I've wondered about those cold-rated lithium packs too. Had similar battery issues last winter building a shed—temps dropped, and suddenly my cordless nailer was barely firing. Pneumatic's reliable, sure, but dragging hoses through tight spaces is a pain. Has anyone tried insulating battery compartments or using thermal wraps? Curious if that might help keep the batteries warm enough without constantly swapping them out...
"Has anyone tried insulating battery compartments or using thermal wraps?"
That's actually a pretty clever idea—never thought of insulating the battery itself. I've had similar frustrations with cordless tools in winter, especially when working outside on roofing or framing. Usually, I just keep spare batteries in my jacket pocket to keep them warm, but your idea sounds more practical long-term. Wonder if some kind of DIY foam insulation sleeve would work without overheating the battery? Might be worth experimenting a bit...
I tried something similar last winter when my batteries kept dying halfway through a roofing job. Just wrapped them loosely in some leftover bubble wrap and duct tape—looked kinda goofy but actually helped a bit. Didn't notice any overheating issues, but I wasn't exactly pushing them super hard either. Might try foam next time, though I'm guessing you'd wanna keep it thin enough to avoid trapping too much heat...
"Might try foam next time, though I'm guessing you'd wanna keep it thin enough to avoid trapping too much heat..."
Yeah, foam could work nicely—I've seen a few guys use those thin neoprene sleeves meant for water bottles. They're snug enough to insulate without overheating the battery, plus they're easy to slip on and off. Worth a shot maybe?
Foam or neoprene sleeves sound interesting, but honestly, I've just wrapped mine in an old wool sock before—worked surprisingly well. Looked ridiculous, sure, but hey, function over fashion when you're up on a roof...
