Gentlemen----some of you may have faced this issue yourselves, so I am seeking advice.

1. Should I seek and buy battery for my cordless drill, or is it best to just buy a new drill.

2. Are the batteries I am seeing online for a smaller price (25 or so dollars) a fake or old and bad?

Background:

I have a Makita 18 volt cordless drill I purchased about '05 with two Nicad batteries # PA18 18v 1.3 AH.

The indicator on the charger says on battery is no good and the other battery does not seem to be holding a charge for very long.

Seems I only paid $150 at new for drill batteries and charger when I bought it---Makita wants 68 bucks for new battery.

This drill has been a real beauty as, though I may not use it like some contractor, but I have at times spent a few days building a canopy or something at the deer camp.

I am bank account challenged.

A man cannot live without a cordless drill!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Time for a new drill. The advancements in that technology in the last ten years are impressive.

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Been there and I choose to replace the drill. The new Lithium ion battery tools are lighter, smaller, charge very fast and what I like the most, they will hold a charge sitting on the bench for a long long time.
I used DeWalt but the replacement battery cost as much as buying a new tool. I went to Makita and am very happy, so happy, I bought the impact driver too. The new Makitas have white and blue color tools, the blue is more expensive and meant for commercial use. I bought the white impact driver and it is plenty good for screwing deck boards down and the drill has the power to push a 1/2 auger through floor joists to run electric. If you search around you can find factory refurbished tools from the manufacturers at a decent discount and look for free shipping.

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Back to back World War Champs.

New drill.

Watch for the sales at Home Depot and lowes,you can get a new drill and batteries for about the same price as batteries alone

I've owned a construction company for the last 25 years and nearly all of my workers use Dewalt. With that being said the average homeowner or non professional doesn't need one that expensive. I personally use Ryobi tools from Home Depot and you can buy a kit with a drill, reciprocating saw, circular saw, blades, bits, 2 lithium batteries, charger and fabric carrying case for about $125 or less on sale. I use these tools fairly often and have never worn one out, and there are also many other tools from Ryobi that use those batteries and I hardly ever use a corded tool unless I REALLY need some power.

We have a local company called Batteries Plus that will rebuild your rechargeable battery. It is cheaper than buying a new one at Home Depot or Lowes. It generally runs around $45 for a 12v DeWalt NiCad. Check your Yellow Pages. There may be a rebuilder in your area.

I've got an old Black and Decker 18 volt cordless drill. I've gotten alotta use out of it and I've been through a few battery packs.
Nicad batteries have a limited life. Get some new batteries unless you're really just looking for an excuse to get a whole new cordless drill.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I've had great experiences with Milwaukee drills. My 18 volt is

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-...rdless/2607-22

Two batteries is convenient. They have a charge indicator on them for a quick charge test. They last a long time and even hold a charge for a long time when not in use.

I also have a 12 volt which I've had even longer and still works great.

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- The Federalist #46 -

These were on sale for $89 last week. Unless ya just got to have one right away, they'll be on sale again.

For around the home I like my DeWalt 9.6v the best with the extended runtime battery. Perfect size.

If you buy a $20 battery you'll soon wish you hadn't.

Makita XPH012 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill Kit with One Battery - - Amazon.com

they have other types for the same price.

Buy a driver and keep your old drill and use the new battery.

Or Amazon has aftermarket batteries

Some areas have battery stores that can fix your old battery. we dont have them but I have read they are not expensive.

Cordless drills are great if you use them for work every day or if you frequently work in an area without any electric. If you use them only occasionally the batteries won't do very well and will loose their ability to hold a long charge after a while. If you are just using them around the house or in your workshop you would be much better served with a corded drill.

Two years ago I sold ALL EIGHT of my cordless drills and tools after constantly having to replace the batteries. There were many times that instead of buying new batteries it was cheaper to buy a whole new outfit that included a better drill, two batteries, a new charger, a case and sometimes even a bit set. I went to drill some holes in the concrete foundation of my outdoor shed with a cordless hammer drill and went through 3 batteries to drill one hole - that was the last straw for me! I put all 8 cordless tools on ebay, sold them all and went out and bought corded tools. I spent lots of time searching and finding new old stock American made Milwaukee Electric Drills, Orbital Jig Saw, Rotary Hammer Drill, Circular Saw and a Porter Cable professional Router. It wasn't easy but at the end of the day I had what I wanted. 99% of the time I am within 3 feet of an outlet and so the cord is a non issue to me. On the rare occasion I use it outdoors it takes only seconds to run an extension cord. No more running out of power, changing batteries, buying new batteries and carrying extra batteries to get a job done. I have never been sorry and there is NO looking back! Very happy with my decision

I work with cordless tools daily both at the workbench and while re-habing houses. Makita is used in the majority by my subs who can't afford to use anything but the best performer. I too go with the top of the line Makitas. Once in a while you will run into a poor performing battery. Just replace it and go on knowing your Makita is the BEST! ...........

Makita is a nice drill. I agree with the previous posts that new technology/LI batteries, etc. But if money is an issue...you might want to see if there is a battery shop nearby or fairly close you can ship to and have those batteries replaced. We have an Interstate dealer that rebuilds tool batteries. Most of the time he can upgrade them to a better battery and it works out to right about half what I new factory battery cost.
If it works out that you just have to get a new drill...do yourself a favor and buy Milwaukee.

I got one of those DeWalt 20V kits with the impact driver and the drill. I was hesitant to get the set, since I figured the drill could do everything. Man was I wrong. It's one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. I use these two tools so much I bought an extra battery.

I was faced with the same dilema a few years ago. Owned a Porter Cable set that I really liked. Hated to knock the tools in the head and also didnt want to pay a fortune for new baterries. I had them rebuilt and have never regreted it. Saved a bunch of money and the set still works great. Eventually this set wont be worth rebuilt batteries but they are showing no sign of giving up.

I bought a new Ryobi 18v drill from Home Depot about 12 years ago for a fence project. The NiCad batteries were okay, but after the first year, every time I wanted to use the drill, the batteries were dead.

A couple of years ago I bought a B&D 18v with a lithium battery. It seems to stay fully charged for months on end. Definitely worth the switch to lithium. I could have just bought a lithium battery for the old Ryobi, but it also requires a new charger. Just not worth it.

I chose the new drill. The 14.4v DeWalt replacement batteries were nearly $70 each. I had and wanted two batteries. Was looking at roughly $140 for two. My old batteries still worked, but did not last long at all. That's par for the course with rechargeables as they age.

I found a 20v lithium ion drill on sale at Lowes for $149. Came with two batteries. Lithium ion lasts longer than nicad. The drill is smaller, lighter, more powerful than the old one. I think I made the right choice.

I was tempted to order some of the low cost no name batteries from amazon, but after reading a bunch of negative reviews I decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

As a professional locksmith I use Dewalt drills all day long. I use a 12 volt for light work and a 20 volt for heavy work.

For many years I used a Dewalt 18 volt. But man are they heavy! The 20 volt is god send. More power. More RPM's. Longer battery life. And lighter than the 18.

I have several batteries for each. Pawn shops are a good place to find them at a decent price.

In my experience, Dewalt holds up better than other popular brands.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Here's a good one at a decent price.
Shop DEWALT 20-Volt Max Lithium Ion (Li-ion) 1/2-in Cordless Drill with Battery and Soft Case at Lowes.com

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I am a contractor and have owned the cordless makita tools for as long as you have. I typically buy the "bare" tools - tool only no battery or charger since I have probably six or more batteries. Chances are your drill came with the small 1.5 amp/hr battery. Most common replacement will be 3.0 ah and these will give you plenty of power and longevity. Great tool no need to replace. Take your battery to a Makita repair depot if you can and they will place it on an tester. Maybe outside chance of a replacement. Couple months back I was at big home improvement store and walked past a clearance table. There was a drill/driver combo kit that was missing the impact driver. They were asking $100 for drill, two 3.0 ah batteries and a new style smart charger. Grabbed it and went straight to the cashier.

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Old Guys Rule!

A Ruger SBH "drills" nice holes for hinge pin bolts into RR tie gate post. "no batteries required.

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Just a shooter

I had this come up and I ended up thinking that I had bought a quality DeWalt drill and though I could replace it cheaper, it wasn't as good of a drill. So I got a new battery. It was a close call though.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I upgraded with a new drill when I found out how much new batteries for my old Dewalt 12V would cost. Later while on the net I found I could buy replacement batteries for $18 instead of the other price. Bought 2 that are working well and now I have a cordless at home and in my truck. Satisfied with the cheaper batteries for now!

Tech rep at Dewalt told me not to leave a battery in the charger after it showed fully charged..Somehow it limits the battery life??? I follow his advice and am doing well ..they seem to last longer...OR maybe it just my imagination???
JIM...............

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SWCA # L-1911

I'm six of one and half dozen of the other on this issue.

I've become sort of brand loyal to DeWalt simply because I have had better experiences with their portable tools than with some others of supposedly similar quality.

That said, the last time my batteries pooped out on a DeWalt drill, I went to buy two batteries but stumbled across an "On Sale!" deal at Home Depot for a brand new DeWalt that came with two batteries in the deal. The price difference between two new batteries and the complete new drill package was so little that it was a no brainer to get the new drill, especially considering that the bearings in my old one were starting to feel a bit loose.

My DeWalt set came with two of the smaller batteries, and I picked up a big battery on sale somewhere. Deciding to add to the set I found this big spotlight. Working on my Jeep WK recently it was a lifesaver.

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Back when I worked for a living I did a lot of work in remote locations on dams and bridges. I had to install sensors on structures that required drilling holes in concrete. In the old days we used generators and extension cords or hammer and star drills. Then we discovered Hilti cordless hammer drills and we never looked back. I drilled a 1 1/4" hole thru a concrete wall using the Hilti cordless. They were expensive but they worked. For around the house I have a set of Milwaukee cordless tools as I could not justify the expensive of the Hilti tools for casual work.

I just use dewalts tools for cordless work,anything serious,I break out corded tools.

I would rather run 100' of extension cord than gear up with battery-powered tools. The corded ones usually have tons more power out of the gate, and I have 30-year-old Milwaukee and Bosch tools that have been used hard and still work like new.
On the other hand, I own and use a couple of cordless drills for quick little jobs, and have noticed a couple of interesting things: of the batteries for my old Makita 9.6 drill, the lithiums have quit taking a charge, while the older nicads still work. Also, I bought a bargain combo kit of brad and finish air nailers, and there was a little 9-volt drill in the package. It's been extremely handy, holds a charge for months, and is as powerful as some of the 12 and 14-volt tools. It's made by Ridgid, a Home Depot brand that doesn't get a lot of respect. I've since bought one of their miter saws, and it's powerful and accurate.

Much respect for Ridgid.

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Dum vivo cano

I agree totally. But try running 300 feet of extension cord in a warehouse with no outlets! Just to drill a few holes.

Tried that once. My half inch Milwaukee would only turn at half speed.

The 20V Dewalt has some serious power.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I use battery drills every day. Right know I have 2 Dewalt. 20v
Lithiums. Past November I had 2 Dewalt 18volt Nickel-Cads, when batteries were crapping out on 18Vs, I went to buy new
batteries at lowes, $100/2pack. They had the new 20V on sale
Drill, 2 batteries, charger and case for $100. No brainer. I bought
2. As far as brands Dewalt, Mikita , Millwalkee, Bosche, are the
durable ones. Porter Cable, Black&decker, Skil are all hobby weight stuff, as well as various house brands. The good ones
will outlast the batteries. Got wrote up in paper for cutting guy
out off wrecked Semi with a battery Saws-all, rescue made it
45 minutes later.

Done both. Ended up with 2 18 v Ryobi. This time I bought a lithium charger 2 big and one small 18 v batt that I leave a4 the house. Some time back I found a Ryobi 18 v pack, skill saw, drill, reciprocatimg saw on sale at xmas at, you guessed it, the same price as the 2 new batteries I needed.

the new lithium batteries will work with some older equipment but requires a new charger too. The litjium battdries last much longer.

I always have at least two batteries for each drill and primarily use variable speed right angle drills. Milwaukee and Makita have served me well for decades on boats.

This is a very timely thread. Thanks for the info!

I can get my 12v NiCad. Ryobi packs (I have 2) rebuilt for $38 ea. Or I can buy a 12v Li Dewalt for $100.

I think I'll be going for new.

Man---if ya want good advice----ask on this forum!!!


Thanks to all of you so much.

FYI-- the battery plus store wanted $69 dollars to rebuild my batteries.

I believe I'll have to go new drill----lithion and hopefully 2 batteries---on sale----seems like the overall best course of action.

Here ya go... back on sale for $89.

There are times when a battery-powered tool is essential, but whenever possible (most of the time for me), I use corded tools. I still have corded drills and saws I bought 40 years ago and they have never let me down. My history with battery-powered tools has not been good, probably because I use them too infrequently and the batteries go bad. I have a Porter-Cable circular saw that will slice through about anything and is as tough as a tank. Even though I have others, my favorite hand drill is a 3/8" Makita, has power to spare. My sabre saw is a Sears Craftsman.

I was with the corded tool contingent because I had the same issue with nicad batteries - always discharged when I needed the tool and lacking in power too. Then I picked up a 21V Craftsman drill at Costco 3 years ago. 100 bucks with 2 lithium batteries. That thing is tough and has replaced my corded Makita for 99% of my jobs. The batteries hold a charge forever when stored and the drill has the torque to twist you off a ladder. Ask me how I know. I drill steel with it, something I never did with the others. I used it last weekend building a shed for drilling, driving screws, stirring paint, etc, on one battery charge. The lithium batteries have changed the game.

Buy Ridgid from HD unless they have changed lately drill,batterys and charger guaranteed for life. They have replaced my batteries free twine on different drills.

When you replace your batteries at Sears, you have to buy a new charger. The new batteries don't fit in the old charger. Guess who never goes to Sears any longer.

I have been using 18 volt DeWalt cordless tools for years since I retired my 9 volt Makita screw guns.

They are easy to use and do everything I ask. As others have stated, you have to shop around as sometimes stores will sell two batteries for near the price of a new gun, charger and 2 batteries.

A few years ago I purchased their cordless impact driver and it has more power than my air impact gun that I have used to install lag screws. The air tool usually runs out of gas (small pancake compressor) before the lag is all the way in. When I switched to the cordless impact gun, it sends the lags home and I think it would drive them through the board if I held on to the trigger.

Corded tools are great however, as a contractor, there is not always an outlet available or god forbid that you blow the circuit and the homeowner is not home. Also when climbing ladders the cord can be dangerous or get in the way when working over your head.

Cordless tools are a lifesaver.

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James Redfield
LM #497

You just need to be honest with yourself as far as real need for a corded vs cordless drill ----- if a corded drill will suit your needs 95% of the time I'd get a quality model and a good extension cord for the same cost Or less than a cordless model. Lots less hassle. If you really need the cordless for locations with no accessible ac power then get one.