How many batteries are necessary?

[Bigmikez]

Smart man I got to use and have with the tool and made some extra money nice!

[comp56]

Yea last week I got a hold of a almost brand new Dewalt 36 volt SDS Rotatory hammer kit with the attached cordless dust extraction unit the from my local pawn shop for 525$. I used it to drill some holes in the foundation of my aunts house for a reno they had to do. I feel like 36 volt batteries are more suited to that kind of tool, I used 1 battery drilling 20 holes and then spending 45 minutes destroying some extra patio stones in there back yard with my cousin, and after all that the thing didn't show any signs of significant power drain. It was probably one of the funnest tools I have used in a while. I then sold it to a guy for 600$, witch is crazy because to get it new It costs 1000$.

I could have just let you use my M12 hammer drill......j/king

[Samuel L.]

I have a DCD985 but I thought do I want to spend an hour and have my arms want to fall off. 

[madman_us]

Good job. Use a tool, then flip it and make some profit

[Samuel L.]

I actually do it a lot to make some money while i'm in my last year of high school. Sometimes I keep them because there good to have around or for going back to being a heavy duty mechanic when i'm done school.

 

Sometimes I consider making a topic about my buying and selling.

[Bigmikez]

I should Sam why not bro

[BK13]

Yeah, man, sounds like an interesting thread. I never sell ANYTHING, though...

[NERemodeling]

that would be a sweet topic, just keep updating the same thread each time you buy and sell.. that would be cool!

[RickyMcGrath]

Yea last week I got a hold of a almost brand new Dewalt 36 volt SDS Rotatory hammer kit with the attached cordless dust extraction unit the from my local pawn shop for 525$. I used it to drill some holes in the foundation of my aunts house for a reno they had to do. I feel like 36 volt batteries are more suited to that kind of tool, I used 1 battery drilling 20 holes and then spending 45 minutes destroying some extra patio stones in there back yard with my cousin, and after all that the thing didn't show any signs of significant power drain. It was probably one of the funnest tools I have used in a while. I then sold it to a guy for 600$, witch is crazy because to get it new It costs 1000$.

Damn. That's a great deal! I'm becoming a huge fan of the dust extraction system. I'm slowly picking up all the accessories to fit my tools.

[RickyMcGrath]

A sample of my batteries.

[Samuel L.]

Damn. That's a great deal! I'm becoming a huge fan of the dust extraction system. I'm slowly picking up all the accessories to fit my tools.

 

Yea my ant was like "wow its so clean I was expecting a massive mess", the one downside of the cordless dust extractor is having to empty it every few large holes.

[Scoszko]

I think it varies depending on which tools you are using. 1.5 batteries per drill will probably be ok. I've noticed my 18v dewalt circular saw goes through batteries much faster and would recommend at least 2 per saw.

[Phaeton]

You really " need" 4 batterys and 2 chargers. 4ah minimum but preferably 5ah or 6ah. 5 batterys is my perceived minimum amount I "need." Using 2 power tools at once ( SDS and impact driver or Recip saw and angle grinder) you need 2 batterys but you need to 2 ready to go when they both are flat and a 5th for a work light. If I put my 4th battery on a worklight I have range anxiety. If you are using an SDS chisel all day then use 2 batterys before putting the 1st on charge (cool down time) and keep putting the cool one on charge as your last one goes flat. You will find to work all day you "need" 5 batterys and 2 chargers but 3 chargers is better. 

[fyrfytr998]

I currently run six 4ah batteries, one 2ah battery, and one 1.5ah battery on 4 chargers.

 

My most power hungry tool is the brushless angle grinder which I can pretty much keep running continuously with five 4ah batteries. It cuts it close with full charges though. So I think if I added one more 4ah and charger, I should be good to go with continuously fully charged batteries.

[fm2176]

I have too many to list.  Bosch and MetaboHPT are the platforms I own the least batteries in, with about four each.

 

We've been rotating three M18 5.0Ah batteries put at the flipper house, running a compact brushless drill, Sawzall, and circular saw.  They are adequate enough, but near the end of the day I'm usually swapping the least used battery between tools.

 

I think that a combination of lighter compact batteries and larger extra capacity batteries is probably best, with the 4-5Ah size being a good compromise.  For example, I like using a Ridgid Octane 9Ah with the recipe, but definitely a 2Ah with a drill or impact driver.  My M18 impact wrenches seem to work about perfectly with a 5Ah, for weight/size and runtime.

 

[Altan]

I think you will understand by time how many batteries you need, better to start with a dual port charger and 3 batteries at least and see how it goes, also it depends on how many tools you use, the tools you owe is used by others at work or not, how often you use them, what kind of tools they are (if grinder you need more batteries) and etc. 

[fm2176]

One more thought...

 

Are we, as modern cordless tool users, spoiled or overestimating our needs, or has tool technology kept up the pace with battery technology?  To elaborate, many DIY'ers and some pros get by with the basic combo kits.  These are usually either a drill and impact driver with basic charger and 2 compact batteries or a 4-5 piece combo that might include one or two saws, a grinder, or a light along with a higher capacity battery.  As batteries have gotten larger and more capable, tools we never thought we'd see without a cord have been released, some of which have the same runtime with a 12Ah battery that a drill does with a 2Ah one.

 

I got a lot of use our of my PC 18v stuff, working at a remote location and only able to charge my 5 batteries in the motel at night.  All 5 of those combined produced 6.5Ah.  Now, when I go to work on a powerless jobsite I have 2-3 compact batteries and at least as many 5Ah or higher, often carrying 20-30Ah worth of batteries and rarely exhausting them all.  

 

I guess what I'm saying is that our needs are dictated by our usage.  As Altan stated above, a dual port charger and 3 batteries would be a good start, but even a basic charger and 2 batteries would work for most.  I think the key is to avoid having a single battery unless you're Harry Homeowner who only needs to hand a picture or fix a chair for his wife once or twice a year.