How do li-ion batteries fare in the cold?

Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.

astroboyMember since Oct 2013

I’d like to leave a cordless drill at my cottage through the winter.

I tried it in the past with ni-cads and in the spring, the couldn’t keep a charge. (that’s the great thing about ryobi. You don’t care about them)

Would li-ion batteries fare the same?

Conductor562Member since Nov 2011

The early lithiums had a problem in cold weather. These days most manufacturers have solved the issue. Milwaukee froze their Red Lithium packs during the demo. Don’t worry about cold weather.

DR99Member since Nov 2012

The only thing would be is to make sure they are topped off for the winter. Lithium batteries will die too if they go below a minimum charge. They have Multi port chargers now that will keep the batteries topped off for Ryobi one+ and Milwaukee 18v. I had some Ryobi lithium batteries that went bad after sitting the the garage all winter the effed up thing it was the newer packs I had bought that year the ones from 2006 still keep working.

JavierMember since Aug 2013

I would make sure to top them off before storage

DR99Member since Nov 2012

How long would you be away from the cabin?

07SierraMember since Jul 2013

I brought all my tools and batteries in from the shed and will be going in the basement for the winter… Better be safe then sorry

DR99Member since Nov 2012

I did the the same thing bringing the batteries and tools inside except for some older cheap Ryobi tools I still have. Losing 3 packs in the spring really sucks they had a warranty on them except it takes time to go through the process.

Eric – TIAMember since Jan 2010

I do the same and bring them all in.  

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