We already have an idea about drills and how they can be used, but not to leave you stranded, here is a quick one; the drills tools are for boring holes through several materials.
They are of two types, the corded drill and then the cordless drill, electricity powers the corded drill while the cordless drill is one powered by batteries.
Since we are already talking about batteries, you would admit with me that for battery powered tools, the battery would come off as the most critical part of it, because without power every other part is useless.
As much the cordless drill increases your mobility and flexibility on a job you would also agree batteries are not meant to last forever, so before you go on purchasing one, you may want to ask “How long do cordless Drill Battery last?”
Let’s give you an answer
How long do cordless drill battery last?
The amount of usage time would depend not only on the brand of your drill or size of battery that comes with it, but it would also depend on the usage and even on and the way the tool is managed.
It is normal for the battery to lose the capacity to hold a charge over time and this would depreciate the usage time of the battery, but when it comes to the lifespan of a well-managed cordless drill battery should be able to last up to 3-5 years or even more.
Since we have established that your batteries would need enough attention, we would compare the battery life a few brands of cordless drills; after that, we would give some tips on how you can improve your battery life.
How to improve your battery life
Sometimes, managing the battery life would depend on the kind of battery you are using, most cordless drills are powered by Lithium-ion, Nickel Metal Hydride, and Nickel Cadmium batteries.
Keep the battery charged
You may feel you already have your batteries charged before you store them, but let us break it to you, they may gradually begin to lose their charge after they have not been used for a while.
Whether you are making uses of the drill or not, it is better to keep it charged most of the time. Maintaining a battery level of above 70% every time would help extend your battery life.
For Nickel Metal Hydride and Nickel Cadmium batteries, you may need to discharge them once in a month fully, but other times, maintain their charge over 20%. Lithium-ion batteries should not be fully discharged; a partial discharge would increase their lifespan.
Use battery regularly
One thing that depreciates the battery life of your cordless drill is when you keep charging and never use them.
If you don’t plan on regularly using your tool, instead of purchasing a corded drill that would require consistent usage, you should rather buy a corded drill that you can easily abandon when not in use.
Fully charge the battery
When you use your cordless drill until the batteries are low or drained, it is better to charge it until it is full. There are battery chargers that would indicate when a battery is fully charged; you can get one.
If you run a Lithium-ion battery, you may not necessarily have to charge them all the time fully; the Lithium-ion batteries prefer to be partially charged.
Avoid overcharging
Some batteries like the Nickel Metal Hydride and Nickel Cadmium batteries are built so that you can leave them in their chargers, but if your drill instruction guide does not say you should store it in a charger, try as much as possible to keep it from overcharging.
Keeping it plugged into the charger longer than it should, may damage the battery. Some chargers would indicate when the battery is completely charged; some others would stop automatically, to avoid overcharging you can use them.
Store batteries properly
To improve your battery lifespan, you can to store them in cool and dry places. It would be good put them in a carrying case or a cushioned bag, also avoid dropping or hard bumps on the batteries.
You should ensure that you are not storing them in a too hot or a wet area, Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to heat and hard shocks than the other types. Use the plastic cap of the battery to keep the terminals from moistures, breakage or short-circuiting.
Keep a backup
Even if your corded drill already comes with one battery, it is not wrong to have a spare which you can switch up while you are on the job.
It is essential to get one immediately after the battery you are using begins to show a sign of weakness, so you don’t entirely drain the lifespan of one battery.
A backup would help you extend the lives of both batteries, and also give your job a smoother run.
Adjust the drill setting
Most cordless drills come with settings for different levels of variable speed, and we know you may always be tempted to use the highest available speed, so the job gets faster.
If you consider your battery, it is better to adjust the speed to a lower level sufficient enough to get the job done.
Conclusion
When out are on the job, maybe boring a hole in a wooden frame, and you run out of power while you are halfway through, it would be frustrating! It could also damage the wood or your bit, so it is good to get yourself a drill with a lasting battery.
Having a reliable tool would help you work efficiently and give enough focus to your job, so after getting a cordless drill battery, it is better to manage the device correctly to improve the battery life.