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HowtorecellaPorterCable18VCordlessToolBatteryUsingCells
froma$15HarborFreightBattery byRoccoBamba(/member/Rocco+Bamba/)
Download(/id/HowtorecellaPorterCable18VCordlessToolBat/?download=pdf)

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8Steps

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PorterCable18VCordlessToolBat/)
(/file/FFTTOPOHW7Q8MFU/)

Tags:

Cordless(/tag/typeid/keywordCordless/)

battery(/tag/typeid/keywordbattery/)

Itemsneeded:
1PorterCablePC18BNiCadbatterypackinneedoffreshcells
1ChicagoElectric18VoltNiCdReplacementBattery,HarborFreightToolsitem
#68860(http://www.harborfreight.com/18voltnicdreplacementbattery
68860.html)
2Piecesof14gaugestrandedwire(Minecamefromanoldpowercord.)
Somebasichandtools,includingasolderingiron.

Step1:ExteriorComparison

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deadbatteriesinyour

(/file/F99QSI1HW7Q8MFW/)

TheChicagoElectricbatteryfromHarborFreightissimilarinsizeandshapeto
thePorterCablebattery.Theconnectorsarecompletelydifferent,ofcourse.

Step2:Disassembly

(/file/FQNYRQXHW7Q8MFY/)

ThePorterCablecaseisheldtogetherwithsixT10screws.TheChicago
Electriccaseusesfour#1phillipsscrews.Insidewefindthateachbattery
containsthreerowsoffivesubCNiCadcellswiredtoaconnectorontop.The

PorterCablecellsareshrinkwrapped,whiletheChicagoElectriccellsare
wrappedwithastripofcellophanetape.

Step3:TemperatureSensors

(/file/FBDFLAKHW7Q8MFZ/)

(/file/F1D4M5FHW7Q8MG0/)

TheChicagoElectricbatteryhasathermalswitchtapedtooneoftherearcells.
ThePorterCablebatteryhasathermistorundertheconnectorthatsticksdown
intothemiddleofthepackthroughaholeintheinsulator.Althoughitwouldn't
beused,IlefttheChicagoElectricpack'sthermalswitchinplace,disconnected,
sinceIhadplentyofroomforitinmyPorterCablebatterycase.

Step4:CellConfiguration

(/file/F395R2AHW7Q8MG1/)

Bothpacksare15cellsinseries,butthePorterCableintheforegroundtapsthe
endsoftheseriesstringinthemiddleofthepack,whiletheChicagoElectric
battery'sconnectionsareonthelasttwocellsinback.Thepackshavetheir
positiveandnegativeconnectionsonoppositesides,sothewiringwillhaveto
crosssidesfortheChicagopacktoworkinthePorterCablecase.

Step5:Plentyofroominhere

(/file/FD9EUXTHW7Q8MG4/)

FortunatelyPorterCablewasgenerouswithspaceintheirbatterycase.The
cellsaresuspendedabovethebottomofthecasebyaknobofplasticunder
eachone,andthatgivesustheroomweneedtorunourwiresunderneath.
There'salsoroomaroundtheperimeterofthecasewhichIusedtobringthe
wiresaroundtotheconnectionpointsonthepack,asyou'llseeinthenextstep.

Step6:Wiringthereplacementpack

(/file/FQLAEAHHW7Q8MG8/)

(/file/F8ZN1QBHW7Q8MG9/)

(/file/F781ANRHW7Q8MGA/)

DesoldertheconnectorandthewiresfromtheChicagoElectricpack,andpoke
apairofholesintheinsulatorstopassthewiresthroughfrombottomtotopto
matchthePorterCablepack'swirelocation.Routethewiresaroundtheedges
ofthecellsonthebottomsotheywon'tgetpinchedbetweenthecellsandthe
littleknobsthataremoldedintothelowercase.Wrapthewiresaroundthefront
ofthepackandovertotheoppositesideswhereyou'llsolderthemtothetabs
onthetwoendcells.Putthepackinthelowercaseandpackthewiresintothe
emptyspacesothatthetopwillgoon.Atestfitatthisstageisprobablyagood
idea.Onmybattery,Iusedbrownforpositiveandbluefornegative,andIstuck
thesilverinsulatorfromthePorterCablepackontop.

Step7:Attachtheconnector

(/file/FNWGBGMHW7Q8MGB/)

(/file/FJMN2KYHW7Q8MGC/)

ThewiresareweldedtotheconnectorterminalsonthePorterCablebattery,so
you'llneedtocutthosefree.Slidethepositiveterminaloutoftheconnector
towardtherearandsolderittothepositivewirefromthenewbattery.Goeasy
onthesoldersoyoudon'tmakethewiretoostifftoallowtheconnectorblockto
seat.Slidethenegativeterminalupandoutoftheblockandsolderittoyour
negativewire,beingcarefulwiththeotherconnectionsonthisone.Puttheblock
backtogetheranddon'tforgettomakeaholeforthethermistorunderthe
connectorblock.Putthetopofthecaseon,fiddlingwiththewiresasnecessary
togeteverythingtogointoplace,andsecureitwiththesixscrews.

Step8:Bob'syouruncle

(/file/FL6GNYUHW7Q8MGD/)

(/file/FOA5JQJHW7Q8MGE/)

(/file/FUXMKF5HW7Q8MGF/)

IdidaquickchecktomakesureIgotmypolaritycorrect,slappeditonthe
chargerforanhour,andputitintoservice.

Wehaveabenicecommentpolicy.

Pleasebepositiveandconstructive.

JerryS57(/member/JerryS57)

wIMadeit!

AddImages

PostComment

5monthsago

Reply

InsteadofweavingthewiresthroughandaroundIjustturnedthebatterypack
overandhaddirectconnectionsaboutaninchlong.

RicD3(/member/RicD3)

8monthsago

Reply

Wow!!!Easy&Cheap!(Noladiesjokes,please).Workedlikeacharm.Batteries
&Bulbswanted$50.00todothis$18.00DIY!!!

YouguysROCK!!!!!

Fredl8(/member/Fredl8)

8monthsago

Reply

12.99HARBORFREIGHTBATTERY68413useda20%disccoupon
plusgotafree25'tapemeasure
Cutthethermistorofftheportercableconnector
blacktoblackredtowhite
perfectfitsolderblackandredandreassembled
Thankyou!!!!
=Fred=

vitaly.pospelov.39(/member/vitaly.pospelov.39)

ayearago

Reply

Icameupwiththismodonmyown.IsolderedthePorterCableconnectoronto
Chicagobatterypack,positivewerewhitetoredwire,negativewasblackto
black.Thetempsensorhad2blackwiresonPorterand1blackwirefor
Chicago.Ijustsolderedthemtogether.Afterdoingtheswapandtryingto
charge,thechargersignaledtemperatureproblem.Afterreadingthispost,I
realizedthatIcoulddisconnectthetempprobewires.Icutthesinglewireon
Chicagopacksameresult.SoIcutthe2wiresonthePorterconnectorBam!
Itworks!Thankstothispostexplainingthetemperaturesensordeal...
Awesomemod!That'sthecheapestwaytorecellthe18vNiCDbatteriesthat
I'veseenanywhere.Costsmoretobuytherechargeablebatteries,thenyou
havetomakethemintoapackyourself.HarborToolssuredohavesome
unbeatablepricesanywhereintheUS.Waytogo!Thanks!

DennisW19(/member/DennisW19) . vitaly.pospelov.39
(/member/vitaly.pospelov.39)

8monthsago

Reply

IrewiredtheChicagobatterypackcheckingtomakesureIwiredpositive
andnegativecorrectlyperthisonlineguide.Iputitalltogetherandputit
inthecharger.
Itstartedchargingrightawaywiththenormalflashingrateonthecharger.
After2or3minutestheflashingratedoubleortripledthewayitdidonthe
flailedportacablebattery.Irereadyourcommentsaboutdisconnecting
thethermalwiresand
retriedchargingbutgotthesameresults.Anyadvicewouldbe
appreciated.
dennis.l.whalen@gmail.com

KennethM6(/member/KennethM6)

ayearago

Reply

Ilovethefixbutitwillonlyworkwiththenicadchargernotthemultichemistry

KennethM6(/member/KennethM6)

Howlongdoesthisfixussalylast?

ToddC6(/member/ToddC6)

ayearago

Reply

Thisworkedgreat,Itwasfunandeasy.I'mplanningtogoto ayearago
theswapmeettopickupacoupleofmorePCbatteriesand
convertthem

Reply

Ribolator(/member/Ribolator)

Reply

ayearago

thisworkedgreat.onesuggestion.the+andarereversedbetweenthetwo
cellpacksandyoudidsomerewiringtofixitbutifyoujustflipthecellsupside
downtheywillbeintherightpositionandallyoudoiscuttheexistingwireon
thenewcelltolengthandsoldertoportercableconnector.itisalittletight
gettingthecoveronbutitwillgo.

X
|
8

Dangerismymiddlename(/member/Dangerismymiddlename)
2yearsago

Reply

Thisissuperuseful!Ihaveafriendwhohaslike3battery
packsandallofthemaredying.I'llhavetoshowthistohim.

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