How do you store your cordless tool batteries?

Trevillian

Trevillian

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(Lith-ion)

I have always just left them on their charger until I needed it. Seems to me I would keep it on the charger so that it is fully topped up when I want one. Have always done so with Makita, B&D, DeWalt and Porter cable batteries.

I am pretty positive Porter Cable actually states to leave the batteries on the charger.

I ask because I just stumbled into possession of the new Bosch battery system and it explicitly states NOT to leave them on the charger?

Hoe do you store your batteries? Is it bad to leave them charging until use in general? Why would one brand differ from another?
 
After they are fully charged, they get removed and put on the shelf next to the tool they are for. As they start to lose power, they get either go back on the charger or in a to-be-charged bin, depending on how soon they will be needed next (I am not a professional, so I only have 3 of each)
 
backwoodsshooter said:
Charge them up and just letem be.

Lithium batteries don’t require much in the way of maintenance just not over discharging them
Click to expand...
A couple of my newer batteries have said to not charge them until they are completely discharged if possible.
 
If they are lithium. I keep them in the house (temp controlled) and leave them on the charger only because I forget to remove them.

I make sure I bring them in from the shop in winter. Other than that, nothing in particular.
 
I think i have 10 or so NiCad and 4-5 LI batteries.
If I've used them heavily I let them cool then charge.
They come off the Charger at the end of the day.

Too many times at work the the Lab guys leave them plugged in, in some obscure place to get hot and and set off the vesda or smoke detector ..
 
Battery chemistries differ as do charging systems. Generally, most new systems are smart and prevent over charging, which was a concern with older systems. They would kill the battery overcharging them. But, even with newer systems, if you leave them on the cradle, there can be issues. The smart system will stop charging when it's full, but as the battery self-discharges over time, the charger will kick back in and top it off. The problem us that it will do this continuously and lithiums only have a limited number of charge cycles, about 300. So, if you leave it on the charger, it will eat up the charge cycles topping it off every time it drops past a certain level.
The limited charge cycles is why they only last a year or two of daily use.
 
ChickenHawk said:
A couple of my newer batteries have said to not charge them until they are completely discharged if possible.
Click to expand...

i weird about things. I’ve messed with Lithium batteries for a while now and I haven’t had issues to date lol. I normally throw all my electric impact and drill batteries on the charge if they get down to 50% ish. No issue to date
 
I keep them on the tool unless charging.

I know there are many different theories about best practices for batteries, but I don’t bother with Li-Ion.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I'm a builder so on the jobsite. I cycle through the batteries anyway (prolly have 6 DeWalt and a dozen Porter Cable between me and my coworker. So it was never a thing.

Charge til full, put next dead one on the charger. Don't drain them to zero. I.e. when it slows get a new battery.



I was just curious what everyone does with seldom used gear.

The couple batteries as i mentioned at home are either in the tool or the charger. Sometimes going weeks between use.

Thanks for the input. It seems that leaving yhem in the charger (lith-ion) isn't the way:oops:
 
Charge battery and put them on the shelf beside of the charger.
I try to cycle through my 3 batteries to give them each a release and recharge
 
The issue with older batteries continually on a charger does not apply to Li batteries of today. Batteries only have a limited number of cycles then there toast.
 
BlackGun said:
The issue with older batteries continually on a charger does not apply to Li batteries of today. Batteries only have a limited number of cycles then there toast.
Click to expand...
Oh? This is what I understood too. But then the Bosch line threw me for a loop so I decided to ask lol.

I know the older ni-cads shouldn’t be left charging.
 
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