Remove the Porter-Cable 20V MAX pack from whatever tool it’s in. Check charge level of the pack if it has a charge-level gauge. Set a base-line before beginning. Set battery on charger cradle and make sure it is seated firmly, so that there is no worry about connection staying secure.
Charger LEDs is your friends. They’ll tell you all you need to know.
Understanding Charging Indicators
While it’s charging the green light will blink. Keep an eye on it for updates.
A blinking green lamp mean the battery is currently charging, and you can watch that light to stay informed.
You wait for the light to change. You’re waiting for it to go from blinking to solid green indicating a fully charged battery. It’s obvious when that happens; there’s no guesswork.
The other big question is timing. How long do they really take?
About an hour for the smaller 1.5 Ah; that sounds fair enough. Around 90 minutes for the bigger 2.0 Ah; slightly longer, but not unreasonable. It’s more like three hours for largest 4.0 Ah; you’ll probably get another tool out while it charges up.
The rapid-charge unit reduces charging times. It is well worth considering if you can afford one, as it will save you time.
When the light is solid green, it’s ready. You can slide it back into the tool where it fits perfect and snug. Then you’re off to the races working again. These are simple steps, and there is no crazy steps here. Just do this, do that. When the light go from blinking to solid green, the battery is full. You’re done, so just slide it back in.
So, when it doesn’t go right, sometimes that’s how it goes, and there will be some fault alerts and hot-cold warnings on your display. Perhaps the blink is erratic: red, red, red, red, red. Maybe you’re thinking: What? That makes no sense. I have a bad charger.
But it isn’t. This are telling you that something is too hot or too cold. And that means you put it in storage and then let it sit out until its temperature is outside the safe range. So now you leave it awhile and come back, now the light is back to normal. Whew!
If nothing else, you shouldn’t of freak out about this. Knowing what the lights mean is good, and most of the time it’s an easy fix. Leave it out long enough to adjust to room temp and try it again. The system are designed to be easy to use; the visual cues tells you a lot. Green = good. Red = problem. Know what to expect. Save yourself frustration.
It’s not rocket science. Just go where the lights tell you to, and they does what they are supposed to do. They take you step by step along the way using pretty simple logic.
The point is that you don’t think about the battery while you’re doing your job. Watch the lights, follow the steps and go charge.
The charging guide is simple so you follow the steps and watch the lights.
