Rechargeable Drills

If you put it on charge after every use,the battery will probably suffering "memory effect" where the batt unless fully discharged will build up a "memory"and loose capacity,it is not a problem with the new Li ion type batteries on more expensive equipment

Google (available to everyone) tells me 8 to 10 hours.

However my similar B&D drill seems to fully charge in 3 or 4 hours.

It is used for heavy domestic work.

Also the two legs on my MH.....which it will operate, on one battery, for 2 to 3 weeks used most days.

PS. My current drill is about 5 years old.

I've got an old "Aldi special" drill which I use for my steadies. It just saves a bit of time, nothing more. If I was really pushed for payload, it would probably be one of the first things to be left at home.

My Bosch drill the charger light flashes when fully charged

Ps cannot be related as OH says there is not likely to be anyone else like me

Please forgive me for asking but why would you need to carry the extra weight and use that space taken up by a rechargeable drill? I've seen some folk use them for corner steadies but is that just a gadget indulgence? Now for a very few of us with medical/mobility challenges they may well be necessary and that I understand but what other regular use can warrant carrying such a piece of kit?

Micky

You've answered your question with your last sentence.

With my back the less time I have to bend down the better. So, like anything in life, if it has a betterment then it must be useful.

As for taking up space, it's negligible.

As I said, this I totally understand! However, I'm a real gadget man, I've a shed full of essential 'tools' that I've either never used or have used very rarely. My van used to be packed to the gunwales with such 'toys and tools' until I was stopped by the police and put on a portable weighbridge. I was very lucky, that drill might just have been the thing which broke the camel's back. Straight home I went and Mrs SF and I completely downsized the contents. Much of what I carried I had rarely used and were soon despatched to my shed of 'essential' things! 

I bought a Makita drill for use at home only as I still like the idea of exercise and it takes little time to wind the caravan legs. Despite have a good name with tradesmen and also a careful charging regime one of the batteries failed just after the warranty
expired. The other battery is fine despite being the identical model. The replacment battery cost is almost as much as the complete drill so another example of a throaway society. I will be giving Makita a miss in future.

I have a basic 18V B & D rechargeable drill. Can anyone advise on battery recharging time. There is nothing in the instructions and he green light on the charger is only a "power on" light. The drill, which is 2 yeras old now is mainly used for the van legs
but the charge doesn't seem to hold for long.

What  you  could  try, H,  is  to  get  a  nice  lump  of  hardwood  plank  or  similar,  and ===>

1)  charge  battery  for  six  or  so  hours

2)  using  a 1"  spade  bit,  drill  holes  in  the  wood  'til  the  battery  is  flattened.

3)  recharge  battery

Continue  doing  this  for  a  good  few  sessions  and  see  if  there  is  any  improvement  in  performance !  if  there  is  try  extending  the  charge  time  by  2  hours  a  time  until  there  is  no  noticable  improvement

While  its  recharging  try  the  Bosch  Website ( That  does  not sound at  all  good  if  you  just  say  it   does  it 
 )  and  see  what  they  reccommend.

The first time I saw someone use a drill for the steadies I accused him of cheating
which was silly of me as my back has given me gyp for years - so I use one myself now.  I haven't found rechargeables last
all that long whatever way I use from running them out to charging more regularly.  I carry mine in the car so as not to affect the weight and it is about the last thing that goes into the car and first to come out.  I have noticed that the more expensive
ones tell you when they are charged and the cheapos - just have a light indicating that the charger is live. 

I bought a drill bought a drill from a well known budget supermarket about 5 years ago and it is still going strong it is used every time we go out with the caravan  which last year was15 trips ,i would`nt be with out it  with my back it would be imposible
to use a winder [i wish i could]

I have to say I feel the same as AD. Once you've used a cordless drill to wind the legs up and down why would you stand there winding manually? Exercise  perhaps.?

My preferred weapon of choice is a draper double pinion hand drill! 

A Parkside drill from Lidl works a treat for us.  People ask why we need it.  My repsonse is to say that I used to wonder that when we were caravanning in the 1980's but we were in our 40's then.