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Guide for Cordless Tools

Article Summary: Here are some points to consider regarding the purchase and usage of cordless tools.

== Battery Size ==
With cordless tools, power is measured by battery voltage: the larger the voltage, the more power and torque the tool will have available. While having more power may seem to be good, there are trade-offs to be made. Higher voltage cordless tools are heavier and more expensive than their lower voltage competitors.

Here is a typical comparison to illustrate the point. A typical 9.6 Volt cordless drill will typically weigh in the neighborhood of 3-1/2 pounds and cost about $35 - $150. By comparison, the typical 19.2 Volt cordless drill can weigh up to 10 pounds and cost somewhere in the range of $125 - $300. If the increased power and torque of a 19.2 Volt drill is really needed, then the added cost may certainly be worth it. But if you are using your cordless drill to occasionally drive screws in your home, a 19.2 Volt cordless drill will be harder to use (because of the increased weight), and harder to stomach purchasing (because of the increased cost). If the higher power is not actually needed, a cheaper, light-weight cordless drill will probably suit your needs better.

== Number of Batteries ==
Another thing to take into consideration when getting a cordless tool is the number of batteries that come with the tool. If you plan on using your tool for extended periods of time or often, you'll want to make sure that you have two batteries. There is nothing worse than having your battery die and having to wait a couple of hours for the battery to charge before you can get back to what you were doing. When you are purchasing a tool, check that it comes with two batteries. If it does not, find out the cost of an additional battery and add that in when you are comparing prices between tools.

== Battery Type ==
There are two types of batteries commonly available for cordless tools: Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Ion (Li-Ion). Do yourself a favor, do not buy a cordless tool that has NiMH batteries. While tools with NiMH batteries are often cheaper, they are cheaper for a reason. NiMH batteries have issues with memory problems (they need to be fully discharged prior to being recharged or else they lose capacity), they do not last for as many charge cycles (they die quicker), and the batteries are less power than equivalent voltage Li-Ion batteries.

==Charging Batteries==
Some cordless tools come with advanced chargers which allow the battery to be charged very quickly; often in about 15 minutes. Lower-end cordless tools come with chargers that can take up to 3 hours to completely charge the battery. If battery charge time is going to be an issue for you, look into the available charging options before you get a cordless tool.

== Tool and Battery Storage ==
Even when your cordless tool is off, it will draw a small amount of energy from the battery. While the amount of power being drawn is small, it can add up over the course of days, weeks, or months. To keep this from occurring when you are not using your cordless tools, make sure to remove the battery from the tool; this will help keep the battery charged. Do not keep your battery in the charger for extended periods of time. While there are some battery chargers that claim to be "smart" about this, but in general storing your cordless tool batteries in the charger will lead to them dying sooner than if you do not. When storing cordless tool batteries avoid storing them in cold and/or heat. Cold weather will not harm your battery long-term, but it will decrease the amount of power available when the battery is being used. High heat can permanently ruin the batteries of your cordless tools. Avoid it, and never charge your batteries in an area that is extremely hot, this can permanently damage the battery.

== Pick a Brand ==
An easy way to avoid problems with the availability of charged batteries is to pick a battery size and brand and stick with it. If you consistently get the same brand of tool with the same battery size when buying saws, drills, screwdrivers, lights, etc, you'll be able to share batteries and chargers across all of your tools. This will greatly increase the number of available batteries and it guarantees that you'll never be left without any charged batteries.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

About the Author:
FrankBrascon
Frank has been working as a carpenter for many years. You can see his cordless tool reviews at eDistiller.