Bob Vila Radio: Lithium-Ion Batteries

By Sarah Monzon & Bob Vila | Updated Nov 13, 2014 3:51 PM

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Cordless power tools, and now lithium-ion batteries, have revolutionized the home improvement world. But anyone who’s been held up by a dead battery knows these tools have limitations. Here’s how to get the most out of your batteries.

Lithium Ion Battery

Photo: protoolreviews.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON LITHIUM ION BATTERIES or read the text below:

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t want to run your lithium-ion batteries down completely before recharging them. They do much better when they’re charged frequently and stored with a partial charge.

Temperature is a big factor with lithium-ion batteries as well. They work and charge better between forty and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t want to store or charge them where they’ll get too hot or cold.

Unless you want your batteries to decide when the job’s done, always have at least two and use them equally frequently; like anything else, with batteries, it’s ‘use it or lose it’!

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on tools, consider:

Top Tools of 2012
Tool Tip: Laser Level
Tool Tip: Circular Saw