DeWalt 18v Li ion

[revor]

Anyone know much about how these batteries work. Reason is got a new 18v dewalt xrp drill with Liion battery because I was pleased with the 12v NiCd xrp drilll I have had for last 3 years. Problem is when drilling some 1/2" holes in 2" pine the battery pack shut down and had to put it on recharge to reset. That was only 10 holes with a new bit. This has happened on every occassion I have used the drill which is only 4 times. Frankly I am really dissapointed with the performance I conditioned the battery as per instructions when new so I knowI have treated the battery correctly. My 12v drill is so much better and my 18v is now relegated to light work like screwdriving. Do I have a duff battery or is there something about this technology I do not understand?
Ta

[StyXSIS]

Ok it does sound like a duff battery so your best bet is to take it back & get it replaced or exchanged.
When you got it did you put it on charge for the stated 10 hours ?. If yes and it did it after that then it realy is duff, it just means that one of the cells is discharging quicker than the rest and when that happens the pack turns off to stop damage to that cell. You cant fix it at home as its the batterys operating firmware stoping it all & only a dewalt service tech can check it & possibly fix it.

[fin]

this sounds like a right nightmare wif li ion stuff. none of these problems happened with standard nicd adn nimh batterys.

[big-all]

when it shuts down do you leave it to charge for a full cycle in a warmish room??

li-ions just stop dead thats the electronics protecting the battery

[revor]

Thanks for all your replies you have confirmed what I thought. I did charge the battery from new for the requisite time. I also charge it fully after it stops dead. One of the things about it which may be a clue to what is happening is that it stops then it works again almost immediately does this twice, then shuts down completely. I Bought the drill from screwfix from a branch that was just opening and got 20% off the already reduced price. I only paid 100 notes for it they sell the batteries alone for 150. Perhaps Dewalt offloaded B grade stuff and hence the price. I dunno. Where I come from there is a saying buy cheap buy twice. I will take it back and see what they will do for me.
Thanks again.

[ultimatehandyman]

It should drill more holes than that!

I bought one from screwfix, but I think mine was about £150

I only bought it to test the Li-Ion battery-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.org/video/t ... y-test.php

[big-all]

i think i even get a mention for my fins or ridges in that video

[revor]

Just to close the loop on this one the drill and battery were picked up last Thursday and was back today with a new battery. Having been miffed by the fault I am more than pleased with the service. The tool went to NJ Tools who arranged for City link to pick it up. Presumably they do the servicing for Dewalt. When I spoke to dewalt about the problem before the drill went back I was told that earlier batteries were set to cut out to low and more recent batteries have been set to a higher level which I presume is what I have now got.

[ultimatehandyman]

Just to close the loop on this one the drill and battery were picked up last Thursday and was back today with a new battery. Having been miffed by the fault I am more than pleased with the service. The tool went to NJ Tools who arranged for City link to pick it up. Presumably they do the servicing for Dewalt. When I spoke to dewalt about the problem before the drill went back I was told that earlier batteries were set to cut out to low and more recent batteries have been set to a higher level which I presume is what I have now got.

Good result

[big-all]

great thanks for the feedback much appreciated