Recondition or replacement NiCd batteries for DeWalt drill

[Ouch77]

I've got a DeWalt DC740 12v drill driver that is having battery issues..

Batteries and drill are about 3 years old and one of the two batteries (DE9074 1.3Ah NiCd) that came with the drill will not charge, the charger just blinks rapidly to indicate a fault. The second battery will charge but only for about 10 minutes, then it charger indicates it's fully charged. Needless to say its working capacity is notably reduced.

Is there a way to repair/refresh NiCd batteries that actually works, I've heard stories about zapping them with a welder and all sorts. Anyone actually achieved this? If they are beyond redemption, what would be a decent replacement? I'm reluctant to cough the £50 or so that genuine battery packs seem to retail at, where still sold, but don't want the hassle of returning shoddy and optimistically labelled pattern parts. Any recommendations?

 

[cajar]

Dont fek about with batteries, they can explode.

I'd get one of the new li-ion drill drivers.

 

[Ouch77]

Buying a new drill isn't really an option, there's nothing wrong with the drill itself, just the batteries.

 

[Burnerman]

I have used www.cellpacksolutions.co.uk for the odd rare application......I would doubt if its cost effective though.
John

 

[big-all]

Buying a new drill isn't really an option, there's nothing wrong with the drill itself, just the batteries.

possibly the cheapest way is to buy a brand new kit and flog the tool on ebay or with another different tool to compliment you other tool
but go for 2ah batteries if possible as 1.3 is like driving you car permanently on the red empty mark

 

[foxhole]

Only £17 for new or £33 for a pair.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Two-batte...r_Tools_Batteries_Buffers&hash=item3f30e4fd96

 

[Ouch77]

Big-all - not bad thinking my bro has the same drill with a knackered chuck so I suggested we go halves on a new kit. He countered with letting me have his batteries as he has a 18v bosch drill that he pefers.
not sure how much life is in his batteries, but its a start, and free.
Tries zapping the totally dead battery pack with a car battery last night, seemed to do something as the Pack is now accepting a charge, though it's only reading 10v or so, so I think one of the cells has gone short.

 

[big-all]

Big-all - not bad thinking my bro has the same drill with a knackered chuck so I suggested we go halves on a new kit. He countered with letting me have his batteries as he has a 18v bosch drill that he pefers.
not sure how much life is in his batteries, but its a start, and free.
Tries zapping the totally dead battery pack with a car battery last night, seemed to do something as the Pack is now accepting a charge, though it's only reading 10v or so, so I think one of the cells has gone short.

take the best 2 old batteries have 1 new and one old one each

dismantle the other 2 old battery packs swaping good cells on the dead one for faulty ones on the better battery

as an aside a battery will roughly overvolt by about 20% when charging so should read around 14.5v so 10v could be 3 dead cells at 7x1.2 =8.4 +20%= 10.08v

 

[Ouch77]

Sorry, I phrased that badly, the 10v is standing, not charging.