Cordless tool battery upgrades

So, im down to one working battery in my porter cable 18v nicd kit. Id rather not replace all the tools.

Is it possible to update to lithium or whatever batteries? Or do i just order standard replacement batteries from amazon?

PORTER-CABLE PC18B 18-Volt NiCd Cordless Battery Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029T6W84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8UCezbEHDT9F6

These batteries are the ones in question

According to porter cable, you can use lithium batteries with the tools you already have. (In 2009 when they started introducing lithium batteries in their professional line)

Check around locally, there may be a battery refurbish company nearby, could repair or replace cheap. There are 2 in my dinky little town.

What also works is connecting a high amp charge to the batteries in pulses. Like a welder or jump pack. Look up a write up, but I've done it before and gotten a few more months out of E36 M3 batteries.

Thats pretty cool.

Any idea what lithium baytery would replace my current ones?

And is it worth the money to upgrade? All my friends have the lithium battery tools, and they seem to go longer on a charge and work harder at the voltage.

The 18 volt lithium lx looks right. Like this one

As long as it's 18v, they seem to have the same connector so should work, according to porter cable. The 20v Max batteries will NOT work, but all 18v tools are compatible with 18v nicd and litho.

A note I've learned about lithium though, you want the highest amp hour batteries you can find for things like sawzalls, circular saws, grinders. Something like a sawzall just eats 2ah batteries, you want a 4 or higher for those tools.

To wander from the topic a little bit, when I got my first rigid set, I had to buy more batteries for the sawzall. I averaged 6 cuts with the 2ah, was able to build a whole green house 20x25x10 with 2 4ah batteries. The sawzall bare tool was 120, but the 4ah batteries to run it were also 120. But that's rigid tools from home depot.

I'm not seeing amp hour ratings directly on porters site, but they should be written on the package if you look at Lowe's.

And don't forget the certified preowned outlet store Link here

Most brands of tools at a healthy discount, like a CPO car.

I went in one of those Batteries and More stores a while back. Fascinating. This is not really helpful to your problem, Duster, but I'd recommend checking one out. Batteries of almost every description, and the ability to rebuild your old ones...for a price.

I had a cordless impact (1/2"). Not cheap. Barely used, and I kept one battery on the charger at all times (A mistake. Who knew?). The batteries went bad, and I took them to the store to be "rebuilt". It would be within a few dollars of simply buying a new impact, complete with new batteries. This is how we fill landfills.