How to convert a cordless electric screwdriver to an electric one

Reasons for redesigning a cordless electric screwdriver

The lack of a power source makes any volatile thing stupid. It is almost impossible to remake a dead battery, there is only one way out. reworking an electric screwdriver into a network one. The high price of a new battery makes the purchase impractical, in order to save money, owners of unused tools are wondering how to convert a cordless electric screwdriver into a network.

There are times when the used electric screwdriver is out of production, then it is almost impossible to find a new battery. an electric screwdriver without a battery is a completely useless thing that will collect dust on the garage shelf if nothing is done. The main advantages of the rework:

• The tool becomes operational, it may well replace a mini drill.
• No need to monitor battery level.
• The tightening torque is independent of the remaining battery charge.

The only drawbacks are the presence of a wire, dependence on the electrical network. After alteration, the device acquires an electric cable, which does not allow work in hard-to-reach places, far from the power source.

Connecting to an external power supply

An external battery is used when compact elements are inaccessible or the need for continuous operation of the tool.

Cordless electric screwdriver connected to an external power supply

It is worth remembering the steps during disassembly or taking pictures, since intervention and alteration of the electrical circuit of the electric screwdriver is performed, the assembly will need to be done exactly in the reverse order.

Replacing old elements

When purchasing new battery cells in radio components, it is necessary to check their capacity and voltage on the spot.

In case of improper storage, the batteries lose their capacity, do not meet the declared characteristics.

• Unscrew the screws securing the case, remove the cover and the old battery cells.
• Place new cells, soldered together, into the battery case.
• Assemble in the reverse order, after alteration try the work.

When soldering, you must act quickly, otherwise overheating of the battery can cause an unusable condition due to temperature changes.

Homemade power supply

When working with a soldering iron, it is necessary to check the connection to the network of the battery cells and the self-made unit; if there is a connection, it is necessary to de-energize all power sources for safe operation.

Alteration work is carried out step by step, to obtain the result you need a little experience when soldering and installing boards:

• Dismantling and dismantling the old battery case;
• In accordance with the diagram, install the elements on the circuit board, solder the contacts and connections.
• After soldering, check the output voltage with a multimeter.
• Assemble the board to the battery case.
• Connect the appropriate wires to the low voltage outputs of the instrument.
• Check operation by connecting the converted device to the network.

Connecting to car battery

Connecting to a car battery will make it possible to work autonomously without a power supply. The parameters of an electric screwdriver can be from 10.8 to 14.4 volts, a charged car battery is capable of producing an average of 12.5 volts of voltage. To use, you need to connect two power wires with crocodiles to the screwdriver.

Connecting to car battery

Alteration is carried out after the disassembly operation, then connecting the power wires to the wires of the electric drive of the electric screwdriver. In the absence of a soldering iron, it is possible to simply connect with a twist, but this does not guarantee reliable contact. After connecting the contacts, isolate the wires and test the tool during operation by connecting to the battery.

Mounting the finished power supply in the old battery case

If it was possible to purchase a power supply unit with the corresponding indicators on the market, installation and alteration is carried out in several simple steps:

How to convert cordless drill to corded, Black & Decker

• Dismantle the old battery housing, remove the spent elements.
• Install a new power supply so that it fits snugly against the case, if necessary, you can glue it, connect high voltage wires (output from a 220 volt outlet).
• Connect the low voltage terminals to the power supply of the electric motor of the wrench, in the absence of contacts, the wires will have to be re-soldered.
• Assemble the body after rework and install the unit on an electric screwdriver.

Mounting the finished power supply in the old battery case

It must be remembered that compact power supplies are heated in an enclosed space, therefore several holes must be drilled on different sides of the case for ventilation.

How to remake a cordless electric screwdriver

The cordless electric screwdriver is used everywhere, both in the household and in small industries. Mobility and autonomy allow you to perform work away from the electrical network for a certain time. The battery has a certain number of charge cycles, after which it is not suitable for further use. There are several reasons, the battery is a very capricious element that breaks down even if not properly stored and inactive. The high price of an electric screwdriver prompts you to learn how to convert a cordless electric screwdriver into a network.

Connecting to the power supply from a computer

electric screwdriver connected to the computer’s power supply

These PSUs are distinguished by the presence of their own cooling system, protection against voltage surges. Only two output wires are used for connection, yellow. 12 volts “plus”, black ground.

The disadvantage of this option is that the power supplies must be worn during work and installed in a well-ventilated place.

It is possible to attach a handle for mobility. It is important to understand that cordless screwdrivers with a required voltage of more than 14.4 volts will not work from this method of supplying energy.

What is needed for rework

• charger included with the cordless electric screwdriver;
• electric cable (multicore);
• worn out battery.

In addition to the above, you must prepare an insulating tape, a screwdriver, a soldering iron, solder and phosphoric acid for soldering.

How to convert a 220 volt electric screwdriver correctly

When the batteries fail, you have to think about how to remake an electric screwdriver for 220 volts. Replacing an energy source is sometimes too costly and troublesome. Some types of batteries are almost impossible to find on sale.

Step-by-step instruction

• Disassemble the battery: unscrew all the screws hidden under the stickers. The batteries inside are interconnected. Two wires fit to them: red and black (-).
• Cut off the wires from the batteries. It is necessary to cut off from the elements, and not from the battery contacts.
• Connect the wire to the open contacts of the charger by soldering, after pretreating the brass terminals with phosphoric acid. This will ensure a reliable connection between brass and copper cable.
• Insulate the joints.
• In the case where the batteries were located, insert a weight as a counterweight.
• Solder the battery leads inside the case to the free contacts of the cable, observing the polarity. If polarity is reversed, the tool will work but rotate in the opposite direction.
• Connect the plug to the network and check if it works.
• Additionally, in the housing of the electric screwdriver, make a hole for the wire on the left side. To ensure a snug fit, make a “lock” of duct tape.

The benefits of rework

The home craftsman rarely uses fitting and assembly tools. The cordless electric screwdriver lies idle for a long time. And during this period, an arbitrary discharge occurs in the power source, which leads to changes in the internal structure.

Having remade an electric screwdriver for 220 volts, the home craftsman gets the following advantages:

• no time-consuming charging required;
• storage does not entail violations in the design of the tool;
• mains supply provides constant torque.

Cordless to corded drill conversion without torque loss

The minus of the converted electric screwdriver is one: connection to the mains.

Important! A battery that has been disassembled and removed from the housing must not be thrown into the trash can. It is disposed of in specialized services.

Power supply recovery

If the power supply is inoperative, external sources are suitable for replacement:

• power supply unit from a PC or laptop;
• car charger;
• homemade power supply.

Alteration of power supplies from any other devices consists in connecting a low-frequency cable to the charging outputs. Reliable and durable operation will be provided by a power supply unit with a capacity of 300. 350 watts.

Laptop chargers with an output voltage of 12 to 19 volts are suitable for resuscitation of the instrument. In this case, the output plug is removed, the wires are stripped and soldered to the cable of the required length.

A reliable option for long-term work will be a power supply from a computer. Its advantages are the presence of a cooler in the design, which prevents overheating of the transformer.

Converting a 220 volt electric screwdriver is quite simple. The procedure does not require material costs. The converted tool will last more than one year, provided that the master does everything correctly.

Alteration with a standard battery and charging

Alteration of a cordless electric screwdriver to a network in this case assumes that the circuit is assembled on the basis of a standard charger. The following materials will be required:

• Charger;
• Accumulator battery;
• 2-3 meters of flexible stranded copper wire, with two conductors, section 2.5-4 mm2;
• The usual set of tools and consumables, a soldering iron, solder, electrical tape or heat shrink tubing of the appropriate diameter to the wires. To disassemble an electric screwdriver, you will need a screwdriver, side cutters and an assembly knife for cutting and stripping wires.

The sequence of operations in the process of converting an electric screwdriver into a network:

• The cover is removed from the charger case;
• The ends of the wire are soldered to the output contacts of the charger board, which are connected to the battery during charging, observing the polarity. A core with red insulation. to the “” terminal, with blue insulation. to the minus terminal;

• Polarities can be determined by the inscriptions on the board or the product case. For reliability, you can turn on the charging and measure the 12V output with a multimeter, and determine the contacts by polarity;
• Galvanic cells are removed from the battery case;

How are galvanic cells removed from the battery compartment?

Thus, the screwdriver is transformed into a network one. When the device is plugged into the socket, the corresponding voltage of 12 or 18 VDC will be supplied to the input circuit of the electric screwdriver.

Polarity is recommended but not required. When the polarity changes, the motor shaft will rotate in the opposite direction, all modern screwdrivers have a polarity change switch, in fact, the rotation of the electric screwdriver chuck is reversed.

Important! The terminals on the charger board are usually made of a brass alloy, they must be soldered to copper wires with acid solder or removed altogether, and the wires must be soldered to the tracks of the printed circuit board.

Before soldering, holes are made in the battery and charger cases through which the wire is pulled. For a more rigid fixation within the body, you can tie it into a knot and wind up electrical tape so that the winding diameter exceeds the hole Ø.

Conversion of an electric screwdriver to power from an outlet network

In the economy of a modern person, an electric screwdriver is not a rare tool, practically this tool is an analogue of an electric drill. The advantage of this type is considered to be autonomous power supply from a portable battery embedded in the lower part of the handle. The battery must be periodically charged from the mains through a special charger; with prolonged use, the battery fails, replacement is required, and they are not cheap. Therefore, many users are thinking about how to remake a cordless electric screwdriver so that it works on a 220 volt network.

Sometimes consumers decide that it is necessary to convert an electric screwdriver into a regular electric drill powered from a wall outlet. The question arises how to do this with less time and money. If you have certain knowledge in electrical engineering and practical skills, then powering an electric screwdriver from a 220V network is not difficult to do. There are several ways using various devices to convert electricity to the appropriate form to rotate the motor of an electric screwdriver.

Replacing a faulty charging board with a power supply unit from a computer

In the case when the charging board is faulty in the control unit of the electric screwdriver, in order to make the network option, a power supply unit with parameters suitable for voltage and power is installed. Sometimes the power supply comes from a personal computer. It should be borne in mind that the mains power is converted to 12 volts DC, an electric screwdriver at idle consumes a current of up to 4A, for a short time at the moment of tightening. more than 40A, then the peak value of power consumption can be up to 480 W.

You can install a PSU from a laptop, they are compact and easy to use, but the maximum power of these models is within 100W, a little more is not always enough.

The output voltage is 19V, there are screwdrivers with such a power supply.

Power (P) = 19 A x 6.15 A = 117 W, then you can add a 12V converter, and the screwdriver will idle and tighten the bolts with little effort. When screwing self-tapping screws into a dense wooden surface, such a power supply may not last long. it will burn.

Location of the power supply inside the PC system unit

It is safer to use power supplies from the system units of stationary computers. They are more powerful and in all respects are suitable for connection to screwdrivers.

The peak power of such a power supply is 500W; the rated load for long-term operation is 460W, this is just what you need for an electric screwdriver with a 12V power supply.

There is a fan on the top cover of the metal case, which is connected via connectors to the board. Ventilated cooling allows the PSU to withstand high peak loads of 500W for a few minutes. Sometimes the fans are located on the side walls, it depends on the PSU model.

To connect such a power supply to a screwdriver, you need to perform just a few operations:

• Disconnect all power supply connectors from the motherboard and other elements of the system unit;
• Unscrew the fastening screws on the case of the power supply unit and the system unit, then remove it from the system unit;
• There are no problems with connecting to a 220V network, a wire with a connector is included in the power supply kit;
• You will have to look for a 12 volt output, there are even two of them in this PSU model, you can find it by the marking on the printed circuit board. On some connectors, the output voltage is written opposite the pins;

How to Convert Cordless Drill to Corded

For your information. When there are no inscriptions, you can navigate by the color of the conductors; in this series, 12V power supplies are connected from the board to the connector with wires with yellow insulation. The minus connection is done with black wires.

Note! In our case, a pulsed power supply unit is used, which will not start outside the system unit circuit. Without going into the details of the operation of individual semiconductor elements, we will simply accept as an axiom that a refinement is needed, which consists in a simple jumper.

• The green wire, designed to turn on the PSU according to the standard scheme, must be connected to the black conductor, this is done right on the board. An extra piece of green wire is bite off, the remaining end is stripped and soldered to the board track to the black conductor;

Modification in the power supply unit AX500-A, installation of a jumper

• After the completion of the power supply unit, you can plug it into the network and check the presence of 12V on the selected pair of wires with a multimeter;
• The yellow and black conductors can be lengthened and the connector soldered to them;
• In the battery case for connecting an electric screwdriver, as in previous cases, galvanic cans that have served their life are removed, and the mating connector to the mowing line from the power supply is installed. The options may be different, you can solder the cord to the screwdriver, and the connector can be connected to the power supply, as you like;

The conclusions from the 12V power supply are soldered to the connector going to the electric screwdriver

• When soldering connectors and connections, do not forget to first put heat-shrinkable tubes on the wires and shrink them with a hot air gun, isolating the soldering points. As a last resort, do it with ordinary duct tape;
• Unused leads from the power supply unit can be bitten off or rolled up, the ends can be insulated and folded inside the case.

Note! Remember to connect the fan when assembling the case. If you unsoldered or bit off it during the installation process, you need to remember the connection contacts. The fan is powered by a 12V mowing line, by this indicator, you can easily find the connection points of the electric screwdriver.

Ways to remake a cordless screwdriver

Converting an electric screwdriver to mains power consists in converting a 220V AC voltage to a 12 or 18V DC voltage. One of the safest and easiest ways to convert an electric screwdriver into a network version is to use its standard components.

Transformer circuit for powering an electric screwdriver

One of the available ways to quickly power an electric screwdriver from the network is to use a classic circuit with a 220V / 12-15V step-down transformer and a diode bridge, an AC-to-DC converter.

All elements are easily placed in any case, the necessary controls, monitoring and indication are displayed on the front panel.

Transformers and diodes with appropriate parameters, withstanding powers of more than 100W, can be taken from old household appliances (TVs, tape recorders), from voltage stabilizers and other power supplies. If necessary, we redo the transformer, wind up the secondary winding or put an output in the winding at a certain number of turns, to achieve 12-15V at the output.

Installation of elements of the transformer power supply unit in the case

It is recommended to place the diodes on a duralumin heatsink, which effectively removes heat, extending the service life. Having certain practical skills and knowledge in electrical engineering, the transformer can be wound with your own hands.

There are many power supplies on the market with suitable characteristics to power the screwdriver from the mains, but this requires financial costs. If you have an old system unit from a PC, it is easy to remake the power supply, especially since, if necessary, it is easy to restore it to its original state and use it for its intended purpose.