Batteries don’t always do what they’re supposed to do; they’re the one thing that makes your trusted tool not quite so trustworthy. That happen when the battery fails. Ridgid 18V lithium-ion packs power many job sites.
They’re good tools overall, but they’ve got their quirks. Knowing those quirks will save you some money and time. They’re good tools overall, but they’ve got their quirk.
Knowing those quirks will save you some money and time. Pack health indicator: Pack has an LED indicator light that many users don’t even notice until their battery quits. When the light are on steadily, you have a good battery.
How To Fix Ridgid Battery Problems
Understanding LED Indicator Lights
When they starts flashing, you need to know what the flash pattern indicate. It’s like your check engine light and if you ignore it, the car may make it another mile or two down the road, but then it’ll quit. Understanding what the lights show help keep your gear rolling along.
When there is an internal short or a bad cell, you’ll see a red flash indicating this. What cause the red flash? It’s because the battery management system has found that some cell voltages differs from others.
Diagnosing Internal Short Circuits
That’s a safety measure. It will shut down the pack before it overheat and catches on fire. But what it does is make the pack unusable.
Some folks attempt to swap out the bad cell. It is not recommended. It voids the warranty as well.
Exchange it for another pack under Ridgid’s limited lifetime warranty. Battery performance is also heavily dependent on temperature. Extreme cold is not good for lithium-ion batteries.
Performance in Extreme Cold Weather
Internal resistance go up when the pack sits on a cold concrete floor. Pack seems drained although it has a charge. Seems like the pack died.
But it will come back to life with some warmth. An hour or so indoors and it’s good as new. Not bad, just physics.
In cold weather, keep the batteries in an insulated pouch. Sometimes it’s not even visible damage that cause trouble. Falling off scaffolding can damage internal connections.
Inspecting for Physical Damage
There is no external sign of damage. But the internal electronics are askew. Then you experience flickering loss of power.
The power turns on and then turns off. Look around the housing and check the ports. Are there any cracks?
Even small cracks will allow moisture and dust inside. Dust and moisture corrode contact points over time. Clean terminal points with a dry cloth.
You usually need to replace it if it are structurally damaged. Software glitches can also mimic hardware failures. Pack and tool communicate digitally.
Resetting Communication Glitches
That communication occasionaly goes wrong. The tool will not recognize the pack. It might display incorrect charge levels.
A quick reset usually resolves this. Unplug the battery for 10 seconds then plug it back in. If that doesn’t work, use another tool.
If the pack function properly on another tool, the problem is initial tool. This saves you from buying a new pack. How you store a battery makes a difference.
Proper Storage and Maintenance
Letting a fully charged battery sit month after month isn’t good. Neither is letting it sit totally dead. Ideally, the battery should of been stored with about half a charge (between 40-60 percent).
Storage temperatures should be cool and dry. Heat kills lithium-ion batteries. Prolonged storage in a hot trunk or next to a radiator in a house will increase capacity loss.
Over time, your battery won’t hold as much charge. It will happen sooner then you think. Age matters too.
While the Ridgid batteries have proven to be durable, like all batteries, they do eventualy reach the end of their useful life. A 5+ year old pack might not hold a charge as well. Old chemistry cannot be fixed.
It must be replaced. Knowing when a battery is on its last leg allow you to plan ahead and purchase a new one before getting stuck. It won’t if you don’t take care of it.
If you treat it right, it treats you right. If not, look out. That can make all the differance in whether a job goes smoothly or not.