Convert Old Cordless Tools to Lithium Power

I have a couple of old cordless power tools that are all in good working condition.
The problem is that all batteries need to be replaced and the batteries are very expensive.
It\'s hard for me to pay for the battery that is almost as expensive as the tool and I don\'t want to throw away very good tools.
There is also a problem with my old batteries because every time I go to use them, the batteries are out of power because NiMH batteries will discharge themselves very quickly, especially in cold weather.
Most modern cordless tools use lithium batteries and I happen to have been using LiPo battery packs in other projects, so I thought I would use cheap LiPo battery packs to convert my old cordless tools
This is a very simple conversion, the cost is only a small part of the cost of replacing the battery for the manufacturer of electric tools.
Be sure to check the FAQ section at the end as lithium batteries must be treated in a specific way!
Just a few tools are needed: wire stripping tool-
I really like this cheap stripping iron.
You can use almost any cheap soldering iron as it is a very easy job.
Mine is the simulation speed ST30 I bought for $100 (
I have to find it for a long time ~
The new one is about $260)
The digital version is the ST50 model.
Dremel tool with deadline wheel (
Narrow Blade saw can also work and can cut cleaner)Battery Charger-
I really like more than Hitec X1.
The charger is a smart charger that can handle most of the battery chemistry, but any charger that can charge a multi-battery lithium battery requires the following materials: heat shrink tubingWire (14ga is best)
XT60 connector (
These are made of heat)Battery Monitor-
I really like cheap hobby King low voltage battery alarm3s (11. 1V)or 4s (14. 8V)
LiPo R/C battery pack-
Hobby King sells many different LiPo packs, so choose the packaging that best matches your tool voltage and available battery space to separate the old battery case.
Some cordless tools have a battery pack that is bolted together, but my pastoral tools don\'t have that luck --
The battery pack is welded by seam, so it must be cut.
To cut the battery pack, I used the Dremel tool to cut off the wheel and carefully cut the top edge of the shell.
Once you remove the top of the shell, remove the battery (
Recycle them correctly)
And keep the empty battery case.
Measure the interior of the housing to determine the size of the LiPo battery pack you can put in closely matched to the power tool voltage rating.
My Mutian number 14
I used a 1300 4S (14. 8V)
The LiPo pack in size 74mm x 34mm x 33mm is perfect for empty battery housing.
You don\'t want the battery to use all the space available as you need a little space for wiring and low voltage alarm and it\'s time to do some wiring!
Open the case of the electric tool.
For my drill bit, I just need to remove a few screws to lift up from one side of the drill case.
Upon completion, I can insert the top of the old battery housing in order to correctly determine the battery polarity of the wiring.
Take a wire with a length of 14ga, peel off the end of the wire and weld it to the battery contacts inside the power tool.
Slide the Heat Shrink tube over the relative end of the wire and weld the wire end to the XT60 battery connector (
The XT60 connector comes with most 3 s and 4S LiPo battery packs)
Then slide the Heat Shrink tube down to protect the end of the wire at the connector.
Reassemble your power tools now.
After reassembling the tool, connect the LiPo battery pack.
Plug in the low voltage alarm now-
There is a symbol on the alert on how to connect it to the battery pack balance connector.
The alarm starts with a rather large beep, and then either of the four green LEDs lights up showing that each battery in the battery pack is above the cut-off voltage.
When the battery runs out, the led turns red and an alarm is issued indicating that it is time to charge the battery.
The cut-off voltage of most LiPo batteries is between 2. 8 and 3.
0 v, they may be damaged if the cell drain is lower than that level.
The alert notifies you when the cell reaches this level.
Low voltage alarms can be used from 2 S to 4S batteries.
Once everything works, you can clip the bottom of the battery case back into the power tool so you can go!
Now experience the joy of lithium power!
I have a few Walkthrough using this technology conversion and they work better than when they have NiMH batteries.
I really like the old, strong, ranch stick drill.
They can find cheap (or even free)
They also have a rather large battery.
The advantage of these vintage drill bits is that you don\'t even need to take apart the old battery case when the battery just slides into the handle.
The Mini Ranch stick drill was found by my son at the recycling center for $3.
When he found out that it had no battery, I knew we could fix it as soon as we got home, so he bought it and since then he has been using it for his own project.
Isn\'t the battery alarm going to run out of battery over time?
Yes, it will.
I have developed the habit of unplugging the battery before I am ready to use the tool.
It may take me ten seconds to re-insert them because the self-discharge rate of the LiPo package is so low that my tools are always ready.
Does LiPo bag not require a special charger/program?
They will.
Here\'s a good guide to learn about LiPo packs and how to take care of them-
Learn about the LiPo battery guide.
Here is more information about LiPo battery and safety.
If you are not comfortable with the LiPo battery and will have extra trouble maintaining the battery properly, then this description may not be suitable for you.
They are completely safe for daily use if handled properly, but if you use the tool on a construction site, I wouldn\'t recommend it because they are not practical for this app.
I have been using these tools for a long time and have absolutely no negative impact.
If you\'re really worried about overload (
Short circuit/flameout of motor, etc. )
You can then install the car blade type fuse on the positive power lead from the battery connector to the tool (
No on the battery pack)
These fuses increase the load resistance, so you have to do some testing to get the correct value, but it should be lower than the total current capacity of the battery.
How about lithium ion batteries? Yep-
You can also use it.
When I use 2 s Li
The ion battery my son drilled is working fine (
I have got this battery pack from a broken RC helicopter that was given to me at home)
Lithium ion batteries are a better choice.
The advantage of these batteries is that they tend to be more durable than LiPo packaging, but they can be a bit larger, so they may not be suitable for many power tools.
If you can find a suitable bag
Just make sure to use the packaging of the built-in protection circuit or make sure to use the low voltage cut alarm.
Again, these batteries require a special charger.
Is the battery capacity less than the original manufacturer?
When I was 144 volt Shepherd drill-yes.
But I really don\'t care because I find that I rarely try to drive 200 decorative screws with a single battery charge.
Since the battery is too cheap, I can also carry a few packs of batteries with me.
What should I do if I have a tool that plugs into the battery but doesn\'t have the original one?
You must be creative in this case.
The two options are to 3d print the right battery box or vacuum print one from the plastic sheet.