Dremel Battery Not Charging (6 Reasons Explained!)


dremel not charging

The last thing you want is for a Dremel battery to stop charging. A battery that cannot charge is useless. But that raises a question. Why would a Dremel battery stop charging?

Dremel Battery Not Charging – Why?

1). Dremel Battery Has Limited Lifespan

Batteries are not infinite. Given enough time, they will all stop working. Some people don’t want to wear their batteries out by using them too frequently. But even if you left your Dremel battery in storage, it would eventually stop working.

Dremel batteries use nickel-cadmium cells which are cheap. They are not designed to hold a charge for long periods. Additionally, they will fail after a while.

Therefore, if you bought your battery years ago, the fact that it has stopped charging shouldn’t surprise you.

2). Faulty Charger

The charger is another common culprit. Don’t forget. The battery and charger must play their parts for the charging process to occur. The charger will provide the charge while the battery accepts the charge.

But what if the charger has failed to deliver the current the battery needs to charge? You won’t realize that the charger is faulty until the battery refuses to charge.

Before throwing your Dremel battery away, take a moment to inspect the charger. Is it healthy? Does it have breaks and burn marks? What about the power cord? Does the jacket have tears?

Have you tested the charger with a multimeter? Insert the battery into a second charger. If it starts charging, the first charger has a problem.

If your Dremel charger is faulty, check out the new charger at Amazon.

3). Connection Between Battery & Charger Is Poor

Some Dremel batteries will refuse to charge because the connection between the battery and charger is poor. When you push the battery into place, make sure you hear a slight click.

Otherwise, you cannot trust the connection. If you’re uncertain about the connection, remove the battery and re-insert it.

4). Clogged Contacts

Have you looked at the contact points on the battery? If they are dirty, they may interfere with the connection between the battery and charger. Try cleaning the contacts and re-inserting the battery.

If the battery starts charging, you have identified the problem. If the battery refuses to charge, inspect the contacts once again. Are they damaged? Some damaged contacts can be fixed. Others cannot.

5). Faulty Outlets

Have you connected the charger to a suitable power source? Maybe the outlet is the problem. If you usually use an extension cord, try plugging the charger directly into a wall outlet.

If you connected the charger to a wall outlet, but the battery has refused to charge, check the wall outlet for signs of damage.

6). Dead Battery

The battery is dead. Batteries don’t have to wear out to die. You can damage the devices by exposing them to extreme temperatures, short circuits, surges, throwing them down, etc. You can’t charge a dead battery.

How To Fix A Dremel Battery That Is Not Charging?

You can try boosting the battery. The process sounds complex because you have to cut the end off an old AC adapter, preferably one you don’t need. The goal is to strip the positive and negative wires, exposing the conductors beneath.

Remove the battery’s casing and touch the probes of a multimeter to the terminals of the battery (red probe to the positive and black probe to the negative).

The readings will show you whether or not the battery is still viable. The next step involves touching the negative terminal with the black wire and the positive terminal with the white wire.

Don’t forget to plug the adapter into a power source before proceeding. You should also hold the wires against the terminals for a minute or so to boost the battery.

Use the multimeter to test the battery. The readings should be higher than before. The-Art-Of-Doing-Stuff has pictures that explain this process in greater detail.

If boosting the battery fails, you can try the following solutions:

1). Have you touched the battery? Is it hot? Sometimes, it is enough to let the battery cool. Disconnect it from the charger and leave it alone for a little while. Once it cools, try charging it again.

2). I want you to clean the contacts and terminals. Use an alcoholic solution. Debris can prevent the battery from creating a secure connection with the charger. This prevents the battery from charging.

Sometimes, cleaning the contacts is not enough. There is a situation where the battery pins are damaged. Blockages have easy solutions. But if the pins and terminals are damaged, you should consult a technician.

You may do more damage by trying to fix the pins. A technician will determine whether or not the problem can be fixed.

3). Make sure the connection between the battery and charger is secure. Pull the battery out and insert it again. Sometimes, you have to apply gentle pressure until you hear a click.

You should also pay close attention to the connection between the charger’s power cord and the power source.

4). Are you using the correct charger? Check the Dremel website. It will recommend a charger for their batteries. The wrong charger may not work, especially if it comes from a different brand. Some chargers have the wrong specs. They are not strong enough to charge your Dremel batteries.

Test your theory by using a second charger. If the battery charges, the first charger has a fault. If the battery refuses to charge, the first charger is OK.

Ultimately, if the battery is defective, you should get a new one. You can try fixing the battery, and you may even succeed. But it is only a matter of time before it stops working.

Therefore, you are better off getting a new one. Don’t wait for the old one to stop working at an inconvenient time.

How Do You Know Dremel Battery Is Damaged?

A damaged battery will stop charging. In some situations, the charging light will come on even though the battery isn’t charging. In other cases, the charging light will stay off.

If you have a multimeter, you should test the battery. The readings will fall significantly below the voltage rating of the battery, proving once and for all that the battery is either dead or dying.

You may also notice that the battery loses charge very quickly. Additionally, a basic inspection may reveal signs of physical damage such as cracks and burn marks.

A battery with burn marks should scare you. Many laypeople do not realize that damaged batteries can start fires. This is also true for leaking batteries. Throw them away the moment you notice the leaks and burn marks.

Can You Replace A Dremel Battery?

Yes, you can replace Dremel batteries. Batteries do not last forever. After a while, they will wear out. Therefore, you don’t have a choice in the matter. At some point, you will replace your Dremel batteries. Fortunately, the process is straightforward.

If you are looking for a replacement, check out the new Dremel Batteries at Amazon.

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One thought on “Dremel Battery Not Charging (6 Reasons Explained!)

  1. Hey Stellar! Thanks for all the possibilities my Dremel (model 7300) which uses the 4.8 & 7.2V charger isn’t holding a long charge like it had been. This is my 3rd one. 1st bit the bullet in 2010 – plugged it into a hotel outlet. Had been working well before that. Suspect there may have been a power surge. 2nd one quit holding charge almost overnight by about 2017 – still wonder if someone in the household may have dropped it or something. Totally understand general life expectancy of re-chargeables isn’t forever. However, being a use/reuse/repurpose person, was considering perhaps the contacts need cleaning or something more indepth. This time I don’t want to toss it without checking more. Queried online for all possibilities and possible fixes: your info will help. Thanks a bundle. (Mom of 3 science/tech guys – nope, not going to ask them about something not highly valuable! The new large boiler for my heating system, water heater, electrical wiring, etc is when I call them!) PS – sorry for the long “comment”. It all comes down to “THANK YOU – YOUR DETAILED INFO IS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.” pfft.

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