Comments on: Finds: DeWalt’s 18V Cordless Hammerdrill Kit w/Vehicle Charger http://toolmonger.com/2006/10/18/finds-dewalts-18v-cordless-hammerdrill-kit-wvehicle-charger/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:10:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Myself http://toolmonger.com/2006/10/18/finds-dewalts-18v-cordless-hammerdrill-kit-wvehicle-charger/#comment-2260 Myself Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:01:34 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/10/18/finds-dewalts-18v-cordless-hammerdrill-kit-wvehicle-charger/#comment-2260 Of course they say the charger will cut out before it flattens your vehicle's battery too much, but that's not always the case. In cold weather, a battery might put out enough voltage that the charger is happy, but when you go to crank the engine, it can't deliver the amps to turn over the starter. Uh oh! Lead-acid batteries are very temperature sensitive. To avoid that, you could leave the engine running while charging a pack, which is wasteful and noisy (and invites drive-off vehicle theft). Or you could get a portable power-pack unit and either run the charger from that (which adds another layer of indirection and inefficiency as the power gets from the alternator to the tool) or keep it in reserve in case the engine won't start (probably the best option). Just remember to recharge it regularly! Or, if you're doing enough work in the middle of nowhere to justify a vehicle charger in the first place, you might want to invest in a serious solar panel. Not the little 2-watt "battery maintainer" suction-cup jobbie, but a real 70 or 80 watt panel. With a battery, charge controller, and some basic angle-iron framing, you can clone the SolarOne Harvester for about 1/4 the cost. Park the unit away from any shade, and forget ever having to idle your vehicle for power. I've seen large solar power trailers that completely replace jobsite generators! Of course they say the charger will cut out before it flattens your vehicle’s battery too much, but that’s not always the case. In cold weather, a battery might put out enough voltage that the charger is happy, but when you go to crank the engine, it can’t deliver the amps to turn over the starter. Uh oh! Lead-acid batteries are very temperature sensitive.

To avoid that, you could leave the engine running while charging a pack, which is wasteful and noisy (and invites drive-off vehicle theft). Or you could get a portable power-pack unit and either run the charger from that (which adds another layer of indirection and inefficiency as the power gets from the alternator to the tool) or keep it in reserve in case the engine won’t start (probably the best option). Just remember to recharge it regularly!

Or, if you’re doing enough work in the middle of nowhere to justify a vehicle charger in the first place, you might want to invest in a serious solar panel. Not the little 2-watt “battery maintainer” suction-cup jobbie, but a real 70 or 80 watt panel. With a battery, charge controller, and some basic angle-iron framing, you can clone the SolarOne Harvester for about 1/4 the cost. Park the unit away from any shade, and forget ever having to idle your vehicle for power. I’ve seen large solar power trailers that completely replace jobsite generators!

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