How to kill a cordless power tool battery????

[esox07]

I have a cordless drill with two 18v lion batteries (brand doesn't matter). Both batteries last about 1/4 as long as they used to when new.  I have tried to get them replaced under warranty, but when they test them, they say they are taking and holding a charge.  Trouble is, they don't last very long when using them.  I know, because I finally bought a new one and it lasts way, way longer than either of the older ones.  The said as long as it takes a charge, they can't replace them.  I can only drill about 20 2" deck screws before they give up.

 

OK, so how can I "KILL" the damn things so that I can get them replaced.  I have tried taping the drill power button down until it ran the battery to nothing and then left it that way for about 12 more hours.  It will charge back up, but still won't last very long at all.  I just don't want to have to swap out batteries every 5 minutes when working on a project or have to recharge them before every use because the will eventually run down after a week or so of non-use.

 

How can I "kill" them with out it being evident that I "killed" them on purpose.

Thanks.

[Kato]

Taking and holding a charge doesn't mean anything. To know if a battery is any good you have to do a load test. Batteries can take a charge and hold it, but when you put them under load they will drain quickly if they're no good. I'd guess that whoever tested your batteries only did a quick "throw it on the charger and see what happens" test, and didn't do an actual load test. Metering them for voltage doesn't tell you if there's a bad cell(s) or if there's something else wrong. If they did a load test they might have found that the batteries are no good and you would have gotten replacements.

 

On the same level, if you were to "use" the batteries until they died, all you would be doing is confirming what you already know...they take a charge, they hold a charge, until you use them. There'd be no evidence of killing them on purpose, but if the testers never do a load test you'll still be in the same boat.

 

 

I see this almost every day on batteries, it's one of the things I deal with at work. Without a load test you won't know if a battery is any good. Well, besides the fact that it dies quickly.

[esox07]

So, I would have to request that they do a "load test"?  Not sure if they will comply or not.  But I can try.

[Kato]

You can try, but you're at the mercy of what they're willing to do. And of course they can bullshit you and say they did, and you'd have no way of knowing. You can do a load test yourself but you need a load tester, or you need to know how to do it with a meter.

[Tools & Stuff]

I think brand does matter as different batteries have different protection measures and ways of 'not charging'.

[satchmodog]

Can you define Holding a Charge?

 

The Makita drill I leave in our garage in the Keys has two batteries and over the past several years they have just croaked. They take a charge just fine and technically, they hold a charge, as long as you define that as a matter of a day before they start losing their juju. I've thrown them back on the charger the next day and 30 minutes later, back to full charge and that's without ever putting them in the drill. If I use them, I'm lucky to drive ten screws before the battery craps itself. I'm going to buy the silly red or pink replacements on Ebay. I'm surely not giving makita any more money for batteries after what this drill cost.

So yeah, what's their parameters for holding a charge? A day, an hour, a week? Technically, Lithiums shouldn't really lose their charge just sitting there(at least not in a week or even a month) and I know NiCads do lose charge, but it's also a slow process.

[dwasifar]

I imagine about five seconds in the microwave ought to do it.

[Tug]

I would go direct to manufacturer and explain everything you've explained here. I did this with a pair of Milwaukee V18 packs and they did replace them, night and day difference with the replacements. 

[Mycrossover]

I have a cordless drill with two 18v lion batteries (brand doesn't matter). Both batteries last about 1/4 as long as they used to when new.  I have tried to get them replaced under warranty, but when they test them, they say they are taking and holding a charge.  Trouble is, they don't last very long when using them.  I know, because I finally bought a new one and it lasts way, way longer than either of the older ones.  The said as long as it takes a charge, they can't replace them.  I can only drill about 20 2" deck screws before they give up.
 
OK, so how can I "KILL" the damn things so that I can get them replaced.  I have tried taping the drill power button down until it ran the battery to nothing and then left it that way for about 12 more hours.  It will charge back up, but still won't last very long at all.  I just don't want to have to swap out batteries every 5 minutes when working on a project or have to recharge them before every use because the will eventually run down after a week or so of non-use.
 
How can I "kill" them with out it being evident that I "killed" them on purpose.
Thanks.

To prevent battery damage, lithium battery circuitry cuts off the power when battery voltage drops to a certain voltage. If it were to go lower, the cells would suffer permanent damage and not take a charge. You would have to open the pack and put a load directly on the cells to ÷×=% them up. It doesnt have to be a big load if you are patient

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[kornomaniac]

First Point would be finding out what you did wrong to kill your batteries. 

 

Batteries do not die by themselves. 

 

Batteries die from bas usage, bad charging, overdrawing, laying around empty etc....

 

Before you start claiming warranty think about how you threat your batteries and what u need to improve in your handling of lithium batteries.

 

 

 

I know everyone thinks they are entitled to warranty always but the first fault is with yourselves