cordless joy

Cordless power tool technology has advanced rapidly in the last few years and the introduction of NiMH batteries pretty much finished off Ni-Cad batteries as the choice of cordless power for professionals and tradesmen. But now NiMH looks set to be replaced by the new Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion for short) batteries that have entered the market. Most of the big tool brands are now using 18v Li-Ion batteries to power their cordless tools, such as Makita Tools, a long-time favourite in the building trade. Their 18v power tools are leading the way in the use of the new Lithium-Ion batteries.

Lithium-Ion batteries have been used for a while now in other electronic devices, such as laptops and digital cameras, but it is only recently that they have begun to be used in power tools. As the battery is really the most important part of a cordless power tool it is a big leap forward and will benefit professionals and hobbyists alike. 18v power tools can be used for many jobs, large and small, at home and in the building trade, and one of the main advantages of the Li-Ion battery is the short re-charging time.

Ni-Cad batteries take at least a couple of hours, often longer, to fully charge but Li-Ion batteries can charge fully in just 15 minutes using a rapid charger that comes with most cordless 18v power tools. So that means less waiting around and wasting valuable time, and often money if you’re on a job, and no frustration if you forgot to put a battery on charge the night before, or a few hours before, you wanted to use it.

Although you probably won’t even have to worry about waiting for a battery to charge at all if you have an 18v power tool that comes with two batteries, such as a Makita 18v cordless drill. This has two 1.5Ah Li-Ion battery packs included in the kit and they should easily last a whole day of use between them. You can also get higher capacity 3.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery packs from Makita, and other 18v power tool manufacturers. The 3.0Ah batteries take slightly longer to charge but still nowhere near as long as the older style batteries.

Li-Ion batteries also retain their power over longer periods, that is they don’t loose power over time without use, so if you charged one and then left it for a few weeks, when you came to use it again it would still have power. Older styles Ni-Cad and NiMH batteries bleed power so if you charged one and then came back to use it weeks later it would probably be dead and need re-charging.

Another huge advantage of Lithium-Ion batteries is the excellent power to weight ratio, they are very light compared to the amount of power they produce. So a Li-Ion battery powered 18v cordless drill will feel much lighter than a traditional cordless drill and enable you to work longer and more efficiently without your arms aching!

18v power tools using the technology of Lithium-Ion batteries look set to overtake all traditional forms of cordless power tools, as their advantages are great. Whether you use power tools as part of your trade or just carry out the odd bit of DIY at home or as hobby you’ll benefit greatly from the convenience offered by cordless Lithium-Ion battery powered 18v power tools. Eventually they are sure to completely replace Ni-Cad and NiMH batteries, although for now they can be used alongside them.