You don’t need to be a seasoned woodworker to have battery-powered tools anymore. Whether it’s a simple cordless drill or a powerful leaf blower, there’s a good chance you have a lime green, yellow, red, or blue battery lying around. So why not power your phone with it?
Power tool batteries seem like they can only be used for very specific things (you know, tools), but your phone wouldn’t be the weirdest thing they can power. After all, a battery is a battery—it’s just a matter of getting the juice out. Thankfully, you have options.
Probably the wrong question to ask
While dedicated portable power banks are great, they often lack the durability and sheer charging potential of even just an entry-level drill battery. Take this 18V 4Ah Ryobi battery as an example. It has enough power to charge a typical 5,000mAh phone up to four times. You would likely need a pretty big 25,000mAh power bank to achieve the same thing.
That being said, this isn’t really a contest between power tool batteries and power banks. Generally speaking, power banks are available in many more sizes, at various price ranges, and are great to travel with. The real point is finding another use for something you already own. Batteries are typically the most expensive part of a power tool, so you might as well do more with them.
8/10
- Output Power
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165W Max
- Color
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Silver or space gray
Finding the right adapter
It’s not as hacky as you might think
Many major manufacturers, like DeWalt, Ryobi, and Milwaukee, actually sell official versions of these adapters for their batteries. There are tons of third-party options available on Amazon as well. You want to look for a device called a “power source” or “power inverter.” Some include multiple USB-C ports, AC outlets, Power Delivery for fast charging, and even built-in LED flashlights.
Camping and tailgating are probably the ideal situations for these adapters. You don’t have to worry so much about portability, and the rugged design is a bonus. A single 5Ah power tool battery can recharge phones for multiple people in your group. Because these batteries are designed to handle the high-draw demands of circular saws and impact drivers, charging a phone is a trivial task.
- Special features
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Low Battery Shutdown, On Indicator Light, Overload Protection, Short Circuit Protection, USB Port
- Tool Type
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Battery Inverter
- Warranty
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3-Year Limited Warranty
Snap the Ryobi 18V power source onto your power tool battery and use it to charge your phone, laptop, power lights, a mini fridge, and more.
Safety is the only thing you really need to keep an eye on. While the official brand-name adapters have built-in low-voltage protection to ensure you don’t kill the battery, it’s not something you should assume third-party options have. Stick with a reputable brand or read the description and reviews carefully.
Adding more value to what you already own
Again, the point here isn’t that a power tool battery is better than a power bank or some sort of “hack” to get a cheaper one. No one wants to walk around with a Milwaukee brick in their backpack. However, for certain situations, it’s a cool little trick that makes an expensive product you already own even more useful.
5 ways to repurpose an old Android phone
How many phones have you owned over the course of your life? I generally sell my old ones, but sometimes there’s one that’s either not worth much or isn’t in good condition. That doesn’t mean they need to sit around in a drawer. Here’s what you want to do with that old device.
Source: www.howtogeek.com
