How To Reduce Downtime with Power Tools
Whether on the jobsite or in the job shop, today’s high-demand cordless tools can drain batteries very quickly. As battery capacities have increased over the years, so has the charge time. This leads to prolonged downtime, waiting for batteries to be ready again. This problem is further compounded when batteries get overheated, as most chargers can’t charge a hot battery without the risk of damage. That will start to change on April 3, 2017, when Festool USA (Lebanon, IN) launches their new Airstream battery technology that promises to reduce charging times by up to 60 percent.
This Airstream charger not only provides a higher charging current (8 amps), but also a unique cooling system that reduces cooling time while providing faster recharge time. Overall, this leads to a time savings of over 60 percent. This new charging system pulls cooled air through the air intakes of the battery pack and channels airflow through the cells and into the charger while heat from both the battery and charger are exhausted to the side. Though this system is comprised of a newly designed, air-cooled charger and 18 V battery line with up to 6.2 Ah capacity for the entire line of Festool 18 V power tools and products, the new chargers can also charge existing Festool Li-ion battery packs.
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“While many manufacturers focus only on bigger battery capacities that require longer recharge times, we are focusing on greater capacity and reduced charging times,” says Leo Zirkler, their vice president of marketing. “This new charging system not only has a higher capacity battery available, it also provides a huge reduction in charging time.” The revamped 18 volt platform includes Airstream Charger SCA 8 and 5.2 Ah and 6.2 Ah batteries. In addition, a 6 amp charger (TCL 6) and a compact 18 volt battery (3.1 Ah) are also available. Either new charger is backwards compatible for previous generation Lithium Ion battery packs. Benefits and features of this new technology include:
- Faster: Re-charge with less downtime. Airstream batteries with the new SCA 8 charger re-charge 60 percent faster than previous charging technology (TCL 3 charger). And batteries equipped with Airstream design cool down 3X faster than non-equipped versions so the charging process can begin sooner, helping craftsmen get back to work more quickly.
- Easier: Onboard electronics of the SCA 8 charger feature a countdown timer so that users know when the batteries are ready for use and LED battery level indicators on the batteries display remaining capacity.
- Smarter: Internal dedicated cooling duct helps to quickly evacuate hot air in exchange for cool air providing a faster cool-down time for less waiting and also faster charging without risk of cell damage.
Festool USA, 400 North Enterprise Boulevard, Lebanon, IN 46052, 765-482-4500, www.festoolusa.com.
