The Dangerous Reason Why You Should Avoid Resetting Your Ryobi Batteries

Ryobi brand power tools can deliver you hours of dependability, but when the battery pack starts acting up, they don't provide the same power you expect. Various online tips may share how to "reset" the lithium-ion battery to get it back into working order, but you should avoid these. Some advice by Ryobi owners say you need to shock the battery's cells to accept power with a phone charger, but this hack doesn't come without risks. Not only is this process not recommended by Ryobi, but it takes some time and is quite dangerous. You could start a fire and injure yourself. Instead, the manufacturer offers a safe and effective way of returning the power to your Ryobi products without the danger.

Battery packs for Ryobi products use a lithium-ion battery and often recharge via an outlet. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for power tools, cell phones, and other consumer electronics. Each battery consists of cells with an anode, cathode, and electrolyte. They also include a positive connector and a negative connector. A separator keeps the anode and cathode from coming into contact with each other as a prevention for short circuits. When charging, the lithium ions move through the battery from the anode to the cathode. The ions' movement is what creates the charge, powering those beloved must-have Ryobi tools for DIY projects galore. Trying out this unsafe method to reset the battery could disrupt the charging process and overload the circuits. One wrong move, and you could end up causing a problem much bigger than a battery that isn't charging.

The delicate machinery of a lithium-ion battery isn't made to be tampered with. Forcing a new charge into your Ryobi battery can overwhelm the cells, overheating them and possibly causing a chemical reaction called thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction of uncontrolled heat, which can ignite your battery. The heat will rapidly intensify, and as it has nowhere to escape, the cycle continues until it results in a fire or explosion unless cooled. 

Stripping your Ryobi battery to reset it can result in various mistakes, such as touching the anode and creating a short circuit or breaking the separator. Even if you were able to succeed in restarting your battery, you don't have any guarantee you did it safely. You might unknowingly weaken the components and cause more heat generation during your next regular charging cycle. It's possible you could have a problem hidden deep in the cells and you won't know until your battery catches on fire. 

Instead of risking a fire, check your warranty to see if your batteries are covered. All Ryobi batteries feature a 3-year limited warranty and are eligible for replacement if they're not working within the warranty period. You may also be able to submit it for Ryobi Rapid Repair depending on the battery model. Both of these options are a better way to resolve a dead Ryobi battery. 

You can troubleshoot the batteries by trying out simple and safe tasks like checking for any debris in the connectors. Perhaps it just needs a little maintenance to start working correctly again. It could also be that your battery has just reached the end of its lifespan — lithium-ion batteries don't last forever. For batteries older than three years, it's possible that it can't hold a charge as well and needs to be replaced. Be sure you ensure the longevity of your Ryobi batteries by storing your battery away from extreme temperatures and away from areas that can reach below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also never store a fully discharged battery. Instead, store it partially charged to reduce chance of capacity loss.