It’s easy to charge a 20V Black & Decker battery pack. Knowing what each light on charger means allows you to prepare. To start just pull the battery out of the tool and see where it stands.
With packs that have charge indicators, you can see the charge level before charging. That way you know how much life is left before even pulling the charger out. Once you get your hands on a battery look at the label and condition of the battery. Capacity and voltage are generaly easy to read on a 2.0 Ah pack.
Understanding Charger Lights
Next place the battery on the charger base and check that the unit work. The battery should be snug enough to make good contact. Push down until it clicks or sits tight against the contacts. If it’s loose no charge cycle will begin.
Inspect the label and condition of the battery once you have it in hand.
There are some nice features like visual feedback from the charger via LED indicators. There is a green light which starts blinking when you connect the battery. The light will change from blinking to solid when it’s done charging.
A flashing green light mean power is being sent to the battery. If the light is blinking then you don’t have to worry about it not connecting.
The charge time depends on the specific battery capacity. A 1.5 Ah cell requires roughly one and a half hours with a standard charger. A 2.0 Ah pack take about two hours. These times are approximate, but they are accurate enough for planning. You can determine these durations by timing several full charge cycles yourself.
How long do you have to wait? It varies depending on how big of a battery you get. With a normal charger it is about an hour and a half if you get a 1.5 Ah cell. It takes about two hours if you go up to a 2.0 Ah pack.
Those are rough estimates but good enough to plan by. To find out, just do a few full charge cycles yourself and see how long they take. While it’s charging, tend to some chores but keep an eye on the charger. When the light turns from blink to solid then you’re good to go. Once the green light goes solid without blinking, the battery is full.
You know it’s full because that steady light shows your batteries is charged and ready to go. Check to see if the battery is fully charged. Insert it back in your tool. It should be snug and secure.
You are now ready to tackle your next repair project or job with your drill. Having a good battery make work flow smoother. It is much easier than previous nickel based batteries. You’ll notice various charger light patterns that need addressing. When used, take a few minutes and observe the unit. Become familiar with what each pattern means. Normally, you’ll see a solid green light. If not, the color will signify something else. Don’t guess. Know what the issue is.
Temperature affects the charging process significantly.
The charger also takes into account temperature quite heavily. If it’s either too cold or too hot for the battery, the charger won’t start the charge until it’s at an appropriate temp. The indicator lights won’t blink in green; they’ll display a warning pattern.
This often happens when bringing tools back inside in the winter. Extreme temperatures can damage the lithium cells and the system is there to protect them.
Red or amber LEDs might illuminate alongside the green bars in those cases.
In those instances, there may be red and/or amber LEDs lit up as well. That’s the charger’s built-in safety mechanism. The charger will not accept charge until it believes the battery has reached its best temperature. This prolongs the life of the pack. Most times, you’ll only have to wait a few minutes for the delay to resolve itself.
Fault alerts can also appear on the display.
The display may show fault alerts too. If there’s a hardware issue or a bad battery, there’s a specific light pattern that tells you so. That is not good. That’s not normal charging. That’s a telltale sign of a problem with the cell itself. Usually, that involves replacing the battery and not simply waiting it out until it cools down.
Compare these fault indicators side-by-side with working units.
Put the warning lights in context next to working machines. A failure alert looks different than a delay warning. One is permanent, the other is temporary. Knowing that will save you hours of troubleshooting faulty equipment. It also helps you decide whether to replace the battery much more easly.
You can use both 1.5 Ah and 2.0 Ah packs with the same charger.
The chargers are universal for both size battery packs (the 1.5 Ah and 2.0 Ah). One runs longer than the other. The bigger pack is better for heavy drilling, while the smaller pack is meant for light tasks.
But it doesn’t matter which you charge because the charger adjusts to both without changing anything. It is a flexible system for many uses. Once you learn what to look for, it’s hardly any work at all. Sit there and stare at those lights and then let them run for as long as they should of. Slide that sucker back in there and go to town.
Keep your tools humming along by doing a few things like this. This makes for smooth sailing out on the job.
