How to charge the battery of a Metabo electric screwdriver. Nickel-metal hydride

Methods of charging an electric screwdriver battery without a battery charger

The charger included in the electric screwdriver kit is considered to be the longest lasting device in the kit. There are all kinds of cases where the charger fails unexpectedly or is simply lost. It is not a big problem to buy a new one, but sometimes situations are urgent and you need to charge a dead screwdriver battery without the original charger. Or downtime is unacceptable, and the charger is purchased through the Internet. here the delivery time may take several days. In such cases, you can try alternative devices to replenish the battery’s energy.

The controller is not the main component when charging the battery. But very important. It maintains replenishment modes and prevents overcharging (and sometimes overheating), can automatically perform training cycles, and can measure the battery’s parameters. These modes are different for each of the three types of batteries used in screwdrivers:

Not following the prescribed schedule will shorten battery life and prevent the battery from being used to its full potential. In the absence of a controller, you will have to adjust the output parameters of the charger yourself throughout the process.

Electric screwdriver battery design and types of “cans

All electric screwdriver batteries, regardless of country and brand, have the same design. Inside the battery, the cells are installed in a row. The final tension is created by summing up the tension of each jar. Each has the same voltage and size. Power differential.

• 3 power. for charging and discharging.
• Control. It is connected to a temperature sensor that is built into the battery and protects the charger from overheating.
• Service. Serves to equalize the charge in all cells.

Manufacturers equip their products with different batteries with different storage cells. The most common are nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) with a voltage of 1.2 В. They work at low temperatures, are inexpensive, can be stored in a discharged state.

Of the disadvantages noted:

They are made in third world countries, so the production is considered harmful. In constant use, they quickly break down.

There are nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries with a voltage of 1.2 В. Their advantages include:

• high quality workmanship;
• low “memory effect”;
• weak ability to self-discharge;
• Significant capacity;
• It has a large number of cycles.

But they are expensive. If stored uncharged for long periods of time, they lose some of their characteristics. Cannot function for long periods at low temperatures.

The cells in a battery are called “banks”

Lithium-ion batteries (Li-Ion) with a voltage of 3.7 V have advantages:

It takes few batteries to create the right voltage, this reduces the weight and size of the battery. There are also disadvantages:

A battery is a constant current source in which a chemical reaction produces electrical energy. It gives it back to the circuit. When charging, current flows in the opposite direction, charging the battery pack.

Stored energy capacity (A/hr) is the primary rating of each battery. This indicates the amount of current the tool delivers for 60 minutes.

Features of charging rechargeable batteries

How to properly charge the battery of an electric screwdriver, so that it will last as long as possible?

Batteries must be recharged before first use because they are discharged during storage. In order for the battery capacity of an electric screwdriver to be as high as possible for the nickel-cadmium cell, it is recommended that it be charged three times and then discharged. Therefore, since a new battery has an incomplete capacity, it must be brought up to full operating capacity. After that, you will need to charge the batteries as soon as their power is at its lowest. Lithium-ion batteries are easier to use. They do not have a memory effect, so you can not drive them to a full discharge and charge them when it is convenient.

When charging, it is important to consider the optimum process temperature. It is better that the ambient temperature be above ten degrees and not above forty. Batteries sometimes get hot during charging, but this should not be the case, as overheating has a negative effect on their performance, and it is necessary to cool them down. Batteries should not be left in the charger. And it is better to store them separately from the screwdriver. If the batteries are not used for a long time, they should be recharged once a month.

Batteries are best purchased at specialty retailers. Proper use will help to extend their service life. It is undesirable to fully discharge the cells during operation, before stopping the engine. A noticeable decrease in performance indicates that they need to be recharged.

Do you need to charge the battery before storing it for long periods of time?

Nickel-cadmium cells should not be discharged at all for extended storage. To restore the battery capacity faster, it is possible to charge and discharge the battery 3-5 times during storage. During operation, you should also watch that the cell is discharged before charging.

Nickel-metal hydride has a higher self-discharge range than other power sources. It is advised to leave them fully charged and then recharge them within 24 hours.

The simplest lithium ion batteries have no “memory effect” at all. Self-discharge is low, capacity is high. But it is better not to fully discharge such batteries, otherwise the protective function will be disabled. Screwdrivers with lithium cells are equipped with electronics. In case of a voltage drop, it shuts down the battery. Charge-discharge does not affect the properties of the power supply, but their service life is short. 2 years.

Often a battery charger is provided

How to charge a screwdriver’s Li-ion battery and other important rules for using it

• Li-ion batteries work optimally in the range of.10 to 45°C. Charge at a temperature between 10 and 30°C.
• Every 4 months do a complete discharge/recharge cycle to calibrate the charge level sensor in the battery controllers. So discharge to almost 100% and put it on charge for 12 hours.
• Store the Li-ion at 40-60% of its charge. Do not store a 100% charged Li-ion, because it will permanently lose 20% of its capacity in 3 months. If stored properly. with a 40-60% charge. the Li-ion will irrevocably lose only 1% of its capacity in the same 3 months.
• If your electric screwdriver is equipped with two Li-ion batteries, charge one to 40 to 60 percent and store it as a backup. Once a month use it as a work cell. charge it to 100%, discharge it to 40-60% and store it again. The second Li-ion is the main working. At the end of each day, recharge it even if it is less than 10% discharged.

Use the extra Li-ion if the main working Li-ion has been discharged by intensive work and there is no time to wait for its recharging.

That’s it. Now you know how to charge the Li-ion battery for an electric screwdriver.

I gave one of these to every carpenter, and even hung it in the shop on the bulletin board.

And here’s another question. why did I switch from Ni-cd to Li-ion cordless screwdrivers?

Here are the advantages of Li-ion batteries over Ni-cd batteries:

• At least twice the specific capacity;
• Self-discharge is several times less;
• No memory effect which means they can be recharged at any time;
• Can withstand on average twice as many charge-discharge cycles, which means it lasts twice as long.
• Li-ion is subject to aging. So are Ni-cd batteries forever?? Also age.
• Li-ion batteries have lower resistance to low temperatures. All this is in the past. They make Li-ion nowadays so they work even with.10°C for sure. And some sources indicate that even at.30°C can work;
• Li-ion requires only use of original charger. What’s the big deal? All wrenches are sold with their original charger.
• Li-ion has a high cost. I wouldn’t say that. I was just in the store the other day. Ni-cd batteries under 1 t.р. Haven’t seen it. And on AliExpress you can buy a whole electric screwdriver with Li-ion for 3 tons.р.

And finally, if you work with an electric screwdriver professionally, don’t doubt it. it will crumble at the same time as the Li-ion battery. So buy a separate Li-ion battery is unlikely to.

Just with reasonable non-vandal use for a couple of years should be enough electric screwdriver.

And, yes, one more important rule. Don’t skimp on the power of an electric screwdriver. It matches the voltage of the battery. Get one with a 20 volt Li-ion battery. It will spin like a beast.

But buy a weak one, it will be of little use, and the joy of penny savings will not be too.

I’ve actually got screwdrivers with 25 volt Li-ion batteries. The carpenters can’t get enough. Especially after the Ni-cd 14 volt.

I think that’s it. Still have questions, do not agree with something. write in Комментарии и мнения владельцев.

P.S. Want to be notified of new articles on this blog? Press this button:

P.S.S. After reading the article there are questions, Комментарии и мнения владельцев, objections? Please write them in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев below. I’ll try to answer them all.

Checking the battery status with a multimeter

It is not always necessary to buy a new one or take the unit to a service center when the battery is rapidly dying or not functioning at all. In many cases, even an inexperienced electrician will be able to find the cause of the problem himself by reading the search algorithm. You will need to use a multimeter or similar measuring tools. In addition to this device, you will also need the following tools:

In order to accurately determine the cause of a battery malfunction, it is necessary to determine the functionality of each individual power cell. But first it is recommended to check the charger. Use a multimeter to do this as follows:

• turn on the device;
• set the switch of measured values of the multimeter to constant voltage;
• place the probes in the corresponding sockets of the multimeter and touch them to the contacts (“” and “-“) of the charger;
• compare the value displayed on the instrument with the battery charger output voltage indicated in the instruction manual or on the case;
• if the values do not match, then repair the adapter or buy a new one.

When possible, select the measuring range on the instrument used, which is closest to the output voltage indicated on the charger.

To check the battery of an electric screwdriver with a multimeter, do the following

• fully charge the battery pack;
• check the output voltage of the battery with a multimeter, setting the switch of the device to its constant value, and touching the probe to the plus and minus;
• if it is found out that the measured parameter does not correspond to the value indicated in the operation manual, then the battery pack is disassembled and all the batteries are taken out;
• When there are no damaged banks (leaking or bloated), then check the voltage at the terminals of each battery with a multimeter, previously using a soldering iron to unsolder the circuit;
• To the cells in turn connect the load for the same time (for example, a light bulb of the appropriate voltage);
• the battery with the biggest drawdown is the defective one.

To test the nickel-metal hydride and nickel-cadmium energy storage batteries, they are discharged completely in order to avoid the “memory effect.

When checking the batteries, note that for nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride types of batteries the output voltage should be within 1.2 to 1.4 V, and for lithium batteries. from 3.6 to 3.8 V.

If you find a battery that is defective you can replace it with a new one or try to repair it temporarily. You can also measure the current with a multimeter: if it rises and exceeds 1 A in the first hour, then the battery is considered to be functional.

If there is no voltage at the battery output there is a high probability of circuit failure inside the block. This also disassemble the unit and look first visually and then with a multimeter for the location of the breakage.

Review and balance in Metabo Li-ion 14.4v 2.0Ah

In general, the idea of adding a balancing connector in the battery hovered for a long time but never got around to it.Well, here we are, at the same time let’s see what’s what inside and maybe it is not necessary )) The screwdriver itself is very good, I liked almost everything.

Bought it by the way to replace the old Metabo BSZ 12 impulses, which served me faithfully for a number of years. The reason of the demise, quite natural demise by the way was the native Ni-Cd battery. At first I stripped both batteries and out of the 20 obtained, I chose the 10 most less viable ones. Didn’t last long. Then I went to Mitino Radio Market and bought 10 new cans. Lasted a couple more years. In general, it was probably time to change it to something more recent and I bought Metabo BS 14.4 as you can see from the numbers it is on Li-ion batteries, 2 ampere hours. In general, the screwdriver is great, much lighter than the old BSZ.The old BSZ 12 is better in two ways than the new 14.4, for one thing it has 52 Hm torque compared to 40 Hm for the new 14.4 (although there is a version 14.4 LT with a torque of 50 Hm).And secondly, the old Metabo chuck was 13mm, and the new chuck is only 10mm, not critical, but still sometimes convenient when you can just take a drill 13mm and insert it into the screwdriver, and not look in the store to buy a drill with a 10mm shank.The battery itself is quite normal

The case of the two halves of the screws, to unscrew requires a screwdriver T10, one screw is covered with a plastic seal. And this is the only tool you will need for assembly and disassembly.Inside very nice too, at least I liked it. As it should be at 14.4 voltage inside 4 lithium banks, neatly stacked in a plastic separator, judging by the markings on the body of the battery pack is Li-ion, but not the newer LiHD.

And immediately at first glance, these two thin wires gave me the idea that the battery assembly already has a balancer and basically you can continue to assemble everything back and not worrying that the dead bank shrink the entire battery.But did I twist four screws for nothing? ? )) Let’s go further.At the end of the 4 LEDs and a button for diagnosing the degree of charge is made in the form of a module with the board, you can disconnect it, but I think the latches will fly away at once, and I think there is nothing interesting there.

The printed circuit board is decent-sized, double-sided, made of fiberglass.On top of the 5 pins marked GND, T-, T, D and. All are wired.

Nearby is a 3 pin which is apparently used for balancing, but I wonder what’s on the other side of the board.Separate the board from the battery interfere with the power rails, and if the plus wire is still some way to raise the board, the minus wire consists of a flat bar allows only a little raise of the board from the plus wire. But it will be enough to satisfy your curiosity.

This is already interesting the plus wire by the way is made by the cross section of 2,5 squares and fixed by spot welding.The board from the bottom:

Only two chips, one in SO8 and another in 14-node TSOP The whole board is varnished and it pleased me very much, that’s exactly what you should do all the rest.I didn’t look too much into the wiring, I will just have a quick look and tell you my thoughts.The 8 leg chip has the middle legs connected on both sides, this suggests that it is a stabilizer. And here a 14-foot chip is apparently a balancer and also provides work of four LEDs indicating the level of charge.In the middle of the soldered temperature sensor wrapped in a kind of KPT-8 which settled in the two middle banks.Attempts to make out the marking on the 14 leg IC failed, the layer of varnish is so shiny and masks the engraving that you can’t see a thing, so macro photography came to the rescue. And the 8 pin was as expected a 78L05 regulator from STMicroelectronics providing 5 volt at 100mA, hmmm why 5 volt ? Maybe this 14 foot MK ?After about 15 tries to find the right lightning at which the marking can be seen finally a good picture:

PIC16F684 wow that surprised me. Although quite predictable at first MC allows to provide charge indication, at second it can replace balancing chip, at third it is possible to prescribe in it a pile of other useful things, as for example such picture from official trailer:Pic has 10 bit ADC and multiplexer before it with 8 inputs so it can control voltage of all four banks and signal from temperature sensor.

Isn’t it great? ?MC monitors the battery temperature and charge in each bank and can transmit this information as a screwdriver and charger, and at the same time balancing the banks but whether he does it a mystery, to be honest, I’m too lazy to dig in the circuit, so I just measured all the banks and got 4.36 volts per bank that with 99% probability says that the MC still balances them, and the transistor near the three-pin connector incline me to the idea. And the 78L05 is what supplies the power to the MC.

By the way, I was not able to identify the banks, they look like typical 18650 without protection, the marking in the first line is EBE9RXD, the second line is different. Neither Google nor Yandex helped, but it’s supposed to be 2000mAh high current.There is not much more to cut so I just broke out some jumpers in the ventilation opening to hide the balancing plug there

It’s quite neat and doesn’t interfere with anything

Converting 12V electric screwdriver from Ni-Cd to Li-ion batteries. Part 1.

For three years I have been working no-name cordless drill electric screwdriver, bought in Leroy Merlin for a ridiculous 400. They are of course Ni-Cd batteries, very weak, but they lasted a year very well. Now they did not hold at all, it is impossible even to drill a few holes in a sheet of metal 1 mm. In short, decided to google what can be done. The solution: switch to lithium-ion batteries, which are many times better.A little bit of theory as I understand it myself.Lithium batteries are very demanding to charge and in general to operate. Never recharge in any case because they can overheat and fail, and even explode. The charging voltage should be the maximum voltage of one acum, that is, a normal acum 18650 will normally be charged at 4.2 volts. discharging the battery below 2.9 volts also leads to battery failure. In general, to control all of this need a special BMS board and modification of the charger.I will split the rework into two parts: rework the battery and rework charger.This is actually what my miracle machine looks like.

About a month ago I ordered the BMS board and the board to stabilize the voltage and current. Both boards cost 230.

The lithium battery was taken from an old laptop battery, there were 6 pieces, total battery capacity was 4000 amps. I need 3 banks, that is 4.2 x 3 = 12.6 V. I still have 3 banks to spare. Insulation of the acumens suffered during disassembly, wrapped them neatly with electrical tape.

I will start with the battery. First of all I disassembled and took out a stack of nickel plated batteries.

The upper 2 banks are needed, because they hold the contacts of the battery, soldered to the contacts of a pair of wires, contacts of the banks insulated.

Metabo PowerMaxx BS screwdriver

Hello all, I decided to share my opinion on this mower.

I am busy installing kitchen furniture sets, I use them almost every day for a year and a half already. Bought it complete with charger, two batteries in a soft bag, after which I sold one charger immediately and after a month bags too, 2000r. returned)) Took two, one to drill, the other to twist, saving time and life of an electric screwdriver.

an electric screwdriver can work both with a chuck and without a chuck if you only need to twist screws inserting a bit or an extension directly into the shaft, inside the shaft is a magnet, bits will not fall out.

Powerful for its size, very easy to hold, has a backlight and you can turn and drill in dark places, and at the slightest pull of the trigger the backlight is lit at the same time that the screwdriver does not rotate, so that in some moments they can just light up a little bit although it shines so to speak.

Powerful for its size, screws 4h70 fly thickly so, just pulls the drill fostner 35mm, 35mm crown metal, bimetal crowns from 25 to 105mm, 105-th with difficulty, and only if the new but sometimes saves where a great screwdriver does not cope. Artificial stone with a 35mm crown and 12mm drill bit does not strain. In general, a small but powerful.

There are disadvantages, as with everything. It is very unstable if put on the battery especially if a drill or bit is installed in the chuck, so that I have to lie down so that the screwdriver does not bump into a table top or laminate. The chuck does not hold tightness very well, I thought it might be defective, but the second chuck turned out to be the same. Tight torque, a softer torque would be better.

At first, the battery was enough for one day of assembly, after a year and a half, one charge is no longer enough, sat down. My partner also has one of those, but he initially used one to twist and drill, and bought the second one a year later. All in all a good screwdriver for its money, but I have decided to go for a different one with a smoother and softer torque.