Ryobi Lithium Ion Batteries

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Chris_Allen
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Ryobi Lithium Ion Batteries

#1 Post by Chris_Allen »

OK, it's not a review of a set of speakers, instead, I thought I would reflect on some replacement batteries for my power tools.

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The picture shows my circular saw, the two different types of batteries, Nickel Cadmium (Yellow) and Lithium Ion, and the chargers for both.

My Ni-Cd batteries would often struggle after a few 45 degree cuts and they got very hot at the same time, so I decided to invest in some better batteries.

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The Li-Ion are 2.4Ah as opposed to 1.7Ah of the NiCad. They also have a very handy "Life" indicator if you press the button on the front of the battery. Green for good, orange for OK and Red for recharge.

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I thought the indicator was a bit of a gimmick, but I actually find it really useful. A quick check before every cut to make sure it's not red ensures that my saw has always got plenty of power.

The batteries feel to last considerably longer, especially the torque of the saw. I got through my T39 cuts in no time at all, and the fast 1 hour charger means that I'm never without a charged battery. The Li-Ion also runs a lot cooler and I have found in the past the NiCads refuse to charge because they are too hot. It does recommend in the manual that you leave the batteries 30 minutes to cool before recharging.

At £149, they were expensive, but well worth it so far.

Chris.
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LelandCrooks
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Re: Ryobi Lithium Ion Batteries

#2 Post by LelandCrooks »

Chris_Allen wrote: At £149, they were expensive, but well worth it so far.

Chris.
:shock: That's like $300 for batteries :!: I"ll quit bitchin that a new one for my bosch was $80.
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Chris_Allen
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#3 Post by Chris_Allen »

Welcome to the UK.....

Chris.
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Philip Weston
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#4 Post by Philip Weston »

:shock: What kind of excuse could there possibly be for that kind of price gouging?

I agree that battery upgrades can offer a lot of advantages. What's the sense of having a cordless tool if it only runs for three to five screws, or only a couple of cuts? Those quick chargers are great, too.

Still can't get over those UK prices...
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Bill Fitzmaurice
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#5 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

Philip Weston wrote::shock: What kind of excuse could there possibly be for that kind of price gouging?
It's called 'The Dole'.
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gdougherty
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#6 Post by gdougherty »

Actually the old batteries had practically no technology built into them. The replacement lithium-ion batteries require quite a bit of additional technology to opperate safely. This is the same kind of stuff that made all those laptops catch fire because the electronics in the battery wasn't up to spec.
Letting them cool for 30 minutes is a good idea. I have a pair of 18V Rigid lithium-ion drills with a battery for each ($100 each with charger included, sweet deal from HD). One of the batteries went deffective on me and I'm waiting for a warranty replacement. I wasn't letting them cool before throwing them on the charger so that might have been a problem.
Li-Ion will never be as cheap as nimh or nicad, but the batteries are far supperior in terms of power and lifetime. For a reference though the big 18V 3Ah Rigid Li-Ion upgrade only costs $100. That's not bad considering DeWalt's 14.4V replacement for my old drill was $60.
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Tim A
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#7 Post by Tim A »

gdougherty wrote: For a reference though the big 18V 3Ah Rigid Li-Ion upgrade only costs $100. That's not bad considering DeWalt's 14.4V replacement for my old drill was $60.
On t'other hand....

I prefer the 14.4V systems due to weight. When I'm into a build and need to drive screws, drill, ream, small hole saw, etc, they're less fatiguing.

I bought two 14.4 systems last year, each with two batteries. I've never had to wait for a recharge. Qualifier: This is in the shop. If it were in the field it'd be at least an 18v system.

Although I have cordless circular and jig saws they only get used for a quick cut here or there. If I need to make a lot of cuts I just plug in.
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gdougherty
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#8 Post by gdougherty »

Tim Ard wrote:
gdougherty wrote: For a reference though the big 18V 3Ah Rigid Li-Ion upgrade only costs $100. That's not bad considering DeWalt's 14.4V replacement for my old drill was $60.
On t'other hand....

I prefer the 14.4V systems due to weight. When I'm into a build and need to drive screws, drill, ream, small hole saw, etc, they're less fatiguing.

I bought two 14.4 systems last year, each with two batteries. I've never had to wait for a recharge. Qualifier: This is in the shop. If it were in the field it'd be at least an 18v system.

Although I have cordless circular and jig saws they only get used for a quick cut here or there. If I need to make a lot of cuts I just plug in.
That's the beauty of the Lithium-Ion batteries. My 18V li runs longer and stronger than the old nicad 14.4V plus it weighs 1/2-2/3 what the 14.4 weighed. The 3Ah li upgrade battery weighs about as much as my old 14.4V and runs about twice as long as the ones that came my new drills.
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Frankenspeakers
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#9 Post by Frankenspeakers »

Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:
Philip Weston wrote::shock: What kind of excuse could there possibly be for that kind of price gouging?
It's called 'The Dole'.
What does a has-been expresidential candidate nee viagra point man have to do with the price of batteries in Brittania?

Given his past and present occupations, the phrase "the better to screw you with" does seem appropos... :oops:
There is no technical problem however complex, that cannot be solved or finessed by a direct application of brute strength and ignorance.

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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#10 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

Frankenspeakers wrote:
Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:
Philip Weston wrote::shock: What kind of excuse could there possibly be for that kind of price gouging?
It's called 'The Dole'.
What does a has-been expresidential candidate nee viagra point man have to do with the price of batteries in Brittania?

Given his past and present occupations, the phrase "the better to screw you with" does seem appropos... :oops:
The Dole is Brit Speak for what we call welfare.
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Frankenspeakers
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#11 Post by Frankenspeakers »

I know, I'm just looking to toss a little petrol on the barbie :wink:
There is no technical problem however complex, that cannot be solved or finessed by a direct application of brute strength and ignorance.

"Gimme the hammer... Naaaw not that one, the freakin' big one- I'll MAKE it fit!"
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horst
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#12 Post by horst »

the problem with the Li-ion batteries is that they lose 20% of their capacity every year, so the 2.4Ah is going to be just 1.56Ah in a couple of years time, if you treat them really well, which is a pity considering just how expensive they are.

some interesting info on wiki, especially about the new battery technologies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion_battery

I have a couple of panasonic 12V and 15.6V drills and the circular saw with the NiMH 3.5Ah batteries, and they are great, if a little heavy, after 3 years there is definetly less capacity, but since they started off with so much they are still perfectly usable. next battery drill is definetly going to be Li-ion though, just from the wheight point of view.
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#13 Post by gdougherty »

horst wrote:the problem with the Li-ion batteries is that they lose 20% of their capacity every year, so the 2.4Ah is going to be just 1.56Ah in a couple of years time, if you treat them really well, which is a pity considering just how expensive they are.

some interesting info on wiki, especially about the new battery technologies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion_battery

I have a couple of panasonic 12V and 15.6V drills and the circular saw with the NiMH 3.5Ah batteries, and they are great, if a little heavy, after 3 years there is definetly less capacity, but since they started off with so much they are still perfectly usable. next battery drill is definetly going to be Li-ion though, just from the wheight point of view.
Considering how long my 14.4V lasted and how much longer the li batteries last to start with, I won't worry too much about it.
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