I’ve started labeling my “mystery box” batteries with dates, just to keep track.
Funny you mention that—I started doing something similar after I accidentally grabbed a battery that wouldn’t hold a charge for more than ten minutes. It’s wild how some just seem to give up overnight. Ever tried reviving an old one with those “battery reset” tricks? I’ve had mixed luck, but sometimes it actually works...
I’ve had those “miracle recoveries” with battery reset tricks too, but honestly, it’s hit or miss for me. Sometimes a deep discharge and recharge cycle brings one back from the dead, other times it’s just toast. I started writing the purchase month on mine after grabbing a dud mid-project—nothing kills momentum like swapping batteries every ten minutes. It’s weird how some last years and others just quit out of nowhere... I guess it depends on how hard they’ve been pushed.
I started marking my batteries with a Sharpie too, but then I realized I can't read half of my own scribbles when I'm crawling around in the crawlspace. Still, it's better than playing "guess which one is about to crap out" mid-project. That said, I swear there's some kind of battery lottery going on. Bought two packs from the same store, same day, same brand—one's still kicking after three years, the other barely survived a weekend of hanging drywall. Go figure.
I've tried those deep drain-and-recharge voodoo rituals, but honestly, I think my batteries just like to mess with me. Sometimes it works and I feel like a genius; other times, nothing but disappointment and a lot of muttering under my breath. My neighbor swears by the freezer trick—he sticks dead ones in the freezer overnight and claims it gives them a second wind. I tried it once and all I got was a cold battery and a weird look from my wife when she found it next to the frozen peas.
Honestly, if these things weren't so dang expensive, I'd just swap 'em out every year and call it good. But until someone starts handing out free batteries at the hardware store (not holding my breath), I'll keep squeezing every last drop out of mine—even if it means doing the battery shuffle halfway through a project. At least it's good cardio...
Man, the freezer trick cracks me up—my buddy tried that too and just ended up with condensation in his charger. I’ve had batteries that outlasted my interest in a project, and others that died before lunch. It’s like they know when you’re on a roll and decide to bail. At this point, I just rotate them like I do tenants—keep the good ones close and hope for the best. If only they appreciated rent payments as much as a full charge...
Batteries are a total mystery sometimes. I’ve had some that just keep going, and others that tap out halfway through a paint touch-up. I’ve never trusted that freezer trick either—seems like more hassle than it’s worth. Lately, I just label the good ones with tape and hope for the best. It’s wild how inconsistent they can be... maybe it’s just luck?