You may be able to upgrade to Skil 18v lithium ion batteries
Buying a Skil 18v power tool is an investment, and replacing them because you are unhappy with their battery performance is often a waste of money. If you like the tool itself, you should either get replacement Skil 18v batteries, or see if you can upgrade them to get even better performance. A lot of times your tool will only be compatible with one battery model. In this case, your only choice is to get new ones of the same model. Chances are, you have either not maintained your batteries properly (bad charging habits), which causes them to loose performance prematurely; or they are simply past their usable age limit.
However, some 18v power tools are capable of using Skil 18v lithium ion batteries that have much better performance than the stock NiCad ones that originally came with your tool. They are a bit more expensive, but you get a lot of benefits by upgrading to them. They weight up to half the weight of NiCad, which will make your cordless tool much easier to operate. They also hold their charge for many months, so they will always be ready to use. They charge much faster and, most importantly, are not prone to memory problems that will reduce the lifespan of a NiCad battery. There are a couple of Skil 18v lithium ion batteries that may fit your power tool:
The Skil SB18B-LI 18 volt Lithium-ion battery:
This model will fit the following cordless power tool models: 2810, 2887, 2895, 2897, 4570, 5850, 5995, 7305, 9350.
The Skil SC118B-LI 18v Lithium-ion battery with 1 hour charger:
The model will fit the following cordless power tool models: 2810, 2887, 2895, 2897, 4570, 5850, 5995, 7305, 9350
If you do not have a model that is compatible with these batteries, and you are set one buying yourself a new lithium ion tool, I highly encourage you to take a look at the new models that Skil has to offer. Skil 18v batteries with lithium ion technology are very good, and can be purchased for considerably less money than models by other manufacturers such as Makita or DeWalt. These often are designed for professional users; so as a homeowner or casual user, you would be paying for features that you won’t need. Skil 18v cordless power tools and Skil 18v lithium ion batteries, chargers, parts and accessories are great value, and the best choice for people who want a “prosumer” product.
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