mark78

I am looking to buy a power tool kit, a Dewalt. I might use the kit once a month at most. I am not worried about the price of the kit. I wanted to know if I buy a Lithium Ion kit, if that sits around will the batteries degrate quick or would I be better with a NiCad? I just don't want to have to replace the batteries after three year, since they are expensive and I only used it 10 times.

BobbyfromHouston

The lithium ion will prove better in ever category. They weigh less, the charges last longer in use and they will maintain a charge longer on the shelf.

firehawkmph

Mark,
What do you intend to use the kit for, what kind of projects or jobs? The reason I ask is this: I have both an 18v dewalt kit and an 18v ryobi kit. The ryobi kit is about five years old. None of the tools have broke and still work fine. I have bought four new batteries (std, 2/$45). The dewalt kit I got in 2005 as a gift from ford for buying my work van. I just started replacing batteries. The std batteries are normally 2/$139, $119 on sale. I ended up buying two 18v drill kits on sale at HD for $99 each. They came with the drill, two batteries and a charger. I guess my point is if you are doing repairs around the house once a month, there is nothing wrong with the ryobi. A few months ago, I had two dewalt engineers and a production manager visit my shop. Straight from the engineer's mouth, here's the scoop on the batteries. The standard batteries and the lithium ions have the same amount of power, 18volts is 18volts. The run time is the SAME. The only two differences he pointed out are these: the lithium is physically slightly smaller, thus a little lighter, and the lithium has twice as many charging cycles in the lifespan of the battery. The lithiums cost roughly twice as much as the standard batteries. So my question to him was 'what's the benefit for me?' I would rather buy the standard batteries when I catch a kit on sale and replace them more frequently (about every four years) then try and keep batteries for 6-8 years. I don't know whether either battery would lose much of its charge from sitting for a month at a time, but it is better to exercise cordless tools more frequently than to let them sit. I have no complaints with either the dewalt or the ryobi. I will say if you get a kit with a sawzall or a circular saw, the dewalt is noticeably stronger. If you are just going to drill a hole now and then, get the ryobi. If you need the cutting ability of a sawzall, get the dewalt.
Mike Hawkins

mark78

I will be using the other saws etc. There will be times when I use everything a lot such as when I remodel my bathroom or kitch. I just had a kid, so my time will be devoted more to my kid then work around the house. But when i do get time to spend using the tools, they will be put to good use. I am just more curious if I get the Lithium and don't use them all the time, will they wear out quicker sitting around. I know they have a longer shelf life between recharges, but do the cell die quicker on a lithium than Nicad when they are sitting around?

BobbyfromHouston

If you get the Ryobi kit, you will love the lithium ion. Ryobi has a great kit as pointed out by firehawk. I have 3 of the nicad Ryobi batteries and one of the lithium ion. The one LI battery will beat the 3 nicad batteries hands down. I have dozens of Ryobi cordless tools that I use them in. My shop looks alot like that commercial with the tools that come out. I have wore out only one Ryobi drill and it was an issue with the tool opening up when torque was applied, pinching the palm of my hand. HD exchanged it with no problem. Most all of my corded tools are Dewalt, however, for the diyer I don't think you can beat Ryobi. Just my opinion.
Bobby

dodgeboy77

Mark,

I bought an 18v Ryobi One+ kit about three years ago with a 3/8" drill, flashlight, circular saw, reciprocating saw, vac, saber saw and even a chain saw! I decided on Ryobi because spare batteries were plentiful and relatively inexpensive, as was the kit. I was tired of wearing out Craftsman Ni-Cad batteries to find that replacements cost more than the original drill kit.

I'm very pleased. I have run the heck out of the reciprocating saw (cutting wood, sheet metal at the junkyard, etc.) and it's held up well. The little circular saw is good for thin plywood and the drill is excellent. I have since bought a One+ rotary cutter, too.

This leads me to the batteries: I have yet to wear out a ni-cad but a couple are getting weak. I bought a couple of spares, plus a car charger for them. About a year ago I bought a Lithium Ion upgrade kit with a 1/2" drill, another flashlight, two batteries and the Lithium charger. WOW, what a difference! The batteries last much longer on a charge than the Ni-Cad's. Ryobi claims "The high-capacity Lithium-ion battery provides twice the performance and holds the charge four times longer, optimizing charge cycles." I believe them!

Either the DeWalt engineers that told Firehawkmph that Lithium batteries wouldn't stay charged longer than Ni-Cad were completely full of baloney or they were speaking for their DeWalt products. The run time on the Ryobi Lithium batteries is amazingly longer. They interchange with the Ni-Cad 18v tools, too. Ryobi has two Lithium battery sizes though. I have the high-capacity (same size as the Ni-Cad) but they make a smaller 'compact' that won't run as long.

I don't use the tools professionally but I do a lot of things around the house with them. I'm quite pleased with the bang for the buck with Ryobi One+ system, especially with the Lithium batteries.

Bill

Wood4Fun

battery life will be improved significantly, regardless of what type of battery, if they are not stored in severely cold environments. If you keep your batteries inside the house during the Winter when not being used (like when they are charging), you will get a longer life out of them. If you keep them in your uninsulated garage where it gets into the teens during the winter, you will kill them much quicker.
If you live in the SW area, this is likely less of an issue.