I'm curious if there's a way to adapt AA or AAA batteries to power an 18 or 20V max tool. It seems like it should be possible to connect around 16 of these batteries in series, but is there actually a product that fits this need?
2 Answers
I attempted something similar once to create a 9V battery from AAs capable of pushing about 1,300 amps (in theory). After gathering a ton of AA batteries, I learned the hard way just how tricky it is. When the voltage across cells varied, it caused big issues—like overheating and failing because they couldn't recharge. It was an interesting project though!
Using AA batteries for high-drain tools isn't really feasible. Standard AA batteries can only output about 2A, while the batteries designed for power tools deliver at least 15A. For AA cells to even come close, you'd require many of them in setups, like 8 parallel lines of 12 cells in series. So, yeah, it's unlikely to work well.
Yeah, you nailed it! I was also thinking about how the Energizer lithiums only push out around 3A. It's clear why we don't see these adapters.
Wow, that sounds wild! I'm down for some battery-building adventures anytime. What a sight it must have been!