Works Thanx. Other trick for NICAD BATTERIES ..just keep turning charger ON and OFF many times.. Just keep unpluging the power cord than plugin it back. Like 10 times. Battery must be connected to charger. Plenty videos on UA-cam..It works with older RYOBI batteries nicad ....
Your a fucking legend dude. I bought a bunch of Ryobi tools for super cheap because the guy said all the battery's would quit working. Then I seen this so I fixed all 9 battery's and got 6 Ryobi tools for 120$. JACKPOT!!!!
Looks like there are about 150 people who didn't do it right. I drilled the holes in the exact spots, labeled positive and negative, put two metal wires in each hole, used a working 18Volt battery, and touched the corresponding positive and negative wires to the positive and negative connectors on the working battery, saw some very tiny sparking, held for about 3 to 5 seconds. Removed wires, and then put the bad battery on the Ryobi charging station, and it started charging. You just saved me $60. Thank you sir, and to the others who posted in the comments about using a working battery to boost it since I don't have a regular battery charger with leads like this video has. Now I get to finish my yard twice as fast again.
THIS WORKS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. NO OPENING. I USED MY 12V CAR BATTERY CHARGER AND TOUCHED THE CORRECT TERMINALS(VERY IMPORTANT) FOR ONLY 10 SECS AND IMMEDIATELY BOOSTED THE PACK. THE RYOBI CHARGER IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE BATTERY AND IT CHARGED FULLY. I DID THIS WITH 6 BATTERIES WITH TOTAL SUCCESS...........THANK YOU+++++++++++++++
Drilled the holes, stripped a couple of wire pieces, hooked up to my car battery power station booster, turned on for 10 seconds and now works great. Better than the torx required casing removal, in my lazy man's opinion! Cheers!
Dear Tom, Just followed your instructions with drilling, and it worked.Its brilliant people like you that make you tube a great resource for all of us. Many thanks and god bless you. Bruce the swimmer New Rochelle N.Y.
HEY THIS ABSOLUTELY WORKS, I DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAYID AND NOW MY BATTERY IS CHARGING, NO MORE TESTING LIGHT ON THE CHARGER, I JUST BOOSTED FOR 10 SECONDS WITH AN OLD LAPTOP 12 V CHARGER AND IT WORKED, NOW MY RYOBI CHARGER IS DOING IT'S WORK. AND THE BATTERY ONLY COST 3 DOLLARS AT A YARD SALE.
I bought a leaf blower from Goodwill that came with a battery that was showing dead. Did this and now I have a blower and good battery for $8. Thank you!
Brilliant solution! I have two newer batteries that have gone "dead" for the second time. The first time, I took the cases apart and revived the batteries. I've been dreading doing that again. But your solution is excellent! I drilled the two holes exactly where you did, and the terminals were exposed. The positive and negative terminals are opposite those on the raised portion that fits into the charger, just as you showed. I gently threaded a #6 short bolt in each side (about 1/4") until they stopped so I had something to clip onto. I checked the voltage which was at 3.3VDC. I used my car charger on the 12 V / 2A setting and turned it on for 10 seconds. This raised the voltage to 10.8VDC and the batteries are now recognized by the charger. I removed the bolts and put a small piece of electrical tape over the holes for protection. Beautiful solution! Thanks for taking the time to share it! :)
This is so simple even I can do it. True genious! I used the Steve Vise technique of using a couple of 9 volt batteries to jump start my Ryobi18 volt battery and it worked like a charm. So big thanks to Tom and Steve, you guys rock.
My brother! I don't have a pyramid power supply like you. So I took the battery out of my galaxy s4 but it had 4 prongs on it and I had no idea which was positive or negative. So like the New Yorker that I am... I took the 9V battery out of one of the smoke alarms. Ran the wires like you said for 30 seconds (my young daughter held the wires to the 9V) when I poped it in the charger IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!
Holy crap this works!!!!! Brilliant! I drilled smaller holes & used my multi-meter lead cables as the jumper cables. I then jump started it from a known still good Ryobi P102 battery instead of a wall dc supply, .......& as we speak my jumped battery is now charging!!! BRILLIANT!! THANKYOU!!
First off, this works. It is easier than the other videos because most people do not have security torx bits. There were two tricks for me. I used a 12 V car charger and I had to let it sit longer, probably around 10 minutes. Second, I then had to take the battery and put it in my drill and simply trigger it on for about one second. After that, I put the battery in the charger and it would charge. Nice work, thank you!
literally watched this video and went and did it to 2 of my dead batteries. What I did was drilled right where he did in this video, attached 2 16 gauge wires to the + and - of a fully charged 18V Ryobi and touched inside the new holes I drilled, for about 3 seconds that is all (with my multimeter attached to the dead one with a clamp and it jumped right to 15V and climbing) took the battery slapped it in the charger and whammo! it's charging, did it to the second one again for 3 secs, and these batteries were both at 0%. Both are charging now. Awesome and thanks for this video!!!
I just did this and it worked. I used a fresh ryobi 18 volt battery to jump it and only applied it a few seconds. And now it's charging. Unbelievable. I had a torx bit so I opened it up and didn't drill but same technique. Thanks man.
Best DIY in a long time! Brand new Ryobi 18V battery wouldn't charge the second time I tried and this worked like a charm! I just boosted it off a car battery for a few seconds. Thanks!
Was delaying throwing a battery out and decided to UA-cam the problem. Thank you so much for this site! Worked like a charm. Used my multi meter cables connected to my battery charger. 3 seconds on the charger and slapped it to the ryobi charger. Worked instantly.
This worked brilliantly! Quick & easy fix that saved me $40. I used a 6V trickle charger for about a minute and my battery is now taking a charge again. Thanks for posting the video!
There are a few videos online that discuss how to do this but this is the most helpful video because it shows how to do it without removing the case. I had a stripped bolt and was able to follow your steps. I made slightly bigger holes (8/32) but plan to cover them with electric tape until the next time they need charging. Found an 8.4 volt charger (looks like a old calculator charger or something. Was fortunate enough to have one with an LED on it. I cut the tip off, used the side with white lines as positive. Thank god you mentioned which side was what because looking at the placement of positive/negative on the battery itself, I would have certainly put money on the opposite lol. My LED light seemed to go red whenever I made contact on both sides. Being scared, I only touched for a few seconds then let go. I checked and seen voltage went from 3.XX to 6.XX. It would however slowly count down by .01 volt. I did the process again and got to around 7.5 volts. Was worried I had to go over double digits but I almost sent you a paypal donation when I saw that green light blink on charger almost instantly. Yea, thats how happy I was. Awesome video and thank you. Some other videos mentioned warranty process with local stores is hell. Keeping that charger on stand by to assist when this happens again.
Chukwuemeka Onyema I'm glad this video was very helpful for you I'm just trying to make it easy for everyone else instead of going through all that hassle or opening the case. And you're welcome
Made my holes with a knife, and used a 6v battery with wire leads connected to the probes of my volt meter for about 2-3 minutes. To my surprise it is now charging! Good job man! Thanks
Oh Hell Yeah! What has two thumbs and just saved about 80 bucks using this mans information?! ME! This works like a champ and now I am back up to having 3 working batteries after being down to just one.
There is a circuit board "smart charging system" that will not allow charging if the battery is below a certain voltage. They put that there to avoid batteries with faulty cells causing fires. It's basically to cover their ass. But leaves a bit of work on the consumer end to get it jump started.
Thank you for this. The best fix I have seen. I used a halo bolt car charger and put roofing nails in the clamps to be able to fit into the holes and make contact with the ryobi terminals. Just a few seconds, then popped it back on the charger, and it is charging right up.
Hey brother, thanks for the video. I used to make a lot of DIY videos too. UA-cam stop paying me my checks because they change the payment structure on me. Anyway, got my Ryobi battery charging because of your help! Thanks
I was on the verge of throwing away my Ryobi battery when i came across this video. My problem was, I did not have a power supply like yours, so I was a bit confused as to how to get some juice into the little holes I drilled. Since the battery is 18v , I took a couple of 9v batteries from some smoke alarms in my house and connected these in series, then ran the wires from the 9v batteries to the Ryobi battery. 30 seconds later, I popped it into the charger, and darned if it didn't start charging! I used my drill all day yesrterday, first time in months. Cool vid.
Thanks so much! I was able to revive two 18-volt lithium batteries (P102 & P105). I did not drill into the case and just took out the T-10 screws and popped the top off. I was able to then just touch the positive and negatives to get the charge going. I had these two sitting in my battery recycle pile and now both are recharging as I write this.
Worked like a charm! Then I put it back on the charger and it blinked red for about 5 minutes then turned green blinking and was full charged in less than an hour.
Dude! Worked perfectly. Ryobi shot themselves in the foot. I have been avoiding Ryobi products because both batteries I had stopped charging within two weeks. Each of them now taking a charge! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Just used this method of drilling holes in battery. I then jumped it with another 18 volt battery for 30 seconds now both are in charger accepting charge!! Thanks !!!
Just tried your advice and it worked for me! Yes, thank you very much for sharing this tip. In order to give my battery it's initial charge, I just wrapped 14 gauge copper wire around the posts of a lawn and garden battery and touched it to the Ryobi battery for a few minutes and that was enough to get the Ryobi battery working again.
I was skeptical that this would work. I followed the directions, drilled the two holes and using a 12v battery charger, charged the battery to 7.8v. Put the battery in the charger and it went to charging green light instead of telling battery was defective. Works!
Bought a used impact driver and it came with two dead batteries. The only external power supplies I have are a 24v power supply for my 3D printer and a 12v charger for my motorcycle. Went with the 12v because I didnt want to overload it knowing it wouldn't charge it, I was just hoping it would just kickstart it. AND IT WORKED! Followed your instructions for where to drill. Cant say thank you enough. Doubled my batteries thanks to you. Wish you all the good karma for the new year! Cheers!
Just fixed my non-charging ONE + battery put my 12v trickle charger into the drilled holes for 30 seconds, put it into my Ryobi charger and it is now taking a charge. WAHOO thank you saved me the price of a new battery!
I did the same thing. I just took off the screws off the top though because I don’t you know, have a drill anymore. But I did this trick and used a car battery and it works great now!!
Awesome!!! I just did this and it worked. I had to get at least 15 volts back into the battery and reset the charger by unplugging and plugging it back into the wall, but after doing so, it charged fully. Thank you so much for this tip!
Thanks tomstuff460. Repaired 2 P103's yesterday following your + & - drill points. Went to Goodwill & got a 29 volt 2 amp DC charger for 99 cents, stripped the leads & used that to jump charge the P103's back up to 18 volts. Took about 10 minutes each. One was at 6 volts the other was at 0! Saved me up to $80.
You sir are a genius! Worked like a charm. I used an old car battery to boost for about 2 minutes. Was ready to ditch Ryobi but I have too many tools invested already.
Worked great! Drilled the holes, and then connected a charged battery to the terminals for awhile and later popped the 'dead' one on the charger and bingo! No more red blinker of death. Charged it up and it works.
5 Stars Brother... You saved me a lot of trouble as I live in the Philippines and getting any kind replacement parts from the US is a major hassle... not to mention you saved me some cash. Thumbs Up !! Took about 10 minute to get it charging. Great Instructions !!
Magic 🎉 😊 it worked!!! Thank you!!! I boosted using 40v battery 🔋 2.5Ah to my “dead” 18V Ryobi. I thought fried it, but I let it charge for about 2 1/2 minutes. After that I had to put in a FREEZER 🥶❄️ for 30 minutes. And then it took the charge and now works like new again :)
Yes! Thank you for your help with this battery problem that we are all victims of. Lesson learned, never leave your battery in the charger longer than it takes to charge it!
worked for me. i jumped it with a small atv battery for 10 seconds and it is now taking a charge. i put a little bit of latex calking in the holes. thanks for the info and saving my battery
Great video... I used the Ryobi charger in this way. I clipped a positive and negative alligator clip to each one, and also clipped one lead to the center "sensor" lead, and attached that to the negative lead on the other end; while touching the combined negative/sensor lead to the negative side of the battery; while touching the positive side to the battery. Then I plugged and unplugged the charger about 5 times. The charger blinks fast "red" then switched to blinking "green". I started with 5 volts on the battery, and this quickly bumped it up to over 12; disconnected everything; put it back in the charger, and "voila" blinking Green charging light!!!
CAUTION: It is also very important to note that as you do this little trick that you do not leave it on the "fake by-pass" system more than a few seconds at a time, because a Lithium-Ion battery will "run away" pretty fast, and cause a fire. THE KEY HERE IS TO ONLY BUMP THE BATTERY UP TO A VOLTAGE(AROUND 12+) THAT THE CHARGER CAN SAFELY PICK IT UP AND RUN WITH IT.
Thanks for this. It worked. Tip...if you don't have a power supply like in the video, you can use an AC adapter. I used a 10.5 V one; just cut and stripped the wires and put them through the two drilled holes to touch the respective + and - contacts. I think a 12v car battery would work. Must get polarity correct.
Great trick, it does work. I tried it tonight and the battery is on charge. I recommend you put some tape over the holes you drilled or some silicone to keep out moisture. Great information in this video. Whomever created this problem at Ryobi needs to get sacked. Thank you so much.
I used a black and decker smart car battery charger at 2 amp, for about 20 seconds. Before this, voltage on battery was 6.5. After, 13.5.. I put it on the ryobi charger and got the green light. It is charging now, and looks promising. Thanks.
OMG! Thanks, we had 3 that just would not charge, went out and bought 2 new 3amp batteries yesterday thinking these were toast, holy crap it worked, so now we have 5 working batteries. Amazing, though we did the jumper from a new fully charged battery, 30 seconds and it was reading about 17 volts, put it in the charger and we're blinking GREEN. Way to go. Thanks.
Thank you so so much for this video worked like a charm take me a couple of times of jumping it till I grabbed a hold of and it worked perfectly from there you’re the only smart one that figured out how to do this without taking the battery apart.
Great video: I didnt have that charging unit, but you mentioned or in the comments that it's like jump starting...so i just connected it with 2 wire to a charged battery for 1-2 minutes... And it then put in the charger AND IT WORKED. THANKS
You Tom, are good news ! I have used my batteries and didnt recharge them. they sat and this I will try on 4 battery packs that are in the low non working condition. Thanks tom *PS. some people think opening the case is best. I can tell you what you did was the best way. Too many people will fiddle with the wires and circuit board once open because they will be lost looking at all the connections etc. You totally zoomed right into two areas, the positive and negative and kept it really simple - GOOD JOB !*
Brilliant! Works like a treat. I jumped another Ryobi battery that I had for about 2 minutes and then popped it on the charger as is charging like a new battery. Thanks Tom.
So you used another identical battery that worked, to jump start the dead one for a minute and then put the dead one on the charger and it started charging again???
worked like a charm, I used a cheap Walmart 12v battery charger and 2 nails, charged the battery for about 1 min, and the charger read full, so I put on the Ryobi charger and the battery is now charging. +1
I came here to add that this worked perfect, after drilling the holes, I only had to bump the pack with a 12 volt fast charger for about 30 seconds. (Long enough to watch the gauge drop down) - don’t leave these packs discharged.
This actually worked!!! After drilling the appropriate holes to access the battery leads, I had 4.99 volts. Just under the 5 volts the charger looks for before declaring the battery dead/nonchargeable. The battery is not actually "dead". Ryobi just wants people to continue to buy batteries. So, the circuit board in the battery is "programmed" to identify the battery as "nonchargeable" & that it should be "replaced". I don't have a power supply, but I hooked wires to the negative & positive terminals of a 12v marine battery I have in storage in my garage. I inserted the wires to the corresponding battery leads through the holes I drilled. I secured each wire with 2 mini-clamps & let it sit for 5-10 minutes pulling voltage from the marine battery. After I disconnected everything, I measured the voltage in the Ryobi battery using the drilled holes. I got a voltage reading of 14.5v. Way more above the 5v "threshold" used to declare the battery "nonchargeable". I put the battery 18v Ryobi battery into the charger & it started charging (flashing green light). Before, all I would get was a constant red flashing light. One note: The 1st time I put the 18v "revived" battery into the charger, it started charging (flashing green), but then it stopped. It went back to a constant blinking red light. Based on a few other videos I watched on UA-cam, I plugged & unplugged the battery charger itself several times with the battery in the charger. After that, the battery charged with no problems. I think the charger itself needed to be "reset" (i.e. "re-booted"). This simple "fix" must drive the battery manufacturers nuts.
It would drive the manufacturers nuts if a majority of people knew about it. But the vast vast majority of consumers just buy new ones so Ryobi I'm sure doesn't give a shit at all.
Worked, I did not drill deep enough and seen a green like material. It looked like a circuit board and thought shit! This was both sides, I scratched at it a little with a small screwdriver and hey presto! Got my multimeter and got 6V, I used 2 wires and jumped it off another Ryobi battery for 20 seconds. Put it in the charger it flashed red then green, red then green, red then green again but this time it stayed on green flashing. Thank you for the video.
Worked great....I didn’t have the appropriate screwdriver bit and too far to drive to the store so tried your method, didn’t have a power supply but used another battery and that worked great
Very helpful, but I did not want to destroy the integrity of the case, so I removed the circuitry easily enough, using a #10 torx bit (Ryobi 18v Li). From there, smooth sailing. Thanks!
What is the trick to removing the screws from the battery? I have been trying to use a Torx 10, and only one screw came out. The others seem too small for a T10, so I tried a T8, and still nothing. It almost seems like there is a little metal post inside the screw that will not allow the screwdriver to sink into the screw. Any ideas?
This works perfectly as shown. I used a little 6-12 volt trickle charger designed for garden tractors- one minute charge time and the battery charged. Saved three batteries I was getting ready to replace.
Thanks dude!!! I had one of these exact batteries that went dead very quickly after I bought it. I have 4 other batteries but it just bugged me that this one was almost new and wasn’t working and I didn’t want to go find a receipt that I probably through away and wait to have it warranted. This totally worked and now it is charging as I type this!!.
Thanks for this man. This is especially soothing after sending this to the store and they did not want to fix or replace even if it was still under warranty (and practically new). So it saved me a price of 3rd party repair / a new battery. I used voltage regulating adapter 12V 700mA and started charging after boosting to 12V from 1V.
Dude! Your awesome. I only charged it with my 12v power supply for 1min, and it was enough for the ryobi charger to start charging it. You saved me a lot of cash. Thanks.
But I use a way smaller drill bit and put a paper clip on the ends of my wires from a regular 12 volt battery for 5 seconds at a time 5 times. Bazinga~
This was brilliant - bonus, covered the holes with tape and now it's a quick fix next time the battery misfires - no need to disassemble again. Much appreciated. BTW - I didn't have a power source so I just jumped it with another Ryobi battery that fortunately still worked. Now the dead battery is charging normally - had this happen before when draining the batteries all the way, now I unplug them from whatever tool when putting things away.
Thank you. Used a 12 volt car charger daisy chained to some old wires on a battery that didn't even register on my voltage meter (another battery registered just fine). Saved me having to buy the security bits as well. Yo da man!
I had a Ryobi 18 V battery that sat in my garage for over 18 months that would not take a charge. The "Fix" was fast...easy & safe. I used my 12VDC trickle charger ..held the "+" & the "- " cables to the battery posts for slightly over 2 minutes. I then put the battery into the Ryobi battery charger. The charger "Testing" cycle ran a little longer than normal then it started the charging cycle ! I did not do any disassembly ...I didn't drill any holes !
That means there was nothing was wrong with the battery. A true Ryobi lithium ion battery won't charge from the top terminals if it's completely dead. ⚡🔋
Thanks! Works! Very well and so easy to doing it again thank... Next time don't drill the case use a screws to get the contract Pole and then connect with cables to the charger... Also this way is easy to cover with any glued
This was a great video. Didn’t fix my issue but proved the batteries were good and electronics were bad. Hole drill points were spot on and was able to test batteries through them.
Steve Berube .. on one of my batteries I bypass the electrical board directly and it works perfect and it still charges the battery pack. it crossed my mind to make another video about this
I just did it and it worked! Thank you so much for this video I have a small battery charger and I just used skinny nails to attach to the positive and negative leads after about 2 minutes put the pack on the Ryobi charger and we're good to go thanks again
WOW! this really works... Drilled right where you said. My son threw his away and bought new ones. Not me I'm a tight wad. Told him about it. Asked why I didnt check with Utube sooner. Thanks
Worked great. Thank you! I had some problems securing the wires into the 1/8 holes I had drilled. To ensure a better contact I found two suitable screws and drove those in until they were touching the contacts.
Five Stars! Thank you Tom. Drilled exactly where you showed, and it jumped enough to charge in 5 or so minutes! Saved me time, money, and headaches. I don't have a power supply or 12v car charger. Instead, I taped 14g wire into the holes, and then to the corresponding terminals on an identical, but working, Ryobi battery. Unplugged a few minbutes later, slammed that bad boy in the charger, and got the flashing green for the first time in MONTHS!! Hats off to you, sir. Well done.
Great Video. Sounds like it works. I had a similar issue and put my battery in the freezer for 10 minutes and then it charged. So i guess sometimes its the temperature sensor. My battery wasnt even hot - but its charging now.
![RYOBI 18V Battery Not Working? [Easy DIY Charging Hack]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sqeiOkSNRsU/mqdefault.jpg)
![RYOBI 18V Battery Not Working? [Easy DIY Charging Hack]](/img/tr.png)
Works Thanx. Other trick for NICAD BATTERIES ..just keep turning charger ON and OFF many times.. Just keep unpluging the power cord than plugin it back. Like 10 times. Battery must be connected to charger. Plenty videos on UA-cam..It works with older RYOBI batteries nicad ....
Your a fucking legend dude. I bought a bunch of Ryobi tools for super cheap because the guy said all the battery's would quit working. Then I seen this so I fixed all 9 battery's and got 6 Ryobi tools for 120$. JACKPOT!!!!
That's awesome dude! great deal.👍
Looks like there are about 150 people who didn't do it right. I drilled the holes in the exact spots, labeled positive and negative, put two metal wires in each hole, used a working 18Volt battery, and touched the corresponding positive and negative wires to the positive and negative connectors on the working battery, saw some very tiny sparking, held for about 3 to 5 seconds. Removed wires, and then put the bad battery on the Ryobi charging station, and it started charging. You just saved me $60. Thank you sir, and to the others who posted in the comments about using a working battery to boost it since I don't have a regular battery charger with leads like this video has. Now I get to finish my yard twice as fast again.
Watched this and a few others. I drilled the holes....using a 12v charger....worked a treat....thanks for the video
THIS WORKS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. NO OPENING. I USED MY 12V CAR BATTERY CHARGER AND TOUCHED THE CORRECT TERMINALS(VERY IMPORTANT) FOR ONLY 10 SECS AND IMMEDIATELY BOOSTED THE PACK. THE RYOBI CHARGER IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE BATTERY AND IT CHARGED FULLY. I DID THIS WITH 6 BATTERIES WITH TOTAL SUCCESS...........THANK YOU+++++++++++++++
grillcheese38rc you welcome
Drilled the holes, stripped a couple of wire pieces, hooked up to my car battery power station booster, turned on for 10 seconds and now works great.
Better than the torx required casing removal, in my lazy man's opinion!
Cheers!
Dear Tom,
Just followed your instructions with drilling, and it worked.Its brilliant people like you that make you tube a great resource for all of us. Many thanks and god bless you.
Bruce the swimmer New Rochelle N.Y.
stewart bruce . you're welcome
HEY THIS ABSOLUTELY WORKS, I DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAYID AND NOW MY BATTERY IS CHARGING, NO MORE TESTING LIGHT ON THE CHARGER, I JUST BOOSTED FOR 10 SECONDS WITH AN OLD LAPTOP 12 V CHARGER AND IT WORKED, NOW MY RYOBI CHARGER IS DOING IT'S WORK. AND THE BATTERY ONLY COST 3 DOLLARS AT A YARD SALE.
Awesome!
You are a saint! I cannot believe this worked! PSA to those who don’t have our luck, you can get a free warranty replacement.
I bought a leaf blower from Goodwill that came with a battery that was showing dead. Did this and now I have a blower and good battery for $8. Thank you!
Awesome and a Great deal🍁🍁🍁🍁🔋🔋🔋🔋
Brilliant solution! I have two newer batteries that have gone "dead" for the second time. The first time, I took the cases apart and revived the batteries. I've been dreading doing that again. But your solution is excellent! I drilled the two holes exactly where you did, and the terminals were exposed. The positive and negative terminals are opposite those on the raised portion that fits into the charger, just as you showed.
I gently threaded a #6 short bolt in each side (about 1/4") until they stopped so I had something to clip onto. I checked the voltage which was at 3.3VDC. I used my car charger on the 12 V / 2A setting and turned it on for 10 seconds. This raised the voltage to 10.8VDC and the batteries are now recognized by the charger. I removed the bolts and put a small piece of electrical tape over the holes for protection.
Beautiful solution! Thanks for taking the time to share it! :)
Unplugged Doug ....hum great idea and You welcome!
This is so simple even I can do it. True genious! I used the Steve Vise technique of using a couple of 9 volt batteries to jump start my Ryobi18 volt battery and it worked like a charm. So big thanks to Tom and Steve, you guys rock.
Do you have a link to that video?😭
My brother! I don't have a pyramid power supply like you. So I took the battery out of my galaxy s4 but it had 4 prongs on it and I had no idea which was positive or negative. So like the New Yorker that I am... I took the 9V battery out of one of the smoke alarms. Ran the wires like you said for 30 seconds (my young daughter held the wires to the 9V) when I poped it in the charger IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!
LUCAS Williams glad it worked! 😊
Holy crap this works!!!!! Brilliant!
I drilled smaller holes & used my multi-meter lead cables as the jumper cables.
I then jump started it from a known still good Ryobi P102 battery instead of a wall dc supply,
.......& as we speak my jumped battery is now charging!!!
BRILLIANT!!
THANKYOU!!
Bubba Smith . awesome 👍
First off, this works. It is easier than the other videos because most people do not have security torx bits. There were two tricks for me. I used a 12 V car charger and I had to let it sit longer, probably around 10 minutes. Second, I then had to take the battery and put it in my drill and simply trigger it on for about one second. After that, I put the battery in the charger and it would charge. Nice work, thank you!
rpedersonkc .. Great information. am glad it worked for you.👍
literally watched this video and went and did it to 2 of my dead batteries. What I did was drilled right where he did in this video, attached 2 16 gauge wires to the + and - of a fully charged 18V Ryobi and touched inside the new holes I drilled, for about 3 seconds that is all (with my multimeter attached to the dead one with a clamp and it jumped right to 15V and climbing) took the battery slapped it in the charger and whammo! it's charging, did it to the second one again for 3 secs, and these batteries were both at 0%. Both are charging now. Awesome and thanks for this video!!!
Brian H . Great idea never thought about using multimeter while boosting the pack👍
I just did this and it worked. I used a fresh ryobi 18 volt battery to jump it and only applied it a few seconds. And now it's charging. Unbelievable. I had a torx bit so I opened it up and didn't drill but same technique. Thanks man.
lcagee. you're welcome
Best DIY in a long time! Brand new Ryobi 18V battery wouldn't charge the second time I tried and this worked like a charm! I just boosted it off a car battery for a few seconds. Thanks!
Was delaying throwing a battery out and decided to UA-cam the problem. Thank you so much for this site! Worked like a charm. Used my multi meter cables connected to my battery charger. 3 seconds on the charger and slapped it to the ryobi charger. Worked instantly.
Ben Strong 👍
This worked brilliantly! Quick & easy fix that saved me $40. I used a 6V trickle charger for about a minute and my battery is now taking a charge again. Thanks for posting the video!
There are a few videos online that discuss how to do this but this is the most helpful video because it shows how to do it without removing the case. I had a stripped bolt and was able to follow your steps. I made slightly bigger holes (8/32) but plan to cover them with electric tape until the next time they need charging. Found an 8.4 volt charger (looks like a old calculator charger or something. Was fortunate enough to have one with an LED on it. I cut the tip off, used the side with white lines as positive. Thank god you mentioned which side was what because looking at the placement of positive/negative on the battery itself, I would have certainly put money on the opposite lol. My LED light seemed to go red whenever I made contact on both sides. Being scared, I only touched for a few seconds then let go. I checked and seen voltage went from 3.XX to 6.XX. It would however slowly count down by .01 volt. I did the process again and got to around 7.5 volts. Was worried I had to go over double digits but I almost sent you a paypal donation when I saw that green light blink on charger almost instantly. Yea, thats how happy I was. Awesome video and thank you. Some other videos mentioned warranty process with local stores is hell. Keeping that charger on stand by to assist when this happens again.
Chukwuemeka Onyema I'm glad this video was very helpful for you I'm just trying to make it easy for everyone else instead of going through all that hassle or opening the case. And you're welcome
Drilled the holes, hooked a good battery up to the holes of the dead battery. Waited about 3 minutes... No more dead battery! Thanks for the advice!!!
😊 you're welcome☺
Made my holes with a knife, and used a 6v battery with wire leads connected to the probes of my volt meter for about 2-3 minutes. To my surprise it is now charging! Good job man! Thanks
Awesome I'm glad it worked! 👍😊
Oh Hell Yeah! What has two thumbs and just saved about 80 bucks using this mans information?! ME! This works like a champ and now I am back up to having 3 working batteries after being down to just one.
Elmo. super awesome! 👍👍🔋
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Wait did I miss a part? Why drill holes if positive and negative charging metals is exposed up top? Can't you just boost from there?
There is a circuit board "smart charging system" that will not allow charging if the battery is below a certain voltage. They put that there to avoid batteries with faulty cells causing fires. It's basically to cover their ass. But leaves a bit of work on the consumer end to get it jump started.
I have a lot of Ryobi tools and a lot of dead batteries just like that one. This video will save me a bunch of money. Thanks bro
Thank you for this. The best fix I have seen. I used a halo bolt car charger and put roofing nails in the clamps to be able to fit into the holes and make contact with the ryobi terminals. Just a few seconds, then popped it back on the charger, and it is charging right up.
Dude. Just did this and now I got the first battery charging again. Thanks!!
You're welcome. 😊
just found this video and it works like a charm saved me $60 here in Australia thanks a lot
Hey brother, thanks for the video. I used to make a lot of DIY videos too. UA-cam stop paying me my checks because they change the payment structure on me. Anyway, got my Ryobi battery charging because of your help! Thanks
I was on the verge of throwing away my Ryobi battery when i came across this video. My problem was, I did not have a power supply like yours, so I was a bit confused as to how to get some juice into the little holes I drilled. Since the battery is 18v , I took a couple of 9v batteries from some smoke alarms in my house and connected these in series, then ran the wires from the 9v batteries to the Ryobi battery. 30 seconds later, I popped it into the charger, and darned if it didn't start charging! I used my drill all day yesrterday, first time in months. Cool vid.
I'm glad my video can help!
Thanks for sharing your work around with the 9 volts. I will give it a try.
Thanks so much! I was able to revive two 18-volt lithium batteries (P102 & P105). I did not drill into the case and just took out the T-10 screws and popped the top off. I was able to then just touch the positive and negatives to get the charge going. I had these two sitting in my battery recycle pile and now both are recharging as I write this.
That's great. The only reason I drill the holes isbecause of most people that don't have the special bit tools to get into the lithium battery.
I followed exactly - boosted off a deep cycle for 2 minutes . . . And vwahlah - its currently charging - you da man, man 😊👍 Thank you!!
Worked like a charm! Then I put it back on the charger and it blinked red for about 5 minutes then turned green blinking and was full charged in less than an hour.
Dude! Worked perfectly. Ryobi shot themselves in the foot. I have been avoiding Ryobi products because both batteries I had stopped charging within two weeks. Each of them now taking a charge! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Just used this method of drilling holes in battery. I then jumped it with another 18 volt battery for 30 seconds now both are in charger accepting charge!! Thanks !!!
Kenny Eddleman . I'm glad my video can help.
Just tried your advice and it worked for me! Yes, thank you very much for sharing this tip. In order to give my battery it's initial charge, I just wrapped 14 gauge copper wire around the posts of a lawn and garden battery and touched it to the Ryobi battery for a few minutes and that was enough to get the Ryobi battery working again.
Tom Duer. glad to hear that it works 👍
I was skeptical that this would work. I followed the directions, drilled the two holes and using a 12v battery charger, charged the battery to 7.8v. Put the battery in the charger and it went to charging green light instead of telling battery was defective. Works!
👍😊
I can't believe it, but this worked. Used a 9v I had around for about 30 seconds. Thanks!!!
Bought a used impact driver and it came with two dead batteries. The only external power supplies I have are a 24v power supply for my 3D printer and a 12v charger for my motorcycle. Went with the 12v because I didnt want to overload it knowing it wouldn't charge it, I was just hoping it would just kickstart it. AND IT WORKED! Followed your instructions for where to drill. Cant say thank you enough. Doubled my batteries thanks to you. Wish you all the good karma for the new year! Cheers!
You are so welcome . Glad my video can help!
Have a happy New Year!
Just fixed my non-charging ONE + battery put my 12v trickle charger into the drilled holes for 30 seconds, put it into my Ryobi charger and it is now taking a charge. WAHOO thank you saved me the price of a new battery!
Tom Broyles 👍
Thanks for this. Did exactly as you said and it worked. Took about 30 seconds for the circuit to get up to the right level. Amazing. Thanks again
Dude, 3 batteries working now. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome 👍
I did the same thing. I just took off the screws off the top though because I don’t you know, have a drill anymore. But I did this trick and used a car battery and it works great now!!
Awesome!!! I just did this and it worked. I had to get at least 15 volts back into the battery and reset the charger by unplugging and plugging it back into the wall, but after doing so, it charged fully. Thank you so much for this tip!
Thanks tomstuff460. Repaired 2 P103's yesterday following your + & - drill points.
Went to Goodwill & got a 29 volt 2 amp DC charger for 99 cents, stripped the leads & used that to jump charge the P103's back up to 18 volts. Took about 10 minutes each. One was at 6 volts the other was at 0!
Saved me up to $80.
Jonathan Kozak $80 is a nice amount of savings and you're welcome
You sir are a genius! Worked like a charm. I used an old car battery to boost for about 2 minutes. Was ready to ditch Ryobi but I have too many tools invested already.
You're welcome
Worked great! Drilled the holes, and then connected a charged battery to the terminals for awhile and later popped the 'dead' one on the charger and bingo! No more red blinker of death. Charged it up and it works.
Awesome 😀
5 Stars Brother... You saved me a lot of trouble as I live in the Philippines and getting any kind replacement parts from the US is a major hassle... not to mention you saved me some cash. Thumbs Up !! Took about 10 minute to get it charging. Great Instructions !!
cruisinkev1 you're welcome👍
Just tried it on batteries that have been dead for over a year & worked fantastic.
Awesome dude!
This totally works! I wasn't sure; found it hard to believe. Thank you so much for a really valuable hack
Magic 🎉 😊 it worked!!! Thank you!!! I boosted using 40v battery 🔋 2.5Ah to my “dead” 18V Ryobi. I thought fried it, but I let it charge for about 2 1/2 minutes. After that I had to put in a FREEZER 🥶❄️ for 30 minutes. And then it took the charge and now works like new again :)
@@dnipro25 NICE !
Yes! Thank you for your help with this battery problem that we are all victims of. Lesson learned, never leave your battery in the charger longer than it takes to charge it!
worked for me. i jumped it with a small atv battery for 10 seconds and it is now taking a charge. i put a little bit of latex calking in the holes. thanks for the info and saving my battery
knechvatal you're welcome👍
Best way to revive Ryobi batterys I've seen so far. Good job friend. Thumbs up.
Thank you
Great video... I used the Ryobi charger in this way. I clipped a positive and negative alligator clip to each one, and also clipped one lead to the center "sensor" lead, and attached that to the negative lead on the other end; while touching the combined negative/sensor lead to the negative side of the battery; while touching the positive side to the battery. Then I plugged and unplugged the charger about 5 times. The charger blinks fast "red" then switched to blinking "green". I started with 5 volts on the battery, and this quickly bumped it up to over 12; disconnected everything; put it back in the charger, and "voila" blinking Green charging light!!!
CAUTION: It is also very important to note that as you do this little trick that you do not leave it on the "fake by-pass" system more than a few seconds at a time, because a Lithium-Ion battery will "run away" pretty fast, and cause a fire. THE KEY HERE IS TO ONLY BUMP THE BATTERY UP TO A VOLTAGE(AROUND 12+) THAT THE CHARGER CAN SAFELY PICK IT UP AND RUN WITH IT.
Thanks for this. It worked.
Tip...if you don't have a power supply like in the video, you can use an AC adapter. I used a 10.5 V one; just cut and stripped the wires and put them through the two drilled holes to touch the respective + and - contacts. I think a 12v car battery would work. Must get polarity correct.
SuperJacknyc 👍
Great trick, it does work. I tried it tonight and the battery is on charge. I recommend you put some tape over the holes you drilled or some silicone to keep out moisture. Great information in this video. Whomever created this problem at Ryobi needs to get sacked. Thank you so much.
Silicone sounds like a great idea thanks
I just followed this and it worked great, saved the price of 2 batteries
I used a black and decker smart car battery charger at 2 amp, for about 20 seconds. Before this, voltage on battery was 6.5. After, 13.5.. I put it on the ryobi charger and got the green light. It is charging now, and looks promising. Thanks.
I took mine apart with a #10 security torx and jumped it like this. It works!
OMG! Thanks, we had 3 that just would not charge, went out and bought 2 new 3amp batteries yesterday thinking these were toast, holy crap it worked, so now we have 5 working batteries. Amazing, though we did the jumper from a new fully charged battery, 30 seconds and it was reading about 17 volts, put it in the charger and we're blinking GREEN. Way to go. Thanks.
L Johnson awesome👍
Thank you so so much for this video worked like a charm take me a couple of times of jumping it till I grabbed a hold of and it worked perfectly from there you’re the only smart one that figured out how to do this without taking the battery apart.
Great video: I didnt have that charging unit, but you mentioned or in the comments that it's like jump starting...so i just connected it with 2 wire to a charged battery for 1-2 minutes... And it then put in the charger AND IT WORKED. THANKS
You Tom, are good news ! I have used my batteries and didnt recharge them. they sat and this I will try on 4 battery packs that are in the low non working condition. Thanks tom *PS. some people think opening the case is best. I can tell you what you did was the best way. Too many people will fiddle with the wires and circuit board once open because they will be lost looking at all the connections etc. You totally zoomed right into two areas, the positive and negative and kept it really simple - GOOD JOB !*
Brilliant! Works like a treat. I jumped another Ryobi battery that I had for about 2 minutes and then popped it on the charger as is charging like a new battery. Thanks Tom.
So you used another identical battery that worked, to jump start the dead one for a minute and then put the dead one on the charger and it started charging again???
worked like a charm, I used a cheap Walmart 12v battery charger and 2 nails, charged the battery for about 1 min, and the charger read full, so I put on the Ryobi charger and the battery is now charging. +1
Joe Baker awesome👍
Just tried this and it worked just like the video discussed. I used a 12V car battery in place of his power supply.
Chuck B 👍
I came here to add that this worked perfect, after drilling the holes, I only had to bump the pack with a 12 volt fast charger for about 30 seconds. (Long enough to watch the gauge drop down) - don’t leave these packs discharged.
J Grizz thank you glad I could help!
This actually worked!!! After drilling the appropriate holes to access the battery leads, I had 4.99 volts. Just under the 5 volts the charger looks for before declaring the battery dead/nonchargeable. The battery is not actually "dead". Ryobi just wants people to continue to buy batteries. So, the circuit board in the battery is "programmed" to identify the battery as "nonchargeable" & that it should be "replaced". I don't have a power supply, but I hooked wires to the negative & positive terminals of a 12v marine battery I have in storage in my garage. I inserted the wires to the corresponding battery leads through the holes I drilled. I secured each wire with 2 mini-clamps & let it sit for 5-10 minutes pulling voltage from the marine battery. After I disconnected everything, I measured the voltage in the Ryobi battery using the drilled holes. I got a voltage reading of 14.5v. Way more above the 5v "threshold" used to declare the battery "nonchargeable". I put the battery 18v Ryobi battery into the charger & it started charging (flashing green light). Before, all I would get was a constant red flashing light. One note: The 1st time I put the 18v "revived" battery into the charger, it started charging (flashing green), but then it stopped. It went back to a constant blinking red light. Based on a few other videos I watched on UA-cam, I plugged & unplugged the battery charger itself several times with the battery in the charger. After that, the battery charged with no problems. I think the charger itself needed to be "reset" (i.e. "re-booted"). This simple "fix" must drive the battery manufacturers nuts.
greatwhite0075 thank you! great to know that information and glad it worked 👍
It would drive the manufacturers nuts if a majority of people knew about it. But the vast vast majority of consumers just buy new ones so Ryobi I'm sure doesn't give a shit at all.
Worked, I did not drill deep enough and seen a green like material. It looked like a circuit board and thought shit!
This was both sides, I scratched at it a little with a small screwdriver and hey presto!
Got my multimeter and got 6V, I used 2 wires and jumped it off another Ryobi battery for 20 seconds.
Put it in the charger it flashed red then green, red then green, red then green again but this time it stayed on green flashing.
Thank you for the video.
Worked great....I didn’t have the appropriate screwdriver bit and too far to drive to the store so tried your method, didn’t have a power supply but used another battery and that worked great
You're welcome!
You save money on the trip driving, not picking up new tools and without buying another battery pack👍💵💲
Reginald Ian Nolan
How exactly do I jump the 2 batteries together?
Very helpful, but I did not want to destroy the integrity of the case, so I removed the circuitry easily enough, using a #10 torx bit (Ryobi 18v Li). From there, smooth sailing. Thanks!
What is the trick to removing the screws from the battery? I have been trying to use a Torx 10, and only one screw came out. The others seem too small for a T10, so I tried a T8, and still nothing. It almost seems like there is a little metal post inside the screw that will not allow the screwdriver to sink into the screw. Any ideas?
@@mcamoeba23 it's call security torx bits they have a hole in the center, Harbor Freight $6.00 or E Bay same price.
This works perfectly as shown. I used a little 6-12 volt trickle charger designed for garden tractors- one minute charge time and the battery charged. Saved three batteries I was getting ready to replace.
Yes you save yourself about $90 awesome
Thanks dude!!! I had one of these exact batteries that went dead very quickly after I bought it. I have 4 other batteries but it just bugged me that this one was almost new and wasn’t working and I didn’t want to go find a receipt that I probably through away and wait to have it warranted. This totally worked and now it is charging as I type this!!.
A very great explanation on how to renew my p102, thanks !
I tried your fix,,,awesome idea,,I used a good charged battery as my jumper battery,,worked good
Worked perfectly! Took me two minutes to implement this fix and get the battery to charge. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome !
Great video I copied you're instructions word for word and it seems to be working perfect now thank you.
Thanks for this man. This is especially soothing after sending this to the store and they did not want to fix or replace even if it was still under warranty (and practically new). So it saved me a price of 3rd party repair / a new battery. I used voltage regulating adapter 12V 700mA and started charging after boosting to 12V from 1V.
That's awesome I'm glad it worked bud!
Dude! Your awesome. I only charged it with my 12v power supply for 1min, and it was enough for the ryobi charger to start charging it. You saved me a lot of cash. Thanks.
Joe Jaskolski .. you welcome!👍
Yepper had to revive one today. Jumped it with another ryobi batter. Only took 1-2 mins. Started with 0 volts..Thanks for posting this info.
Blues Man you're welcome glad I can help
Two thumbs way up! Worked perfect. All 3 of my "Defective" batteries are now blinking green! Thanks for sharing!
But I use a way smaller drill bit and put a paper clip on the ends of my wires from a regular 12 volt battery for 5 seconds at a time 5 times. Bazinga~
Sdavis Davis.. great idea never thought about drilling a smaller hole using a paperclip👍
This was brilliant - bonus, covered the holes with tape and now it's a quick fix next time the battery misfires - no need to disassemble again. Much appreciated.
BTW - I didn't have a power source so I just jumped it with another Ryobi battery that fortunately still worked. Now the dead battery is charging normally - had this happen before when draining the batteries all the way, now I unplug them from whatever tool when putting things away.
There’s a risk of damaging a lithium ion cell, shorting it out, and causing it to over heat and explode.
I was so mad when this happened to me! Saw your video and it worked like a charm!!! Thank you!
Works like a charm though I just connected another Ryobi battery for about 30 seconds then popped it in the charger. Thank you!
Awesome
Thank you. Used a 12 volt car charger daisy chained to some old wires on a battery that didn't even register on my voltage meter (another battery registered just fine). Saved me having to buy the security bits as well. Yo da man!
John Michael . You're welcome.
Just did this on one whose case screws were all stripped. Thanks! I covered the holes with electrical tape to help keep the insides clean.
Tim Thompson .... Awesome
I had a Ryobi 18 V battery that sat in my garage for over 18 months that would not take a charge.
The "Fix" was fast...easy & safe.
I used my 12VDC trickle charger ..held the "+" & the "- " cables to the battery posts for slightly over 2 minutes.
I then put the battery into the Ryobi battery charger.
The charger "Testing" cycle ran a little longer than normal then it started the charging cycle !
I did not do any disassembly ...I didn't drill any holes !
That means there was nothing was wrong with the battery. A true Ryobi lithium ion battery won't charge from the top terminals if it's completely dead. ⚡🔋
Worked Perfect! I used another 18volt battery to give it some power for about 5 seconds and it charged right up.
Awesome buddy! 👍
so you touched the positive and negative of the good battery to that of the dead battery?
Thanks! Works! Very well and so easy to doing it again thank... Next time don't drill the case use a screws to get the contract Pole and then connect with cables to the charger... Also this way is easy to cover with any glued
This was a great video. Didn’t fix my issue but proved the batteries were good and electronics were bad. Hole drill points were spot on and was able to test batteries through them.
Steve Berube .. on one of my batteries I bypass the electrical board directly and it works perfect and it still charges the battery pack. it crossed my mind to make another video about this
tomstuff460 just be careful. The circuitry is there also to prevent overcharge and battery explosion. Every LION battery requires that.
Dude!! Total score!! Saved my 3 batteries! Thank you so much!!
Scott Moss awesome you welcome!
I just did it and it worked! Thank you so much for this video I have a small battery charger and I just used skinny nails to attach to the positive and negative leads after about 2 minutes put the pack on the Ryobi charger and we're good to go thanks again
Kevin Mcguire you welcome👍
WOW! this really works... Drilled right where you said. My son threw his away and bought new ones. Not me I'm a tight wad. Told him about it. Asked why I didnt check with Utube sooner. Thanks
Man, that was the quickest and easiest fix. Greatly appreciated!!!
Extremely skeptical, but tried it and it worked just like he described. Thanks
Worked great. Thank you! I had some problems securing the wires into the 1/8 holes I had drilled. To ensure a better contact I found two suitable screws and drove those in until they were touching the contacts.
Peter Davies awesome thumbs up👍
Five Stars! Thank you Tom. Drilled exactly where you showed, and it jumped enough to charge in 5 or so minutes! Saved me time, money, and headaches.
I don't have a power supply or 12v car charger. Instead, I taped 14g wire into the holes, and then to the corresponding terminals on an identical, but working, Ryobi battery. Unplugged a few minbutes later, slammed that bad boy in the charger, and got the flashing green for the first time in MONTHS!!
Hats off to you, sir. Well done.
ColdRevenge86 thank you
Great Video. Sounds like it works. I had a similar issue and put my battery in the freezer for 10 minutes and then it charged. So i guess sometimes its the temperature sensor. My battery wasnt even hot - but its charging now.
awesome and easy fixed my year- old battery that wouldn't charge