Battery charger advice request

[user 37593]

Hi, I have a B&D 36V cordless strimmer which no longer charges. But I don't know whether it's the battery or the charger that's faulty. I could buy either, (each is forty quid or so) but could easily end up buying the wrong item. I tried testing the charger by putting a voltmeter across some of the several connections the battery slides onto. On some combinations I get a variable voltage, starting at maybe 18V, but then dropping to near zero over about 10 seconds. I have no idea what to expect.

Any ideas?

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

How old is the battery?

 

[user 37593]

Hi Richard, it's about 4 years old, so it could well be dead. I'm just puzzled by the voltage I'm getting from the charger, and it would be good if there was an explanation for that before I spend money.

 

[Geoff1946]

I doubt if you can get sensible voltages from the charger without a serviceable battery connected. Coupled with the fact that you don't know what the various connections are I doubt if you can test it like that.
Batteries fail much more often than chargers, so unless you have abused the charger in some way the odds are on battery failure.
Personally I would buy a new battery. A second battery is potentially useful anyway, a second charger isn't.

 

[user 37593]

I doubt if you can get sensible voltages from the charger without a serviceable battery connected. Coupled with the fact that you don't know what the various connections are I doubt if you can test it like that.
Batteries fail much more often than chargers, so unless you have abused the charger in some way the odds are on battery failure.
Personally I would buy a new battery. A second battery is potentially useful anyway, a second charger isn't.

I like your logic Geoff, thanks.