My drill battery won't charge - any tips?

Hey everyone, I've got a DeWalt 20V drill that's been solid for years, but today the battery won't charge. It's the original battery, so it's got some miles on it. I've tried a different charger, cleaned the contacts, and still nothing. Any ideas before I drop cash on a new battery? Thanks!

Hey Bob! That's a bummer. Before you shell out, check if the battery has a reset button or if you can jump-start it. Sometimes they go into sleep mode. I had a similar issue with a Ryobi, and I used a multimeter to check the voltage - if it's below a certain level, the charger won't recognize it. You might need to balance the cells or something. Also, make sure the charger is actually outputting voltage. Let us know what you find!

I'm with Dave. But if it's that old, it might just be time for a new one. I'm all about budget, so check out aftermarket batteries on Amazon - just make sure they're compatible. I got a pair for my Makita that work fine, though they don't last as long as OEM. But they're a fraction of the price. Also, don't throw away the old one - you can recycle it or even harvest the cells for other projects.

Thanks guys! I checked the charger's voltage and it's fine. The battery reads like 2 volts on the multimeter, so dead dead. I tried jump-starting with a 9V battery for a few minutes, but still no go. Looks like it's toast. Will, I'll look into those aftermarket ones, but I might just stick with OEM for reliability. Appreciate the help!

Yeah, 2V is pretty much dead. You could try to revive it by opening the case and charging each cell individually with a bench charger, but it's risky if you're not into that. For a drill you use often, probably better to just get a new one. Maybe see if any local tool repair shops can rebuild the pack - sometimes it's cheaper than new. Good luck!