black and decker VPX battery system

[boosterboy]

http://www.vpxsystem.com/


new universal battery system from black and decker, one battery to power everything from power tools to USB charged electronics.

it's at 7 volts, any potential to mod it to a power a light?

there is a triple LED VPX light, dunno if they are 5mm LEDs.

5 hours runtime to power 3 LEDs?

it's a neat concept though, i wouldn't mind buy 3 of these and leaving them in my pack to charge my iPod, phone, and have a backup light.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Boosterboy,

Those battery packs have 2 18650 A123 type cells in them. I believe they are rated at 3.3 volts with a capacity of 1100 mAh. They are supposed to be able to handle high current draws and abuse and are a safe Li-Ion formulation.

Tom

 

[Phaetos]

Odd, I asked about this last week and don't think I ever got any replys... time to go check.

 

[Elliot]

It appears the B&D is reviving their old "VersaPack" NiCD tools and batteries into a more modern design. I still have a full set with many extras - nothing is supported anymore. I would expect that they will also let a new generation of buyers "hang out to dry" after two or three years.

PS: most of my stuff lasted 6 to 8 years - so I can't ***** and moan - but I had extras when I started.

Elliot

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Oohhhh! 18650 A123's
I just might need to figure out how to dismantle them. And then see if there's a safe way to recharge two in series (just like they are set up inside the battery pack, just not in the battery pack) using the included charger.

A few of these bad boys in original packaging even could fire up a monstrous hotwire. This calls for some investigation and scheming only to be shot down by the obvious

 

[snakebite]

It appears the B&D is reviving their old "VersaPack" NiCD tools and batteries into a more modern design. I still have a full set with many extras - nothing is supported anymore. I would expect that they will also let a new generation of buyers "hang out to dry" after two or three years.

PS: most of my stuff lasted 6 to 8 years - so I can't ***** and moan - but I had extras when I started.

Elliot

batteries are still sold at chinamart and target.
only thing i hated about these was how the packs are crimped so they were not rebuildable.
just think how nice these could be with a 26650 cell inside with protection.

 

[saabluster]

Oohhhh! 18650 A123's
I just might need to figure out how to dismantle them. And then see if there's a safe way to recharge two in series (just like they are set up inside the battery pack, just not in the battery pack) using the included charger.

These are VERY easy to take apart. Just take the sticker off first and you will see clips that you slide a flat head screw driver into and pop off the top. After that remove the wires. Works great in my Super Thrower.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Good to know, thanks. I shall now start plotting.

 

[Elliot]

batteries are still sold at chinamart and target.
only thing i hated about these was how the packs are crimped so they were not rebuildable.

Yeah, I noticed the my Target added the batteries this year - but no tools or chargers. Thanks for the head's up. I bought bettery tools since. It sounds funny but I actually liked some of the under-powered B&D versapack tools because they ran at a slow speed.

 

[Chrontius]

Yeah, I was wondering if there was some way to put these packs into a hotwire as-is... Maybe a VPX adapter for the M6?

Come to think of it, what runs on 18650s?

Thing with the Versa-Pak cells, they have a bad habit of leaking before they were discovered to be bad, and cadmium is toxic. Entirely understandable, but a pain in the *** for those who know what they're doing.

 

[bob_ninja]

It appears the B&D is reviving their old "VersaPack" NiCD tools and batteries into a more modern design. I still have a full set with many extras - nothing is supported anymore. I would expect that they will also let a new generation of buyers "hang out to dry" after two or three years.

PS: most of my stuff lasted 6 to 8 years - so I can't ***** and moan - but I had extras when I started.

Elliot

I only had a vac with a pair of old VersaPack batts. However after a couple of deeper discharges (surprising how much juic a vac uses) I think I killed them and just didn't bother getting new ones.

I did get a bunch of new tools including a vac using VPX. So far I am VERY impressed. I have at least 2 tools that abuse them sometimes: vac again pulls a lot of juice and the mini-saw often when cutting hard wood pulls a lot.
So from time to time when I take out VPX batt it is actually warm.

So far zero failures or issues. Of course, I've been using them less than a year, so too early. However according to RC users A123s can take a lot of abuse and keep on working.

Also VPX tools are better. For instance, vac and drill that use 2 batts have a light for each and show which one is dead. Plus of course low voltage cutoff, so you don't go too deep into discharge.

The smaller driver using single batt is amazing how much torque it generates. It is tiny compared to standard drills, yet has a ton of torque.

Anyway, VPX is a new level, way above old VersaPack. Best of all when a battery dies you only loose 2 cells (as opposed to 15 NiCds in older 19.2V packs and similar).

P.S.: Regarding custom packs, RC users found bigger DeWalt packs more economical. They also use bigger cells.

 

[SlotCAR]

Free Battery - or - Free Battery and Charger ...

http://www.vpxsystem.com/PowerPlay.aspx

 

[rizky_p]

why is it rated at 7v?

 

[Floating Spots]

why is it rated at 7v?

There are two cells in there and some marketing person rounded up to make it sound more impressive.

 

[marschw]

Free Battery - or - Free Battery and Charger ...

When you buy some other VPX equipment.

 

[LuxLuthor]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2312095#post2312095

 

[dano]

These were on closeout at Target Stores a few months ago...I don't think the VPX stuff was too successful?

 

[bob_ninja]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

You have older NiCd tools on sale all over the place at a fraction of the VPX cost. Meanwhile everyone else is coming out with Lithium batteries. Worse yet, some new Lithium batteries are compatible with older tools. So I can get a new battery and just keep using my old tools - no need for new VPX tools.

 

[marschw]

The home depot near me (San Mateo, CA, USA) has put the VPX battery packs on clearance. Price isn't great though, $20 each.

 

[bob_ninja]

The home depot near me (San Mateo, CA, USA) has put the VPX battery packs on clearance. Price isn't great though, $20 each.

Yeah, well the words "sale" and "clearance" are overused by stores these days. I think the common price is about $22-$20 so that price is not really clearance. BS