d the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many charThere is a burning desire for all of us in the trades to swap our power cords for a cordless power tool. Battery life and its power band must meet our jobsite needs, if the purchase is to improve our productivity and enjoyment of our craft. With all the innovations in cordless battery pack technology how does one make the right purchase .. without paying for what you don’t need?

We’ve all experience the frustration of running out of power, unable to find a freshly charged cordless battery pack. We all know that the minute we take the cordless drill outside it loses half of its power. And we all know that muscle fatigue is a big issue when we get into the larger voltage cordless tools.. all of which sometimes convinces us to return to the corded model. But are there better answers?

Ni-Cd: This is the old time favourite of cordless tool batteries. It has a long history of reliable performance, even in cold weather applications. Batteries are typically less expensive than other alternatives. Some have suggested that these batteries suffer from “memory affect problems” but some manufacturers like DeWalt and Miwaukee dispute this with their new professional quality models.

As a more environmentally conscious population, we have concerns in using cadmium based batteries, and so there is consumer resistance in supporting this option in light of more environmentally friendly Nickel Metal-hydride models.

Nickel Metal-hydride: These are kind of what we would think of as a second generation cordless battery pack. It entered the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many charg

’ve all experience the frustration of running out of power, unable to find a freshly charged cordless battery pack. We all know that the minute we take the cordless drill outside it loses half of its power. And we all know that muscle fatigue is a big issue when we get into the larger voltage cordless tools.. all of which sometimes convinces us to return to the corded model. But are there better answers?

Ni-Cd: This is the old time favourite of cordless tool batteries. It has a long history of reliable performance, even in cold weather applications. Batteries are typically less expensive than other alternatives. Some have suggested that these batteries suffer from “memory affect problems” but some manufacturers like DeWalt and Miwaukee dispute this with their new professional quality models.

As a more environmentally conscious population, we have concerns in using cadmium based batteries, and so there is consumer resistance in supporting this option in light of more environmentally friendly Nickel Metal-hydride models.

Nickel Metal-hydride: These are kind of what we would think of as a second generation cordless battery pack. It entered the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many char

better answers?

Ni-Cd: This is the old time favourite of cordless tool batteries. It has a long history of reliable performance, even in cold weather applications. Batteries are typically less expensive than other alternatives. Some have suggested that these batteries suffer from “memory affect problems” but some manufacturers like DeWalt and Miwaukee dispute this with their new professional quality models.

As a more environmentally conscious population, we have concerns in using cadmium based batteries, and so there is consumer resistance in supporting this option in light of more environmentally friendly Nickel Metal-hydride models.

Nickel Metal-hydride: These are kind of what we would think of as a second generation cordless battery pack. It entered the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many char

professional quality models.

As a more environmentally conscious population, we have concerns in using cadmium based batteries, and so there is consumer resistance in supporting this option in light of more environmentally friendly Nickel Metal-hydride models.

Nickel Metal-hydride: These are kind of what we would think of as a second generation cordless battery pack. It entered the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many char

d the market with promises of more power and lighter weight, both of which it achieved but at a price! The cell design of a metal hydride battery generates more heat in both the dissipation and charging cycle. In fact it generates so much heat that the charger typically includes a fan to cool the unit during re-charging. This added heat creates a battery that doesn’t survive as many charging cycles as its old cadmium cousin, suggesting higher replacement cost leading to less consumer satisfaction.

Of the three common types of cordless batteries metal-hydride are also the one least able to survive fluctuations in temperature. In cold weather it loses significant power, thus if you are an all weather framer, although the lower weight may appeal to you, it is not the battery pack to purchase. On the other hand if your use is more related to indoor cabinetry it may be the perfect light weight option.

Li-ion: This is going to be the battery to watch. Although it has not been on the market for long, initial experience would suggest that it will be the best of the three in cold weather operation. It is also the lightest of the three in direct comparison of "size to voltage".

So what’s the down side? Cost. Li-ion cordless batteries are the most expensive of the lot. For long life usage, li-ion batteries must have electronic circuitry on board to balance the charging and discharging load across all battery cells. They also require longer re-charge times to allow for individual cell rebalancing, as a means for extending the life of your battery pack, thus if you are constantly draining and recharge over short periods of time a Ni-cd may be a better choice. Time will tell if this technology will have long term reliability and find solutions to the longer re-charge issues.

So what are the trade offs you should consider? A balance between weight and power is always the first and foremost consideration. Don't