Cordless Yard Tool Battery Question

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I already have a cordless lawn mower, chain saw, and weed wacker, and am considering a hedge trimmer.
I've seen kalakoa recommend that you always buy the tool/battery/charger package, because the batteries individually are so much more expensive.
So here's my first question.  If I buy another battery, can I set it aside to keep it "new"?  That is, if I don't use it for several years will it maintain the ability to charge and cycle just like a battery purchased new at that time?  Or will it lose some power or life expectancy due to age once I start to use it?

Second question:  do you think cordless tools will continue to substantially improve so that several years in the future I'll want to buy the latest model with a potentially different proprietary battery pack anyway?

[kalakoa]

I bought a second tool to get that second battery, which I set aside as "new". Months later, it just don't work. The better strategy is probably to round-robin them with a bigger round (or more robins, as it were).

The maximum charge of a battery does degrade over time, but all my packs have reached "sudden failure" while they still had plenty of capacity. I'm guessing one of the cells drifts too far out of line (or fails) and the controller refuses to light up the pack. I have the knowledge (but not the tools or patience) to strip multiple packs down to their component cells and rebuild a pack that's all good.

Next-generation cordless will require a different innovation, and today's battery packs won't last that long anyway. We're not likely to see still-higher voltages simply because safety.

Xmas shopping season will soon be upon us, which means the best prices of the year on all your favorite Home Depot cordless tools.

Ryobi lawnmower still going strong even after eating a few rocks.

[terracore]

Ryobi batteries have a 3-year warranty. I'm not aware if an extended warranty is available.

Based on what I know, most products aren't expected to outlast their warranty, but I would never buy a rechargeable battery and leave it in storage. If I was in your situation, I would get rid of the hedge.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The maximum charge of a battery does degrade over time

Thanks kalakoa


I would get rid of the hedge.

Well, I already have the chainsaw, so that’s an option!


The tool only at Home Depot is $150, from Amazon $100.  Since I already have three batteries and three chargers I’m leaning toward tool only from Amazon.  The hedge does provide some privacy from an ever busier road, so at this point it’s worth the extra effort.  

[eightfingers2.0]

When your charger fails to charge a battery, make sure the contacts are clean. Dirty or corroded contacts will result in a charge “fail”.

[kalakoa]

In some cases the charger will "decide" the battery is bad based on readings from the controller in the battery pack.

With the Ryobi 18V system: don't use a charger that's older than the battery, they are not always backwards compatible. The older charger will simply refuse to charge a newer battery.

[terracore]

"The tool only at Home Depot is $150, from Amazon $100."

I don't know what brand you are considering, but Ryobi only honors warranties when purchased from an authorized retailer (Home Depot). They will deny warranty claims for product purchased on Amazon or eBay. Home Depot claims to have a price match guarantee, but it may not extend to online purchases.

"they are not always backwards compatible"

The lithium batteries won't physically fit into the old nicad chargers, but the lithium chargers (they call them "dual chemistry") can charge the old nicad batteries. Either charger will charge a NiMH (knockoff) battery.

We have a Ryobi stick vacuum (18v). It has it's own charger that is slow as hell. I'm not sure it scans the batteries because it will charge batteries the other chargers reject.

I've also read that Ryobi chargers won't charge a battery that is completely dead, which can happen if it sits in storage too long after a tool has drained it, but a work around is to trickle a charge into it by wiring it to a charged battery, but I've never tried it.

[kalakoa]

the lithium chargers (they call them "dual chemistry") can charge the old nicad batteries

All my current batteries are lithium. I have two chargers hanging on the wall. The older charger refuses to charge the newer batteries, When this happens, I have to swap batteries before both of them will charge.

The struggle is real.

[terracore]

I feel the struggle. Sometimes I'll put a battery in and the green light will blink for several seconds and then goes to blinking red that never ends. So I have to repeat this process several times before it will finally accept the battery.

Or I can just put it in the slow as hell stick vacuum.

They must be using components from inkjet printers.

[oink]

I don't know if this applies to your tools but I have an 18v Ryobi hammer/drill/driver. Sometimes if I plug a battery into a plugged in charger it just blinks red. However, if I plug the battery into the charger and then plug in the charger it will charge correctly. I don't understand but it works that way???