Cutting up battery off drill

[paulrossall]

I have a Black & Decker 12 volt drill with 2 batteries, one of which no longer works. I want to connect a lead to the drill so I can use it on the boat plugged into the boat battery.
Struck me that if I cut the top off the battery I will be able to clip remains into drill and I should be able to solder lead to it giving a robust connection.
Question is whether it is safe to cut top off battery given the warnings on the outside about not dismantling and of fire hazzard. Is there anything in the battery which would spontainiously combust, or expload, if exposed to air? If I only cut the plastic moulding and not into the actual battery will that be OK?
Paul

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[Gordonmc]

It may be easier to cut the leg off the battery. That will expose the cables to the terminals to connect your power lead onto without going into the batteries. That way you won't have to lug around the weight of redundant dry-cells and it will mean you can still use the OK battery.
Sooner or later the duff batteries will start to leak if exposed to salty air and damp.

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[paulrossall]

This is what I was intending to do but perhaps my post did not make it clear. So I assume from your post that I will be OK cutting the "leg" off the battery. Never done it before but perhaps I am unduely cautious.
Thanks Paul

 

[oldsaltoz]

G'day Paul

I used a soldering iron to melt the bottom of the drill battery case,
it cuts like a hot knife,
then remove the batteries and make your new connection,
you can use the soldering iron like a welding rod and rebuild the case the size you want,
mine is just the stub with the cable out the end.

I hope this helps......

<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.

 

[BarryH]

You'll find that inside the batt case you'll just have a number of Nicads. Not really a problem if you take it to bits carefully. Thye only concern that I would have is that the 12 volt source your going to use will have a lot more oomph that the original Nicads. Not a problem until the drill jams in your work piece. The balance of the drill will change as well as your taking wieght away from one end. Not an issue for occasional use, but a real pain if your on the end of one all day!

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[IPS]

I did the same with an old B&D some years ago, and have been using it since without any problems. Open the case, snip the leads leading to the battery. Using inline connectors, attach the desired legth of lead with a cigarette lighter type plug on the end (observe polarity) and bingo, your off.
I use mine plugged into one of those power pack/jump start do-wackies, but it works just as well in the cig lighter socket.

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