Should i leave my batteries on Charge?

[arrogantowl]

Hi there, i have just got a 24v Bosch drill from screwfix which came with 2 batteries Model number (Bosch PSB24VE2 Combi Drill 24V)

My question is should i just leave one of the batteries constantly in the charger (as it will trickle charge to compensate for the loss of charge over time) or could this damage the Batt over time.

I will not be a heavy user of the drill, maybe only once every 2 weeks or so.

Regarding the second battry, should i leave it in the discharged state or should i altenate between using this and the first battery. I am not likely to be using the drill all day long so will never require 2 fully charged batteries for 1 particular days work.

The manual says always leave a fully charged Batt in the drill (so over time if not plugged into trickyl charge it will drain) so having a bit of a dilema now.

What sort of period of time should i expect the batt to loose its charge totally after fully charged if left without charging it up?

Should i completely run down the batt before a re-charge (to prevent the batts memory effect)

Cheers in advance ( i know i asked a lot fo questions for my 1st post )

M

[Jaeger_S2k]

Hi there, i have just got a 24v Bosch drill from screwfix which came with 2 batteries Model number (Bosch PSB24VE2 Combi Drill 24V)
M

Nice Drill 24V but I have to ask why such a beastie when you don't use it so often? Still a nice piece of kit.

My question is should i just leave one of the batteries constantly in the charger (as it will trickle charge to compensate for the loss of charge over time) or could this damage the Batt over time.
M

Yes it will. It will forget what discharged state is.

Regarding the second battery, should i leave it in the discharged state or should i alternate between using this and the first battery. I am not likely to be using the drill all day long so will never require 2 fully charged batteries for 1 particular days work.
M

Alternate and always have a fully charged battery waiting in your box.

What sort of period of time should i expect the batt to loose its charge totally after fully charged if left without charging it up?
M

It shuldn't really unless you leave it for months. Ni-Cads are very resilient batteries and can sustain their charge over long periods of time. If you do store your kit away for long periods remove the battery from the drill and it will have more charge in it as the drill simply by being connected will drain the battery.

Should i completely run down the batt before a re-charge (to prevent the batts memory effect)
M

Yes always flatten a battery before recharging, the occasional quick charge won't kill it, as long as you cycle it at a later stage, flatten to fully recharged and then flatten to fully recharged at least twice in succession.
Easy to discharge them, just give it some work to do until it can't turn the chuck. Your batteries are only 1.3Ah so they won't be too difficult to do but only with a load, don't just sit there with the trigger pressed you've be there all day!

[arrogantowl]

wow, thanks for such a quick reply (very informative)

BTW i got the 24v drill because when i wanted to do heavier work i wanted to make sure that it would cope. I have a house build in 1890 so there are some pretty tough walls to drill in this place.

thanks for your help

m

[Jaeger_S2k]

Great stuff, glad it makes sense.

Heavy work and your drill go hand in hand.

[smiffy]

Hi Arrogantowl
I've got the same Bosch drill and it is a fantastic bit of kit. I've even used it for mixing plaster, not reccomended but it got me out of the sh*t one day. I bought a set of Irwin drills from ScrewFix (16295-83 and 91592-83 page 84 in catalogue 83) that are specially made to be used without hammer action in cordless drills. I found that the battery lasts longer using these and if you've got crumbly bricks you get a cleaner hole .