Lithium Ion Battery Care

Battery care tips for long-lasting lithium ion batteries

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Battery care for lithium ion batteries

Proper charging and storage techniques will make lithium ion batteries for cordless tools last longer.

Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries are expensive. So get with the program and follow these battery care tips to get the longest life and best performance out of them.

• Li-ion batteries can handle only 800 to 1,000 charges. Don't recharge a battery if you've used it for just a few minutes.
• Don't leave them in the car—either in the cabin or the trunk. Heat (above 140 degrees F) and subzero cold can reduce battery life by 15 percent.
• Storing a battery in direct sunlight can really heat it up, so shield it from the sun.
• Don't store a discharged battery that has less than one-half charge. Give it a full charge and then store it.
• If your tool was sold with two batteries and you're a part-time user, stick the extra one in the refrigerator. It'll last for years and you'll have a new one to use when the first one dies.