Power Up With Power Tool Batteries
When power tools were first introduced they were introduced using a power cord that needed to be plugged into an outlet. Today many people still prefer the kind of power tool you can plug in because they do not like having to change power tool batteries continuously throughout a job because the batteries keep wearing down. Then if you have no replacement power tool batteries you have to stop the job because there is not power for your power tools. But rechargeable batteries have been in development since the late 1800's and the technology surrounding power tool batteries is changing every day. It may never reach the point where you can go all day on one battery but if you could get a serious day's work done on two power tool batteries then that would probably make a lot of construction professionals very happy because sometimes stepping over a tangle of extension cords can be not only frustrating and inconvenient but it can also be dangerous.
One of the main types of power tool batteries is a lithium ion battery which is also commonly referred to as a li-ion battery. They are used in all sorts of consumer electronics and they find their way into power tools because they are much more energy efficient than the alternative, nickel cadmium batteries. A li-ion battery can hold its charge for a much longer time than a nickel cadmium, or NiCad, battery and they are also able to charge a little faster than the NiCads. They are lightweight and they offer a longer shelf life which means that they can sit charged and unused for a while and still be able to be effective without needing a recharge. However this line of power tool batteries is expensive and there is yet another draw back that prevents them from being the best choice for your power tool batteries. The li-ion battery is very fragile and does not do well in a construction atmosphere. That would lead us to the alternative NiCad battery.
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NiCad batteries are also used as power tool batteries and their big advantage is that they can charge up quickly and hold potentially more power than li-ion batteries. The other thing about NiCad power tool batteries is that they are extremely durable. They are less apt to lose their charge when contacted by something abruptly where a li-ion battery can be known to bring a job to a halt by losing its charge. NiCad batteries are also significantly less expensive than li-ion batteries which means that a company, or a person, can afford more of them and know that while they may not be as lightweight and able to hold their charge as a li-ion battery the NiCads can still hold their own on the jobsite and since you can afford more NiCad power tool batteries then you can have more available for powering the job.
It is interesting to look at power tool batteries and understand what the differences are. There are reasons people prefer one type over the other and it looks like li-ion and NiCad batteries will be around for a long time to come.
