How Long Does It Take To Charge The Battery Of A 12v Screwdriver

How to properly charge a screwdriver battery: 3 best ways to charge
How to properly charge the screwdriver the first time to “activate” the battery? How long does it take to charge the tool’s battery? The answers are in the article!

Checking the battery condition with a multimeter

A device like the STHT0-77364 can help you troubleshoot various electrical components, including screwdriver batteries. It is best paired with other testers to achieve reliability. This allows you to check the indicators and calculate the error.

Note: Before you start measuring, you need to make sure that the multimeter itself is working. To do this, you just need to connect it to an outlet along with another similar device and check the readingsI am.

Charging methods without using a dedicated charger

If for some reason the memory from the set is out of order, you can use a third-party device.

In this case, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the battery when selecting such a charger. Voltage and capacity must match. Doing so could damage the battery.

Interesting: The DF457DWE impact screwdriver comes with 2 batteries. If one is discharged, you can simply insert the second and continue working.

If there is no charger at all, there are three alternative methods.

Car charger

It is not necessary to use this method all the time due to the mismatch of the parameters. A car charger is suitable if it is equipped with voltage and voltage regulation elements. You just need to set the indicators correctly: the current is set as 0.5-0.1 of the total battery power.

How to properly charge a screwdriver

The screwdriver is one of the most demanded tools used by professionals and amateurs. Using power screwdrivers is not always convenient, especially if you are away from 220 V. With a cordless tool, this problem is solved, you can move freely with it without dragging the cord along.

One of the main elements of any cordless tool is the battery, which ensures autonomous operation. But how to properly charge the battery so that it lasts as long as possible? Further in detail in the article.

What is the best time to charge?

The recharging period is usually indicated in the device manual. In most cases, the device has a special indicator that helps you understand how long it takes to charge. After charging is complete, disconnect it to avoid damaging the batteries. The average charge for a screwdriver is between 30 minutes and seven hours. The longest period for Ni-Cd with a voltage of 1.2 V, feeding with a current of 250 mA is approximately seven hours.

There are also two types of battery chargers: ordinary and pulse. Standard charging is most often completed with non-professional tools, the charge lasts about 3-7 hours. The impulse device is designed for professional models and is able to power the battery for a maximum of 1 hour.

Advice: The Interskol screwdriver is distinguished by its versatility, besides the main function, it can also be used as a drill.

Battery types

In order for the battery to last a long time “like a clock”, you must first familiarize yourself with the instructions attached to the device. It should be noted that screwdrivers differ not only in price, power, manufacturer, but are also divided into professional and semi-professional. Accordingly, batteries will also have different prices, quality and charge capacity. Professional types are equipped with more capacious power supplies, which will cost one level more, but will also last longer than normal ones. Manufacturers use various batteries in the manufacture of their devices, each of which is endowed with certain parameters and features that should be taken into account during recharging. Batteries for screwdrivers can be classified into the following types:

1. Lithium Li-Ion

They are considered the most powerful batteries. They charge quickly enough, and they also have a complete lack of memory effect. Recharging this type of battery is easy. There is no need to recharge it after a complete discharge, it is allowed to recharge it as needed. The high cost and intolerance to low temperatures discourage many people from buying, so they are not too in demand. Charge batteries at temperatures between 10 ° C and 40 ° C. If the battery heats up during charging, it must be cooled to avoid further damage.

2. Nickel-cadmium Ni-Cd

Nickel cadmium battery is endowed with compact dimensions and large capacity. By following the attached instructions, they can be recharged over 1000 times. There is a memory effect, if you charge it before a full discharge occurs, this can lower energy consumption. Before the first use, you need to charge and discharge the battery at least three times. In the future, it is also recommended to completely discharge and charge the device, this will make it possible to bring the capacity to the required operating state. The same rule applies when storing the instrument.

3. Nickel-metal hydride Ni-MH

They belong to the latest generation of batteries, for this reason, the memory effect is somewhat weaker than the previous version, which is an undoubted advantage. The disadvantage of the NMGB is the highest self-discharge current. In order for the battery to function for a long time, it must be kept charged. In case of long-term non-use of the screwdriver (about a month), it must be completely recharged.

As you can see, each rechargeable battery is endowed with characteristic features, given which, it will be possible to properly charge the screwdriver.

The main types of screwdriver batteries

Screwdriver batteries: lithium Li-Ion, nickel-cadmium Ni-Cd, nickel-metal hydride Ni-MH.

Manufacturers of screwdrivers use different batteries in the production of their units, which have their own characteristics of operation and, accordingly, charging. In order for the screwdriver to work without failures for a long time, it is very important to carefully read the instructions that come with it. It should be noted that different screwdrivers differ in many parameters, including price, quality and power, therefore all screwdrivers are divided into semi-professional and professional. Accordingly, the batteries that are installed by the manufacturer also differ in price, quality and, most importantly, in charge capacity.

In professional models, which are more expensive, as a rule, batteries with a larger capacity are installed, so they can work without recharging for a much longer period of time. Most professional builders have a spare, pre-charged battery for uninterrupted work, but if the screwdriver is designed to perform simple housework, it is not necessary to have a second battery, although in some cases an additional screwdriver battery is included with the unit. There are 3 main types of batteries that are most often used in screwdrivers:

• Lithium-ion;
• Nickel-cadmium;
• Nickel metal hydride.

Screwdriver battery connection diagram.

The most widely used today are nickel-cadmium batteries for screwdrivers. This type is distinguished by its rather compact size, relatively low cost and large charge capacity. The main drawback of these batteries is the same “memory effect”, but with proper use and recharging, batteries of this type can be recharged more than 1000 times, although it should be noted that even with proper use, the charge capacity will gradually decrease until it reaches a minimum. Among other things, it should be noted that such a battery contains highly toxic substances, so their production is significantly harmful to the environment, which has become the reason for their ban in many countries.

Nickel-metal hydride batteries are in second place in terms of frequency of use. Batteries of this type belong to a new generation, as they are completely safe for the environment. This type has a lot of advantages, the main of which is the absence of a “memory effect”. However, it is worth noting that they have a high self-charging current, and these batteries should be stored exclusively in a charged form, and if the screwdriver is not used for a month, it is necessary to discharge the device and recharge it again.

Lithium-ion batteries are a relatively new product in the market for these products. They do not have a “memory effect”, therefore they do not require adherence to recharge cycles to restore the charge capacity. It takes a very small amount of time to fully recharge these batteries, and the capacity of these funds is quite high. However, these batteries also have disadvantages, including reduced performance in cold weather and a rather high cost.

How IS IT CORRECT AND HOW MUCH TO CHARGE THE SCREWDRIVER BATTERY?

Screwdrivers have long been invariably popular not only among professional builders, but also among ordinary people, because these units are indispensable when you need to screw something or, conversely, untwist it. The versatility of screwdrivers is the main reason for the popularity of these units, both in everyday life and in large construction, but all users of these units have a lot of difficulties when it comes to recharging the batteries with which most screwdriver models are equipped.

Diagram of the structure of the screwdriver.

The thing is that with incorrect charging, the so-called “memory effect” appears, that is, under certain conditions, the charge capacity may decrease, and in the future the unit will be discharged less completely. As a rule, this effect occurs when a person tries to recharge an incompletely discharged screwdriver battery. Proper charging of screwdriver batteries has a lot of subtleties, so it is very important to consider all aspects of this matter so that the screwdriver retains its functionality and performance for a long time.

Features of charging screwdriver batteries

Charger circuit for a screwdriver.

A very important point is the first charging of the screwdriver, since it depends on it whether the full charge capacity will be activated. Each type of battery has its own characteristics of primary charging. The biggest challenge is charging nickel-cadmium options. Their first recharging should be three times so that the entire charge capacity is filled. Thus, after the purchase, the unit must be fully charged, then turned on and left to work until it is completely discharged, then you need to put it back on to recharge and discharge again, and so on 3 times.

For the first time, the nickel-metal hydride version should be completely discharged immediately, because, as a rule, when you buy such a battery has a small charge, after that you need to leave it to fully charge. Recharge this type of battery only after it has been completely discharged. The full charge-discharge cycle should be considered the first 4-5 times, after which you can additionally recharge the batteries, even if they are not completely discharged.

Table of characteristics of screwdrivers.

Lithium-ion batteries are more modern, so there are no special requirements for recharging them, since their capacity does not decrease in any case.

During the first and subsequent recharging, it must be borne in mind that the most optimal recharging effect can be achieved only if this process takes place at a temperature of 10 to 30 ° C. Among other things, it should be noted that when charging, some types of batteries may begin to heat up, which can extremely negatively affect the entire battery. Do not allow the entire battery to overheat above 50 ° C. It is best to store the battery separately from the screwdriver after work, although this is not necessary.

How long does it take to charge the screwdriver batteries?

As a rule, the charging time of the screwdriver battery is indicated in the instructions for the tool. These recommendations should be carefully followed. Often the charger has a special display system to help you understand how the charging process is going. Thanks to this, you can easily determine with how much to charge the screwdriver battery. When charging is complete, you need to interrupt it in time so as not to damage the batteries. On average, the charger battery for a screwdriver can recharge from about half an hour to 7 hours. Practice shows that a Ni-Cd battery with a capacity of 1.2 Ah is charged with a current of 250 mA for about seven hours. The charging current is maintained using the mains adapter.

It should be borne in mind that there are two types of battery chargers. Conventional and impulse. A standard conventional charger is more often used in a non-professional tool, it charges the battery in about 3-7 hours. Pulse. suitable for professional mechanisms. Thanks to him, the battery’s performance can be restored in a maximum of an hour.

Types of batteries used to operate the screwdriver

Before purchasing new batteries for the screwdriver, you must carefully study the instructions for the device. The tools required for work can be professional, household and semi-professional. Batteries for them differ from each other in capacity, quality and price.

For certain jobs, certain types of cordless tools are also intended, designed for different loads, therefore, different batteries are needed for them. The higher the power rating of the battery, the longer it can work. For convenience, it is better to have two batteries so that you can recharge the second when working with one. Often a second battery is already included when the instrument is sold.

Various types of batteries can be used for screwdrivers. The most commonly used nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), and recently also lithium-ion (Li-Ion).

The most common of them are nickel-cadmium batteries, which are compact in size, large in capacity and at an affordable price. These batteries can be effectively charged more than a thousand times, depending on their design, purity of materials, operating mode, including the correct charge. However, these devices have a so-called memory effect, and if you charge them without waiting for a full discharge, the battery capacity will gradually decrease. In addition, the production of such elements is so toxic that the European Union abandoned it on its territory.

In second place in terms of frequency of use are nickel-metal hydride batteries, representing a new generation of similar devices. From the point of view of ecology, both production and disposal of these batteries are practically safe. The advantages of batteries of this type include the fact that they have less pronounced memory effect, and the disadvantages. High self-discharge current. These batteries must be kept charged and fully recharged when not in use for more than a month.

Recently, more powerful lithium-ion batteries have been used for cordless tools. They also do not have such a disadvantage as the memory effect, which requires periodic discharge cycles to restore capacity. However, these batteries do not tolerate low temperatures, and it is undesirable to work with them in cold weather. Despite their fast charge and high capacity, they are not very popular yet, as their price is quite high.

Battery charging features

How to properly charge the battery of a screwdriver so that it lasts as long as possible?

Batteries must be charged before first use as they discharge during storage. To make the battery capacity of the screwdriver the maximum possible for the nickel-cadmium cell, it is recommended to charge it three times and then discharge it. Thus, since the new battery has incomplete capacity, it must be brought to full working capacity. After that, the batteries will need to be charged as soon as their capacity becomes minimum. Lithium-ion batteries are easier to use. They do not have a memory effect, so you can not bring them to full discharge and charge when it is convenient.

When charging, you need to take into account the optimal temperature regime of the process. It is better that the ambient temperature is above ten degrees and does not exceed forty. Batteries sometimes get warm during charging, but this should not be the case, as overheating negatively affects their performance, and they need to be cooled. It is undesirable to leave batteries in the charger. And it is better to store them by disconnecting them from the screwdriver, separately from the tool itself. If the batteries are not used for a long time, they should be recharged once a month.

It is better to buy rechargeable batteries at specialized points of sale. Correct use will help increase their service life. During operation, it is undesirable to discharge the elements completely until the engine stops. The fact that they need to be charged will be indicated by their markedly reduced performance.