HI, I do a full mix of construction and use 18v cordless tool. Battery tools are great except they have batteries... that always dead or need to charge. Want to have system to have tool battery charging well driving to site. Found deal on 1000 w power inverter.... I must be getting old (most would agree I cannot be getting smartter I actually read mannual before installing! Low and behold big paragraph warning not to use my budget inverter on cordless tools. Does everyone agree with them? Internet stuff kindof agrees... What do other guy run for Power Inverters? Pure Sine?? Thxs
I use makita tools. They have charger that plugs into cigarette plug. Not sure about other brands.
You didn't mention the brand of your tools but a quick search on this subject turned up this much: http://toolmonger.com/2012/09/20/charging-your-tool-batteries-on-the-go/
Dewalt, Bosch & others have the "jobsite" radio, that charges batteries..
I would not sweat it. I have a cheap Chinese inverter that I use to charge/run sawzall, etc. and it works fine. But I am curious, because my 18v tools usually last for ages before needing a charge. Mind you I mainly do mechanic work so they are not driving screws all day or such.
I wouldn't sweat it, you're basically taking DC voltage and making it AC just so the charger can make it DC again. I can't see that it would hurt anything. Computer maybe but not something simple like a charger. I have a 12 volt and run a 110 off a cheap inverter. Done it for years with no issues. Junkyard
I always have a 18 volt dewalt battery charging in my truck 1500 watt inverter hard wired under the seat a cheap one not pure sine had it that way for three years now and a coffee cup shaped inverter if i go in a different truck
I've been using a 400 watt Tripp Lite inverter for charging my Milwaukee 18 volt stuff in the field. Haven't had an issue.
We have inverters in a lot of our service vans that have tool batteries plugged in. No problems....but (there is always one) it is not the cheapy inverter. Our battery supplier has cautioned me to not use the cheap inverters. It will shorten the lifespan of the batteries and chargers. A lot of the cheap inverters don't make true sine waves and a lot of chargers can not deal with poor input waveforms. Cam
I have a buddy that does concrete work, and he used to charge his batteries with a generator. He has a pretty high duty cycle, sometimes batteries get charged 6-8 times per day. He did have issues with chargers, usually lose a couple a season. No trouble so far with the 20V Dewalts, but he also installed a couple of solar panels on the roof of the tool truck to charge the batteries for an inverter, and doesn't run the chargers off the generator any more.
Hi, sorry for slow reply. I know I will take heat for this... I was really cheap way back when cordless tools came out and once you start w brand / kit it's hard to pay to switch.... I use ryobi. Yes they have a 12v car charger for one battery. Not sure on exact amp/draw. Melted cigarette plug on a extremely hot day last summer . They just came out with a nice 6 pack charger /holder at 120 v. Only charges one at time, but keeps 6 batteries stored together and automatically cycles thru to charge them all. Thxs for all in put. I will try cheap inverter as worst case ryobi stuff is cheap to replace. But I am spending time and money to wire it properly 6 awg wire (short run to batteries )
Shimmy1, if u ever get chance to snap picture of your concrete buddy's solar setup. Please post, as power on job sites is always challenge .
He just mounted a couple of solar panels on the roof, and wired them to a couple of truck batteries. Panels keep the batteries charged, batteries power the inverter, inverter powers the chargers. Obviously you're limited on how many chargers you can operate based on the size of your inverter. I'll see what I can do.