Family Handyman
Here’s a tip for making lithium tool batteries last twice as long. Most kits come with two batteries. Take one of them and stick it in the refrigerator—with the milk, not in the ice cream. Lithium-ion batteries have a shelf life of only a few years even if you use them sparingly. And new batteries are expensive. But keeping one cold makes it last at least twice as long. Granted, you’ll be a little inconvenienced from time to time waiting for a dead battery to recharge, so this tip won’t be practical for the pros.
When the first battery finally gives up the ghost, you can start all over with a practically brand new one. And by the way, frequent full discharges will wear out your battery quicker. Several partial discharges with short recharges are better than running the battery dead and then giving it a complete refill.
