Ah 2 for $119, 9Ah also, "overstock" at 2 for $149! (36V 9Ah battery, when combined, (in series) for $149 - 3 year warranty ... just need contact connectors)

Ridgid
Batteries bought with tools have lifetime warranty, (requires online registration!) individual batteries have only a 3 year limited warranty.

Black and Decker (Bargain basement) 20Vmax (5s 18V) batteries are interchangeable with slightly better Porter Cable 20Vmax. Does require notch and "ear" trimming. (I got PC 1/2" drill & 4.0Ah battery to go with B&D 4 tool "kit", came with 3/8" drill 1.5Ah batteries.)
 
DrkAngel said:
Ryobi
Now has 6.0Ah 2 for $119, 9Ah also, "overstock" at 2 for $149! (36V 9Ah battery, when combined, for $149 - 3 year warranty ... just need contact connectors)
The One+ are nominal 18V, 4AH used to be the biggest, now Lithium+ series in 3/6/9AH.

People use 2x the 18V in series hacking for eBikes. . .

The 40 volt stuff is not part of the One+ standard.

 
DrkAngel said:
Ridgid
Batteries bought with tools have lifetime warranty
So five years later, say a 500 charge cycles (doubtful), they just swap it out for a brand new one free?

Lifetime of the tool you bought it with?

 
john61ct said:
DrkAngel said:
Ridgid
Batteries bought with tools have lifetime warranty
So five years later, say a 500 charge cycles (doubtful), they just swap it out for a brand new one free?

Lifetime of the tool you bought it with?
Check-search "Ridgid lifetime warranty" "Ridgid lifetime warranty reviews"


"Full Lifetime Warranty

RIDGID branded tools are known the world over as best-in-class tools that allow the end-user to complete jobs more quickly and reliably.

However, there’s added peace of mind with the RIDGID Full Lifetime Warranty. Should your tool ever malfunction from defects in workmanship or materials, we will repair or replace the tool free of charge.

What is Covered

RIDGID tools are warranted to be free of material and workmanship defects.

How Long Coverage Lasts

This warranty lasts for the lifetime of the RIDGID tool. Warranty coverage ends when the product becomes unusable for reasons other than defects in workmanship or material.

How to Obtain Service

To obtain the benefit of this warranty, deliver the complete product via prepaid transportation to Ridge Tool Company, Elyria, Ohio, or any authorized RIDGID Independent Service Center. Pipe wrenches and other hand tools should be returned to the place of purchase.

What We Will Do to Correct Problems

Warranted products will be repaired or replaced, at Ridge Tool’s option, and returned at no charge; or, if after three attempts to repair or replace during the warranty period the product is still defective, you can elect to receive a full refund of your purchase price.

What is Not Covered

Failures due to misuse, abuse or normal wear and tear are not covered by this warranty. Ridge Tool shall not be responsible for any incidental or consequential damages."

Battery wear out not covered. ... ?
 
LLSA is the forum abbr. for googling.

Looks like Ridgid offers 3-year warranty on batteries purchased separately.

Often buying their tools in promotions that come with multiple batts is **cheaper** than just buying those batts.

Very cheap, top-notch tools!

Or sell the tools on CL, maybe **very** cheap batts, with free replacements "for life".

Obviously only a tiny % customers would bother, and the chip-history might catch you out.
 
With Milwaukee batteries if you long press the power indicator button it goes into a series of flashing lights that tells the history of the pack...if you know the code
 
Black and Decker 36v/40v and Die Hard 40v packs are the same thing. At least the versions that look the same are the same.

Ryobi and craftsman 4v packs (the 1x18650 ones) are the same.
 
Now retired, I'm entirely on the Ryobi tool line. I got tired of three brands of shit in the toolbox. But I made the switch while still using them professionally. I found it affordable to replace the more delicate tools annually, at black Friday, and thus accumulated charger and got more or less free new batteries.

What I always wore out fastest was the weed whacker, and the circular saw. But i'd get a year out of them, and replace them annually. It was actually cheaper than new Makita batteries all the time. I've not worn out a drill, except by burning them to a crisp in the garage fire.

I do have to say this though, I ran a Makita drill daily for about 20 years, completely losing track of the number of NiCad packs it went through. That drill hung thousands and thousands of cabinets, built god knowhow many decks, etc. If I was a young pup, I'd be looking for a full set of Makita stuff, even if it took years to accumulate it.
 
dogman dan said:
while still using them professionally.

That drill hung thousands and thousands of cabinets, built god knowhow many decks, etc.
Yes, good case for spending more on tools, and when you're chewing through new batteries buying different types is not a bigger deal.

But for occasional-use hobbyists, as you say Ryobi is plenty "good enough" for most, and the way they've made their One+ platform so consistent and versatile is IMO pretty compelling.
 
Recent advancements, on the Ryobi front:
Over 100 One+ 18V tools
3-6-9Ah batteries
Most all new offerings include brushless motors, improving durability and increasing run time!

Just getting started?
Unknown expiration date ...
Buy brushless Hammer drill kit @ $149 get free batteries or tool (up to $119) free
Buy 7 1/4 saw, Drill, Impact driver brushless kit @ $229 and get 2 additional tools or battery sets (4 x 4Ah) free
Buy 5 tool kit @ $299 get 2 additional tools or battery sets (4 x 4Ah) free

Home Depot
 
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