That is why I am absolutely outraged. I can’t understand how a company as well regarded as Ridgid would think something like this would OK.
And yes, 10 charges is all I got out of those cells. Earlier, I posted that I was charging those cells up individually and testing them. Well I did, and they are toast. Pure China JUNK.
If they are really that bad they couldn’t have passed any testing.
Perhaps the actual manufacturer or battery supplier switched them after production started. Ridgid failed to do quality checks of actual production batches. If you don’t maintain tight oversight of the chinese manufacturer you hire this is what happens. If you let them source components they will ignore official distributors & buy from the cheapest source with no reputation. Factory reject components & counterfeits will land in your device. Read reports from inexperienced companies who get burned like that.
I dont know why they put 3S li-ion cells and marked pack as 12.0V most packs with 3S cells marked for standard 10.8V (3.6x3) or 11.1V(3.7x3)
Power tools require higher current at load. I dont think such chinese cells (proven high internal resistance) can provide such current for power tools.
I regularly experience this issue with mobile phones.
Stupid humans we are, what with subjecting inanimate objects to our emotions, oft the result of a third party, which these inanimate objects don’t belong to…
Ahh well, they’re replaceable I suppose
I’ve got a Rigid drill and impact driver (18v) which I’ve owned for about a year. So far, I’m very pleased with them in homeowner-type usage. I’ve just finished a large remodeling project of our condo (gutted and rebuilt kitchen, two bathrooms, new laminate flooring all around, molding, new fireplace, etc). I used both pretty heavily and they worked great. They are well constructed and solid. Battery packs hold a charge well (no use for a month, etc), have decent runtime and charge quickly in the supplied charger.
No experience using them all day every day as a contractor, but for consumer-level use, I think they’re excellent. Can’t beat the lifetime warranty.
I have a Horrible Freight one. It’s…ok. I used it a fair amount during the aforementioned remodel and it was very useful. If you just want something, I’d suggest that one. Inexpensive.
If you want something that will last…save up and get the Fein.
this is why i would not buy lithium for homeower use, it may get used a few times a year and stored charged means 5 years from now and maybe 50 uses the battery is toast (i would go for lsd NiMH if its available)
As a contractor i would go lithium, constant use, less downtime due to higher capacity, fewer batteries needed on standby, but at the price of lower lifetime, but your using the tools to make a living so its a good trade IMO
very true, best of both worlds (take a photo of your receipt, the thermal paper many companies use starts fading in a few years, i have 2 year old receipts that have gone blank)