It is amazing how one becomes accustomed, over time, to less that great performance when one has nothing to compare it to. Two of my six (several years old) old batteries finally gave up the ghost and would not recharge. I use them on a cordless drill, pole-extension type chain saw and pole-extension type trimmer. I finally decided to start replacing them while the design was still available remembering the demise of the B&D Versa-Pack batteries. My batteries arrived very quickly. I had either never experienced or had totally forgotten what my equipment could do on new batteries. The model number was different but they were the batteries used by my tools. It took only one battery to do the job normally requiring two to three of the older ones and I still had the power and torque on my tools to continue on to the next project. They must've upgraded the cells in these new packs.
Were my old batteries ever this good? I just don't remember and don't think so, but I am, none the less, a very happy customer with these new ones. Black & Decker HPB18 18-Volt Slide-Pack Battery
I'm not sure where Amazon gets a $60+ retail price - Home Depot's price for this is $34.97. I'd be better off going to Home Depot to get it and then I get a competitive price AND no shipping. But it is a good product.
The original ones lasted from 2004 to 2009 with moderate use. Then both died around the same time. I actually ordered the HPB14 packs also by Black and Decker as replacements, it's the same unit, ten dollars cheaper, just doesn't say "firestorm" on the side.
I dug up an old manual and you should charge these batteries for 9 hours on first charge, then 3-6 hours for additional uses. That is assuming you are using the original basic charger.
I bought the whole B&D outdoor set (trimmer, blower, weedwack) a little over a year ago. It came with 3 of these batteries, which I faithfully kept charged as instructed in the manual. I used the tools less than the average person, yet the batteries already don't hold a charge, despite their claims of "no memory effect". Stay away from this product
I have only used these two batteries once. I charged them for a day and used them in a cordless weedeater. One battery lasted less than 5 minutes, the other less than 10.
I have several Black & Decker 18v tools, and they are useless without adequate batteries.
B&D advertises a longer-use battery but it appears to be unavailable.
I feel cheated by B&D.
I just bought this battery to replace the two original batteries, so I'm really reviewing the originals. They held up for four years with moderate (read "homeowner") use. I think that's exceptional, since I've read that getting just two years out of these batteries is good. Although I've had some trouble with Black & Decker battery chargers, the batteries themselves have performed better than expected. If the one I just bought does as well I'll be thrilled.
I bought the Black & Decker Firestorm 14.4-Volt Drill in 2002 and only used it about 20 hours that year and very little in years since. In 2006, I needed it again and the charger was dead. The new charger was able to charge the batteries but they didn't last very long and eventually wouldn't charge. The red light on the charger would not come on and the voltmeter showed zero volts. Then I saw a guy on YOUTUBE use a welder to shock the battery back to life. I didn't have a welder but I thought, why not try a car battery? I had some of these connectors that slide onto a metal tab. I don't know what they are called but I didn't want the arc to damage the battery metal. These stuck out enough that I could touch them with my jumper cables. I saw a small spark, like in the YOUTUBE video and I touched it about 4 or 5 times using only a car battery. I didn't expect it to work because in the video they were using high voltage. But, to my suprise, when testing with a battery tester it showed it was now in the green. WOW. So I slapped the charger on it and the charger light now showed it was charging, the red glow that was not on before. After about 4 hours I checked it by attaching the drill and it worked like it was new. I saved $40. I don't know how long it is going to last but maybe people are throwing away batteries that only need a jump start. I did the second battery and the results were the same. These are over 8 year old batteries! On the second battery I used a small variation. I shocked the battery in reverse for just one touch to fully drain the nicads. Then I did the 5 sparks again and it has charged up like new as well. I hope Amazon posts this because this technique doesn't sell many batteries. We'll see. By the way the PLUS Terminal is the outer one, closer to the edge of the FSB14 battery.
I have a Black and Decker string edger and a Black and Decker hedge trimmer that both use this 18 Volt slide in battery pack. My old batteries were only lasting 10 minutes after a charge so I decided to replace them rather than buying new equipment (original batteries were 5 years old). The old batteries are the notorious Nicad type that has memory issues. I had hoped that the new batteries would be NiMh, but no such luck, Nicad batteries once again!! You have to wonder why Black and Decker would continue to use battery technology that everyone else has given up on due to poor performance.
The replacement batteries fit and they do hold a charge after being used three or four times (first charge only lasted 15 minutes instead of the 30 that they should). They are now holding their charge for about 28 minutes of use, so they are working the way they should.
I rated the batteries as a three instead of a five due to the use of NiCad again!!!! - Battery - Black And Decker - Cordless Lawn Tools - Battery Packs'
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