I gave in to product promotion even though I knew better. People looked at Ridgid tools as the perfect devices for lasting power.
And you know what? They weren’t wrong! I bought all their cordless power tools including 18V lithium battery kits.
All users enjoy the concept of letting go cords permanently. Being in that dreamlike state ended when reality set in.
After inserting my 2Ah 18V Ridgid battery into the charger I encountered the solid red error light. Today, I will talk about what this light means and how to deal with.
But before you continue reading this article, you can first watch the short video I made which shows how I fixed my 18V RIDGID battery when it won’t charge. You can watch it below.
I used another healthy 18V RIDGID battery to jump-start it. I connect their terminals (positive to positive, negative to negative) for 15 seconds.
Then, I tried charging the bad RIDGID battery again, and it’s now charging fine.
Fixing A RIDGID Battery That’s Not Charging
When your Ridgid charger lights up red during battery charging it is telling you that there is a serious problem. The charger thinks the battery as damaged even though it should be working.
The power storage unit just needs basic reset service before it can function properly. Many Ridgid customers experience this battery charging problem regularly.
Their safety system guards the battery from charging but keeps blocking battery power that could still deliver energy. That is why there is a solid red light.
My battery had low power, but the charger could not get it to charge. Frustrating, right?
You can save your Ridgid battery and get it to charge again by applying this simple solution but you will need another identical Ridgid battery for it.
Restoring your Dead Ridgid Battery by Using A Functioning Ridgid Battery
The key to fixing a bad battery rests with using a good battery. A small amount of power goes from a good battery to restart the empty one.
You can restore a dead battery by connecting connector wires from a good battery to pass energy for temporary use.
Since I owned another 18V Ridgid battery fully charged I could use it to get my other battery back working again.
Try these steps first using a spare working battery but if you do not have a spare, you should test the idea with a replacement before concluding battery failure.
Beginning with two connector wires I started my project as I took cables from a previous electronics project.
Next, I marked the negative and positive ends for every battery type both good and bad. You must connect matching terminals when joining together batteries or dangerous sparks will result.
I connected the wires to both batteries and held them for 15 seconds before removing them. The quick electricity transfer usually restores dormant batteries to working state.
I disconnected the wires from my work and put the poor battery into the Ridgid charging system.
Boom! The green light on the charger proved the battery was charging properly when it replaced the previous solid red light. Crisis averted.
Examine Additional Causes of Battery Problems and Discover Their Solutions
1: Terminally damaged batteries cannot make proper charging connections when coated by debris and corrosion.
Gently use rubbing alcohol and cotton swab or a metal brush to remove dirt from battery contacts.
2: When a battery stays unused for extended times it becomes so weak that it blocks charging attempts.
Several users succeed in charging their batteries by placing them into a charger for a few seconds then taking them out before repeating the process multiple times until regular charging happens.
3: A charger malfunction may actually be responsible for charging failure even though it is less common.
Use your other Ridgid charger to test your battery and determine if it instead relates to charger issues.
4: Lithium batteries include automatic systems that shut down to stop overheating. Allow the battery to reach normal temperature before you try charging it again.
5: The battery needs replacement because its internal components are damaged beyond repair.
When these attempts fail you should look at either getting a new battery or dealing with the manufacturer warranty.
Final Thoughts
It is tough to deal with a non-charging Ridgid battery especially when you face this situation in the middle of a massive project. But my simple method will help get it back to working!
Alternate solutions such as checking your contacts for dirt or using different chargers often solve battery charging issues when this technique fails.
Having this problem gives you an excellent opportunity to replace your battery with a newer model.
When your Ridgid battery stops charging do not worry about it. Apply these remedies before you spend money to buy replacements at the store.
