Power Tools Manufacturers power up their tool offerings with chargers that help batteries last longer.Manufacturers power up their tool offerings with chargers that help batteries last longer.

  • By REMODELING Magazine Staff
  • Source: REMODELING Magazine
  • Publication date: 2001-10-01

No matter how advanced the cordless tool or how long-lasting the battery, neither can function without a solid charger. "The charger is one of those things that sits back there silently and it's not really fully appreciated," says Dave Selby, Milwaukee Electric Tool's cordless products business manager. "But you can greatly affect the life of the battery by how you charge it." Tool makers have been refining chargers to reduce heat, speed charging, and keep batteries lasting longer.

Heat from overcharging can shorten the life of a charge and, over time, the life of a battery. "What used to be out there years ago were timers," says Tom Schwalie, Bosch's cordless tools product manager. "They charge for a certain period of time and at the end of the hour, you get what you get from your battery." Bosch and other manufacturers offer chargers that "communicate" with batteries and adjust the time and charge accordingly. Milwaukee chargers also monitor battery heat before charging begins: If the battery is too hot or too cold, the charger will wait until the temperature's right.

Makita's MakStar charger has a CPU that interacts with a data chip on the battery to determine the proper amount of charge, while a built-in fan forces air through channels in the battery to keep it cool.

DeWalt uses a three-stage system to prevent overcharging. The key, says Jason Goger, assistant product manager, is for the unit to know exactly when to cut the charge. Even five minutes extra can take its toll, if repeated over time.

"Soft-pulse" technology on Porter-Cable's chargers prevents heat buildup by emitting short bursts of electricity, a technique the company says extends battery life beyond 1,000 charges.

As cordless tools increase power, lose weight, and add high-tech features, a short-lived battery is no longer acceptable. State-of-the-art chargers ensure that your tools' power won't wane too soon. --Katy Tomasulo, Associate Editor, Products