Maintenance and Repair

What is your routine for keeping cordless tool batteries healthy?

How do you store, charge, label, and rotate cordless batteries to extend their useful life? I am especially interested in practical habits for hot garages and infrequently used packs.

My main rule is to keep lithium-ion packs out of a hot garage or vehicle whenever possible. I label each pack with the purchase date, rotate them instead of always grabbing the newest one, and let a hot battery cool before charging. For packs that sit for months, I store them indoors at a partial charge and check them occasionally rather than leaving them empty or permanently on the charger. I also keep the contacts clean and stop using any pack that is swollen, cracked, leaking, or unusually hot.

I try to avoid storing batteries fully drained, keep them out of hot vehicles, and rotate packs so one battery is not doing all the work. Labeling older packs also helps spot when runtime starts dropping off.

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