Earlier this month we discussed a bit about Craftsman’s new NEXTEC QuickBoost 12V battery charger. A 25% charge in 3 minutes is quite an impressive feature, but it does bring up a few questions. Following are a few of our questions and answers that Craftsman was kind enough to offer:
Q: Will the QuickBoost charger be a standard feature in future NEXTEC kits?
A: The QuickBoost will some standard in select NEXTEC kits.
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Q: Does the QuickBoost actually ramp up the charging rate, or is it simply calibrated to stop the charging cycle once a 25% charge is reached?
A: The intelligent circuit board does increase the amount of charging but switches to standard charging once the 25% reached (standard charge time is 30 minutes for 100% charge).
Q: Is there the potential for long-term damage or a reduction in charge capacity if one uses the QuickBoost feature on a battery repeatedly?
A: No.
What I’m now wondering is which NEXTEC kits will feature the QuickBoost charger as a standard accessory? If Craftsman is planning to bundle the QB charger with NEXTEC cordless tool kits, it is much more likely that it will be included in new kits moving forward rather than tools already in stores.
This all leads to a more significant question – we know that a Craftsman 2nd Gen HammerHead Nailer is in the works, but what other types of tools will Craftsman be adding to the NEXTEC lineup this Spring?!
Craftsman QuickBoost Charger via Sears
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Todd @ Tool Box Buzz
I played around with this new charger at the 2011 IBS. At first I thought it was sort of a gimmick. However, after talking to guys on my crew I quickly realized the significance of this new charger. Within a few minutes you can go from dead battery to a charge sufficient to finish up a task you were working on. I have a feeling we’ll see more of this new technology as others evaluate it.
Stuart
Typical 10.8/12V Li-ion batteries these days charge in about 30 minutes. But, the charging rate isn’t exactly linear. For a typical charger-battery combo, a 3 minute charge will result in more than 10% charge. A 15 minute charge will result in more than a 50% charge. At, I don’t know, 75-80% (guessing here), charging rates slow down.
I don’t think that most other chargers can bring a battery to a 25% charge in 3 minutes, but I imagine that it should be feasible enough to do.
I actually don’t want to see other manufacturers produce these kinds of chargers. If they do, I can see a numbers war as they compete in a wild marketing game that will only confuse tool buyers and end users.
While I do see the merit of this type of feature, I think it’s as much about marketing as it is about a ramped up quick charging rate.
Dan Richards
I bought one of these last week, but to be honest, I don’t think I need it. The Nextec batteries last so long in the drill and lights, I’ve only had to charge them once in three days of average use, including extended usage of the lamps. Glad I got it, but so far I haven’t needed to use quick boost.
Roland
Can this charger be used on a 230 volt 50 hz supply with a transformer to reduce the voltage to 120 volts without damage ?
Stuart
No. Most 12V and 18V chargers can only operate at a single voltage. Craftsman chargers designed for the USA market won’t work with 230V outlets. I will double check, but I’m fairly certain the answer will still be no.