Craftsman tool is a brand that Stanley, Black & Decker owns, and along with making some of the best possible hand tools that are available in the US and North America, they are also offering some great powered tools that you can use.
You can also get to have certain cordless power tools and battery-operated tools that will help you to enjoy the best possible power and utility for all the different work you could be doing.
Craftsman Nextec is one such series of tools that allows you to have the perfection of durability, utility, and power in order to make it work for any needs that you could be using.
They are pretty great for you to be enjoying the best possible power and longer runtime on these batteries.
Yet, these batteries might also have some common problems that you might have to face on these. A few such problems that you have chances to come across while you are using the Craftsman Nextec tools are:
Craftsman Nextec Battery Problems
- Overheating
Nextec batteries are 12V batteries, and they are pretty much fixed on these tools as well.
That is why you will have to ensure that you are using them under clear circumstances, and the batteries must be properly ventilated, having the right airflow on them to avoid any overheating.
These batteries can overheat pretty fast, and that is something that you will particularly need to be careful about.
That is why, if you are getting any such problems with the battery getting overheated, you will need to make sure that you are using the tool with proper ventilation on it.
Not only you will need to be careful about using the Craftsman Nextec tools as well.
Also, you will need to be careful about how you are using such tools and not constantly keep using them for longer periods.
Keeping the tools and batteries properly ventilated and giving them a break from time to time while you are using them should allow you to use these tools and batteries without having to worry about them getting overheated.
- Batteries Not Charging
There can also be a few other issues that you have to deal with, and the top of them is batteries not being charged up properly.
That is why you must ensure that you are checking on all such problems that could cause the batteries to not charge.
If the battery voltages drop below a certain level, you will have issues charging them, so you will need to fix that up first and then try charging them on the 12V charger that you got.
Another possible reason for you not having your Craftsman Nextec batteries charged has to do with the terminals getting any sort of corrosion on them due to making them work in the moisture or any other reason like that.
That is why you will have to ensure that you are checking it all thoroughly, clear out any corrosion that might be there on the battery terminals, and have it fixed to get the battery charging again.
- Battery Giving Lesser Run Time
Another common issue that you might have chances to deal with is the battery giving lesser run time on the tool while you are making it work.
That is something that would allow you to have issues with making the Nextec tools work for any needs you could be dealing with since it will not be running for longer periods, and you will have to charge it over and over again.
That is a common problem that appears if the battery health is being deteriorated over time, and you will have to get that fixed up for sure.
If you want to have any such problems fixed up, the first thing that you will need to do is drain the battery once and then charge it properly.
If that doesn’t sort the issue out for you, you will need to have the battery checked, and if the battery’s health deteriorates over time, you will have to ensure that you are getting it replaced.
Replacing the battery from Craftsman should help you discard the battery properly and have a better performance on the new battery as well.
- Battery Deeply Discharged
This issue with the unit is more consistent for owners that don’t give any mind to the maintenance or the storage of the battery pack.
If you’re in the same boat and don’t have a proper storage setup for your kit, then you will have to deal with the battery being unresponsive from time to time.
All that you can do in these conditions is to jump the battery and then be mindful of the storage from that point onwards.
You can easily jump the battery as long as you have a fresh piece as well as a pair of wires. So, be quick to jump the battery and put them on the charger as soon as you can.
You can easily connect the terminals of the dead battery with the charged piece and leave them connected for about 20 minutes.
From there, you can put the battery on the charger, and the charger should pick it up.
However, you need to also make sure that the terminals are in perfect condition and that there is no rust on corrosion here.
Leaving the battery out in the open can lead to a ton of issues, and you should avoid doing that at any cost.
Otherwise, you will have to spend money on the new unit, and claiming the warranty will not be that easy of a job for you.
With that said, once the battery is fully charged, you can use it for a few projects to see if the problems are addressed or not.
Ideally, you will be sorted at this stage and won’t have to deal with more errors. Just be sure to keep the battery at room temperature and away from moisture and debris.
That should mostly be enough, and you will enjoy a long-term performance from this system.
- Defective Cells
While this issue might not be as common as some of the other problems listed here, you will still find a few owners complaining about the presence of defective cells in the Nextec system.
So, there is a possibility that you will have to deal with the same error.
This is especially true when you can’t find any hardware issues, but the battery won’t charge fully.
Similarly, the performance and the uptime from the battery will be half as much as advertised. So, if you’re in this situation, there is a chance that you’re dealing with defective cells.
The only thing that you can do here to tackle the situation is to involve the dealer.
The good thing about this brand is that it stands fully behind all of its products. So, if you do run into errors, then you will have to grab a fresh replacement from the dealer.
There are no other methods around it, and you shouldn’t try to fix the unit yourself.
Otherwise, you will end up voiding the warranty and won’t be able to get a replacement from the official dealer. So, let the dealer take the lead on this issue.
All that you have to do is to reach out and then explain your end. He will inquire a bit more and then start the verification on his end.
You can further speed up this verification process by providing valid proof of purchase, like a receipt.
From there, getting a new piece is not that hard of a job. Hopefully, you will not have to go through any hassle, and getting a new piece will come easily to you.
So, be sure to reach out and explain your end to the official Craftsman dealer.
Wrapping Up
The general market sentiment on the Craftsman Nextec battery is pretty decent. However, that doesn’t mean that this unit will perform well all the time.
Just like every other pack, you need to be mindful of the storage and maintenance to keep it in perfect shape.
However, if you’re unlucky and get a defective pack out of the box, then you can get help from the dealer on this matter.
He will make your life much easier, and you will not have to deal with all these errors when it comes to addressing issues with a faulty unit.
Similarly, if you know that the issue is not with the hardware, then you need to look at the basic temperature, the condition of the terminals, and the situation of the contact points.
So, be sure to keep all that in mind when you can’t seem to get a decent enough response from the system.
It all comes down to how you’re planning on addressing the situation, and having an expert guide you through minor complications is not a bad idea.
All that you need to do is to ensure the involvement of the experts, and they will guide you through the issue.