If you own a power tool, you know just how much of a punch these devices can pack. To not compromise on safety in any aspect, it’s critical to know when to replace a power tool battery, as well as learn to identify common problems with power tool batteries that should raise your suspicion.
Table of Contents:
If you own a power tool, you know just how much of a punch these devices can pack. To not compromise on safety in any aspect, it’s critical to know when to replace a power tool battery, as well as learn to identify common problems with power tool batteries that should raise your suspicion. Even if safety wasn’t a concern, knowing when to replace a battery can save time and maintain the quality of your work. Below, we cover the top signs that a power tool battery needs replacement to ensure you can keep working as efficiently as you need to.
Why is replacing a faulty power tool battery critical?
Failing to spot a defect in your power tool in time could lead to severe significant consequences that affect your performance and safety. Here’s why promptly addressing these concerns is essential:
- Ensures Proper Tool Efficiency & Battery Lifecycle
- Prevents Safety Hazards
- Saves Money in the Long Run
As you can see, paying proper attention to your device’s performance is quite important. Given the wide applicability of power tools across various industries, you might just find yourself appreciating the tips we provide below.
Signs power tool battery needs replacement
As explained above, catching early warning signals that point toward a failing power tool battery or its battery management system can save you time, effort, and money. Below are the most common indicators to be cognizant of—if you spot these, don’t ignore them:
Shorter run time
A once-reliable battery that no longer provides the same runtime is one of the most common signs of aging. While this is not anything out of the ordinary, after the device has gone through a significant number of charge and discharge cycles, the working time may decrease to the point where it can’t hold enough power to last for the entire length of a basic task. In effect, frequent interruptions and recharging stops lower your productivity.
Failure to hold charge
In a more extreme version of the previous situation, your power tool may even fail to hold the charge entirely for longer than just a few minutes. When this happens, it could signal internal cell damage or severe imbalances.
Overheating during use or charging
While some heat is, of course, normal during power tool operation, excessive or persistent overheating is a red flag. The tricky part is that it could both be the cause and the symptom, making it one of the most common problems with power tool batteries. Overheating can lead to serious safety hazards, including thermal runaway or fire.
Physical damage or swelling
Visible signs of physical damage like cracks, swelling or cracking are major indicators of a Lithium-ion battery that’s way past its prime. No matter how the damage was sustained, if it becomes too severe, operating the battery in this state could pose significant risk.
Inconsistent performance
Problems such as sudden loss of power or interruptions during use could also result directly from battery issues, like connection problems or cell imbalance.
Charger incompatibility
The last point emphasizes precisely why it’s always so crucial to only use a manufacturer-approved charger. If your charger no longer recognizes the battery or fails to charge it properly, it could be battery damage from excessive wear, but these problems also arise when using a third-party device. Nevertheless, a failing battery may have damaged internal circuitry. Ensuring compatibility between battery and charger is key to maintaining efficiency and ruling out problems on this front.
The takeaway
When to replace a power tool battery? The list above leaves you with some key pointers that should help you when you encounter common problems with power tool batteries. Do not ignore these signs, as doing so could exacerbate the problems and cause damage to your power tool or put you in jeopardy, too.
You may also read: Signs Your E-Bike Battery May Need Replacement
About the Author
EMBS
Leading manufacturer of advanced battery systems with a market presence of over 25 years. We specialise in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, producing a wide range of systems with varying power and capacity.