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Power forward

Advances in battery technology have led power tool makers to invest heavily in new product lines. But, older technology isn’t going anywhere soon.

by Paul Markgraff

Lithium-ion, nickel cadmium or nickel metal-hydride? It’s the question faced by industrial and construction end-users whenever a battery or cordless power tool needs to be replaced.

Time-tested nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) and nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) power tools offer end-users recognizable benefits such as lower cost and a sense of familiarity. But the new lithium-ion (Li-Ion) power tools from virtually every major manufacturer promise lighter weight and advanced technology, and with that longer run time and less fatigue. These are benefits end-users cannot ignore, but they come at a price.

The benefits of Li-Ion power tools are real, and the power tool makers are regularly launching new Li-Ion products. But, advances on the Ni-Cd front also show that old batteries still have a lot of life left.

Illuminating Li-Ion
Li-Ion power tools are beginning to emerge as a real player in cordless power tools. They are lighter and produce less worker fatigue. At that lighter weight, they can provide the same power and run-time (and sometimes even more) as their Ni-Cd or Ni-MH counterparts.

Many major power tool manufacturers are betting on the success of Li-Ion, and continue to search for that sweet spot that delivers the right amount of power at the lowest weight for the best amount of run time.

Ingersoll Rand is the latest addition to the Li-Ion power tool market. Its new line of IQv tools feature Li-Ion batteries, available in 7.2 volts, 14.4 volts and 19.2 volts. The company says the batteries weigh up to 35 percent less than a standard Ni-Cd battery and deliver more than 1,000 recharges, more than three times the lifespan of a traditional Ni-Cd battery, which succumbed to memory effect.

Through digital technology, the IQv charger automatically determines battery chemistry and optimizes its charge based on battery type and condition. The charger’s renew feature senses and eliminates memory effect in Ni-Cd tools as well, extending the life of those batteries by up to 300 percent, the company says.

The IQv Series now includes 19 different tool models, six batteries, a universal battery charger, battery analyzer and full line of accessories.

“Being the new guy on the block, we’ve got the ability to look at all the features and benefits of our competitors’ tools and pick and choose what our customers really want,” says Christian Corrigan, cordless tools global marketing manager for Ingersoll Rand. “The tools can use either Ni-Cd or Li-Ion batteries; they are voltage specific, but not chemistry specific.”

This point is not lost on Milwaukee Electric Tool. Milwaukee designed and introduced its line of Li-Ion powered V18 tools with an eye toward compatibility and convenience for end-users who are satisfied with their Ni-Cd power tools, but might want to give Li-Ion a try.

The V18 Upgrade Kit from Milwaukee includes two lithium-ion batteries, which are backwards compatible with older Ni-Cd power tools, and one universal charger. The charger is designed to power all Milwaukee 18-volt and 28-volt batteries – both Li-Ion and Ni-Cd – in one hour or less.

“We see the need for users who have already purchased Ni-Cd platforms to give them the option if they want to step up to Li-Ion technology and didn’t want to invest in an entirely new combo kit,” says Rick Gray, Milwaukee director of marketing for cordless drilling and fastening. “End-users can purchase our conversion kit and start getting familiar with Li-Ion technology and its advantages.”

Panasonic also entered the fray with its new line of Li-Ion power tools. Perhaps most impressive is its new 14.4-volt Impact Driver, which features a brushless motor and electronic switch that deliver twice the motor life, cooler running temperatures and 20 percent more work per charge, the company says.

This impact driver uses an electronic performance monitoring system to prevent battery deterioration during use and to prevent over-discharging and overheating. Its three-speed motor can also select the right torque and speed based on application and materials, giving the user more control. Panasonic’s new Li-Ion battery also features a cobalt-based chemistry, which the company says delivers high power output and lower heat than its competitors.

“This battery pack has high electrical efficiency,” says Doug Bock, national sales manager for Panasonic. “You’ll get twice the life from the Li-Ion battery pack than you would from our typical Ni-MH battery pack.”

Hitachi and Makita have also introduced new Li-Ion tools to the cordless power tool market. Makita recently introduced its new 18V LXT Compact Li-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit. The new driver adds to Makita’s extensive LXT series of nearly 40 models. The compact 1.5 Ah Li-Ion battery recharges in 15 minutes, and the 3.0 Ah Li-Ion battery recharges in just 25 minutes.

Not to be outdone, Hitachi entered the market with its new line of 14.4-volt Li-Ion power tools. Powered by Hitachi’s HXP batteries, the line features a driver drill, hammer drill, impact driver and impact wrench. HXP Li-Ion batteries are also backwards compatible; they will work in Hitachi’s 14.4-volt DMR and DVF3 cordless tools.

Time-tested
Li-Ion power tools have features that Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries cannot match. Non-lithium batteries are heavier and return diminishing power with continuing usage.

Nevertheless, Ni-Cd batteries are battle-tested. The vast majority of power tools on job sites still use Ni-Cd batteries.

To this end, manufacturers like 10C Technologies and TopCell Batteries have released products that support the time-tested battery chemistries.

10C Technologies’ new multi-brand universal charger charges any brand of battery in 15 minutes or less while extending the rated life of the battery, the company says. The chargers recognize the battery brand, voltage, capacity and overall condition and optimize the charging for that particular battery to minimize battery heating.

The charger will also charge any battery chemistry: Ni-Cd or Ni-MH, as well as the new Li-Ion chemistries.

“We have the world’s first crew charger,” says Rob Miles, president of 10C Technologies. “It’s a four-port charger. You choose the interface to the battery you want to charge by choosing an adapter from our smart adapter kit. It allows you to adapt the charger to any of the major brands out there. Thus, for the first time, a professional does not need multiple chargers. He can use one 10C crew charger to charge four different brands with four different chemistries simultaneously and our charger will charge them all independently, safely and fast.”

TopCell Batteries also recognized the present power of Ni-Cd in the marketplace. The manufacturer produces contractor-quality replacement batteries for all major manufacturers and sells them for 35 to 40 percent less than name-brand replacement batteries. It uses top-quality Panasonic and Sanyo cells in its batteries, which is what the better OEMs use, says Kelly Stohler, TopCell president.

The batteries come with a one-year warranty, and Stohler says the company has never rejected a warranty.

“We’re just a good quality, meat-and-potatos, aftermarket battery company,” he says. “There’s a little room there in the marketplace for someone like us and that’s what we are about.”

For information on any of these products, please visit the eResponse page and fill out the form.
A	Ingersoll Rand IQv Li-Ion Power Tools	Item 133
B	Milwaukee Electric Tool V18 Upgrade Kit	Item 134
C	Panasonic Li-Ion Impact Driver	Item 135
D	Hitachi Li-Ion Impact Wrench	Item 136
E	Makita LXT Compact Li-Ion Impact Driver	Item 137
F	10C Technologies four-port crew charger	Item 138
G	TopCell Batteries replacement batteries	Item 139