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I've got two each Bosch 18v drills and impacts. Love them but am wondering if the batteries are reaching the end of their expected life.
Can't give any specifics since I'm using them sporadically but I'm just wondering.
Anyone have any experience with them?
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Wild Turkey
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I only have the 12V ones, but they must be about 6 or 7 years old at this point and still going strong.
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10-16-2021, 08:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-16-2021, 08:49 PM by EdL.)
I have Bosch batteries so old they are labeled 10.8v instead of 12v. 10 years old and still work fine.
Set the kids up well with my old 10.8/12v stuff when they bought a house, they've not called me for warranty claims on what l gave them.
FWIW, my old Bosch tools were upgraded with new versions....lol. Still use my 2011 ps20 more than any other 12v tool.
Ed
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I've got 2 Bosch 18 V tools, a drill and an impact wrench. The drill is the oldest at about 6 years old and the OEM batteries are still doing well. I use them much as you do i guess, sporadic is a good description. The impact wrench came with the new models called "Core" (I think) and they are only about 3 years old and still doing well. How you treat the batteries in storage is important. I don't know if this is best, or even the right way, but here's what i do. The spares are always in the chargers and those chargers are on a 7 day electronic timer that turns them on about 2 hours once a week. I always have a fully charged battery ready. I think the new chargers are a lot more sophisticated than they were when I started doing this but leaving the old ones plugged in wasn't the best approach. So even if my method isn't needed, it seem to work well.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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(10-16-2021, 05:44 PM)Wild Turkey Wrote: I've got two each Bosch 18v drills and impacts. Love them but am wondering if the batteries are reaching the end of their expected life.
Can't give any specifics since I'm using them sporadically but I'm just wondering.
Anyone have any experience with them?
Lithium ion cells lose capacity with usage (cycle fade) and over time (calendar fade)
Calendar fade is worse at high state of charge.
If you really want to squeeze your battery pack longevity, it is better to let the battery sit partially charged when used intermittently.
But i expect it is more common to recharge immediately after use in order to have the tool "ready to go" for next time.
Matt
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(10-16-2021, 06:39 PM)farmerj111 Wrote: I only have the 12V ones, but they must be about 6 or 7 years old at this point and still going strong.
Same as mine!
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10-18-2021, 06:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-18-2021, 06:19 PM by EvilTwin.)
I have a bunch of Bosch tools. Started with a 14.4 nicad drill, collected more but eventually moved into the lithium versions. First 12 v (10.8) starting in about 2012. Probably have about 3-4 of the small drills and an impactor. Batteries are still working, really cant say if they are near end of life, I have so many of them and I swap them out as needed. None of the 12v tools seem to run dry too quickly, so that's about 8-9 years of use all told.
Around 2018 I moved into the 18v tools with about (4) 1.5 ah batteries between the ones that came with the tool set and another 2 I bought. Then I lucked onto a deal on CL and picked up (4) 4 ah batteries still in the blister packs for 45 bucks. So the oldest of these batteries are around 3-4 years old. No discernable loss of power on any of the 18v batteries so far.
Wife wanted some gift suggestions so I have recently gotten the circular saw as well as the portable band saw, both bare tools. Along the way I picked up reciprocating saws in both the 18 and 12 volt variety, and the jigsaw for 18 volts which is just as good as the plug in variant. Run times on the 4 amp batteries are great, even the 1.5 batteries are fine, but I tend to use them more for the drills and impactor and the flashlight.
I even experimented with an adapter to take the lithium batteries and use them in the 14.4 and 18 v nicad tools. I had picked up a well used 18v set for 50 bucks and still have the original 14.4 drill as well. The adapter powers the drills and impactor fine. It did have problems with the saws though, not really sure why. One of the drills is the larger hammerdrill, its kinda ugly, but still works fine.
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(10-17-2021, 03:45 PM)Tony Z Wrote: Same as mine!
I have had mine 10 or so I think. They were BK... before kids.
"Life is too short for bad tools.".-- Pedder 7/22/11
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I have 10.8 volt Bosch tools (now 12 volt - different label same tool as I understand it) and 18 volt 'slim pack'. I try to store them partially charged but have had them all for 10+ years, 10.8 volt longer than the 18 volt. I use them very intermittently but when i need them they're ready.
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(10-16-2021, 05:44 PM)Wild Turkey Wrote: I've got two each Bosch 18v drills and impacts. Love them but am wondering if the batteries are reaching the end of their expected life.
Can't give any specifics since I'm using them sporadically but I'm just wondering.
Anyone have any experience with them?
What I've heard/read about LiIon batteries is that they're good for about 500 charge/discharge cycles. If you discharge them half way then charge them they're likely good for 1000 cycles. Don't know what there's to that but it sounds as good as anything.
