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Einhell 18V Drill Driver Conversion to Mains Power: Transformer, Rectifier, Capacitors Specs

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  • #1 17215037
    skorpionik81
    Level 2  
    Posts: 4
    Hello. I have a small problem because I lost the battery for the drill driver. I gave her time for a few hundred and the power cables on the market is like a medicine, and the better ones still do not have everything I would like to have in a screwdriver, so I'm not interested in buying a new one, the current one was great.

    So I want to convert my 18 volt Einhell to mains power. I read in other sample topics that you will need a transformer, rectifier and probably filtering capacitors. I have a few questions:

    What parameters must these devices have? In the subject I saw that up to 12 volts a 14 volt transformer was proposed, the rectifier seems to be a graetz bridge, and capacitors I have no idea. So what, up to 18 volts should I give a 20 volt transformer?
    Likewise, I have no idea how to put it all together. My guess is that the transformer will be the first to support, then followed by the rectifier and these capacitors? How to glue it together? What capacity do they have to have in order not to screw the screwdriver?

    Couldn't you just use the power supply to this screwdriver's battery by connecting it directly to the cable?

    Questions if someone seems stupid or provoking senseless adventure / malice let this type of answer go away, not everyone is an electronics engineer and not everyone has mega knowledge in this subject (I have the minimal one) and I want to save it somehow, especially since duplicate batteries I can't get this screwdriver because it's over 10 years old.
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  • #2 17215095
    gold-game
    Level 21  
    Posts: 841
    Help: 64
    Rate: 153
    Buddy, the easiest, fastest, cheapest will be when you power your 19V screwdriver with a power supply from some laptop. Buy some used 19V power supply, e.g. 4.74 A or more powerful as you will find and a problem with your head. In addition, the power supply has small dimensions.
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  • #3 17215136
    nostromo
    Level 15  
    Posts: 89
    Help: 4
    Rate: 23
    Allo, I don't know what power your two screwdriver has, how I fell the cells in my 18V screwdriver, I took out the old cells, in their place I pasted a piece of iron (of similar weight as the cells) 8 capacitors 1000uF / 40V, connected a 5 meter cable 2x 1, 5mm? and used an old laptop adapter. In my case it was a Compaq PPP012L power supply (18.5V, 4.9A). You can also use one of the companies that deals with the exchange of cells. A friend sent an old battery from the screwdriver to this company and praises himself: www.bto.pl/B2CProdukt.aspx?id_artykulu=37238
  • #4 17218773
    partyzancik
    Level 25  
    Posts: 1347
    Help: 12
    Rate: 173
    Is it better to buy and install a motor from a blender and a regulator from a triac drill?

    Moderated By retrofood:

    In no case. The screwdriver is not designed for mains voltage. You will receive a warning for your next advice.

  • #5 17218793
    jack63
    Level 43  
    Posts: 11699
    Help: 847
    Rate: 2767
    gold-game wrote:
    . Buy some used 19V power supply, e.g. 4.74 A or more powerful as you will find and a problem with your head.

    Yeah. 4.7A for screwdriver ... Maybe it will start ...
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  • #6 17219223
    czesiu
    Level 38  
    Posts: 3144
    Help: 444
    Rate: 821
    I just have an 18V einhel powered by 24V 160VA safety transformer, I have only unwounded 4 coils with approval. a secondary one and I wound the opposite way to reduce the voltage (I did not want to spoil it because the solution was to be for a while), a 50A rectifier bridge and a 1000uF capacitor was necessary because the regulator without it did not work properly. The downside is that it's heavy and a little buzzing. If I did not have free parts, I would go to the electronic power supply from the laptop, maybe after filling the battery container with capacitors, it would give advice.
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  • #7 17219269
    jack63
    Level 43  
    Posts: 11699
    Help: 847
    Rate: 2767
    czesiu wrote:
    If I did not have free parts, I would go to the electronic power supply from the laptop, maybe after filling the battery container with capacitors, it would give advice.

    Maybe, the sea is wide and deep ....
    Plug in and let me know what happened, not when.
    Laptop power adapters have 50-100W. You gave 160VA, which can still be overloaded temporarily. Is the difference?
  • #8 17219404
    marian paszek
    Level 19  
    Posts: 319
    Help: 7
    Rate: 50
    Is it better to use 18650 high current cells? They are available at the well-known auction portal for PLN 4.99 per item (10 A) or for less than PLN 7. for 20A. you are making a 4s2p package and you have a power supply of 4.2x4 = 16.8V. My 9.6V screwdriver has been working on the 3s2p = 12.6V package for 2 years and I don't feel like burning myself. you will lose 1.2V, which you will not feel in household chores. it remains only to measure whether such a package will fit into the container. For this you do or buy a balancer and you can charge with high current according to the angle of the links from the charger to the lap. You will not have to argue with the cable during operation. !
  • #9 17222920
    nostromo
    Level 15  
    Posts: 89
    Help: 4
    Rate: 23
    Good idea, you just forgot that laptop cells require a specific and dedicated charger.

    Added after 8 [minutes]:

    partyzancik wrote:
    Is it better to buy and install a motor from a blender and a regulator from a triac drill?


    Do you speak for a clear holere if you have no idea about electrics and electronics?

    Moderated By Krzysztof Reszka:

    3.1.9. Don't be ironic and don't be mean to the other side of the discussion. Respect the disagreement and other opinions on the forum. Buddy, this is a forum, so you don't set the rules here, who should speak or not.

  • #10 17223014
    partyzancik
    Level 25  
    Posts: 1347
    Help: 12
    Rate: 173
    nostromo wrote:

    Added after 8 [minutes]:

    partyzancik wrote:
    Is it better to buy and install a motor from a blender and a regulator from a triac drill?


    Do you speak for a clear holere if you have no idea about electrics and electronics?


    And what the fuck do you care about, do I have or have no idea? rather at least the same or bigger than yours

    Moderated By retrofood:

    Warning, point 3.1.9 of the regulations.

  • #11 17223045
    marian paszek
    Level 19  
    Posts: 319
    Help: 7
    Rate: 50
    I did not write about the usual cells from laptops, but about high-current ones. What about the charger is using a balancer about which I also wrote just a laptop power supply.
    Einhell 18V Drill Driver Conversion to Mains Power: Transformer, Rectifier, Capacitors SpecsDSCN81..JPG (1.06 MB)You must be logged in to download this attachment. - screwdriver with 18650 links. Package 3s2p. Cells US18650V3. Cell capacity 2150mh.
    Balancer connector + battery discharge switch on. Discharge system on only during operation.
    A professional carpenter worked on building a house on the plot for 6 hours on one battery. Battery charging current 1.2 A- you could give 2A but it would shorten the number of charging cycles. 2 years old and gives advice.
  • #12 17225561
    Szyszkownik Kilkujadek
    Level 37  
    Posts: 5011
    Help: 211
    Rate: 1008
    skorpionik81 wrote:
    I want to save it somehow, the more that the duplicate batteries for this model of screwdriver I can not get because it is over 10 years old equipment.

    I recommend giving the used battery for regeneration. They will replace the used cells with new ones better than the factory ones.
    You can also try regeneration yourself. It is very easy. You unscrew the housing and look at your links. You order the same, ready packet of links in the company (e.g. bto.pl) and assemble. Fold the cover and it's ready. You've got a power screwdriver like ten years ago, and it'll work on one charge longer.
  • #13 17227395
    partyzancik
    Level 25  
    Posts: 1347
    Help: 12
    Rate: 173
    You can ask power tools for Ni-MH batteries. Many customers often leave damaged, worn out power tools or batteries at service centers, electronic waste collection points or containers for such waste in construction hypermarkets. You can sort the links and assemble the package
  • #14 17229207
    partyzancik
    Level 25  
    Posts: 1347
    Help: 12
    Rate: 173
    "Under no circumstances. The screwdriver is not designed for mains voltage. You will receive a warning for another such advice."
    That is why I wrote about the replacement of a coupler motor for a working with mains voltage. After all, that's how network screwdrivers are constructed
    If the conversion would be limited to adding a few kilograms or putting a much larger box under the handle compared to the size of the battery, the modification loses its sense, the raison d'etre and the logic in it is not

    "and chain stores on the market are like medicine"
    What power chains are we talking about?
    Chinese on allegro full of, and just as well a small plastic two-speed celma will play this role
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around converting an Einhell 18V drill driver to mains power after losing the original battery. Users suggest various solutions, including using a laptop power supply (19V, 4.74A) as a convenient alternative. Others discuss the possibility of replacing the internal battery with capacitors (e.g., 1000uF/40V) and using a rectifier bridge for voltage conversion. Some participants mention the use of high-current 18650 cells as a viable option, while others caution against converting the drill to mains power due to safety concerns. The conversation also touches on the potential for battery regeneration and sourcing replacement cells from electronic waste or specialized companies.
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FAQ

TL;DR: Converting an 18V Einhell can work with a 160 VA transformer and 50 A bridge; "The downside is that it's heavy and a little buzzing." For lighter tasks, a laptop PSU may suffice. This FAQ helps DIYers who lost batteries power their tools safely. [Elektroda, czesiu, post #17219223]

Why it matters: You avoid unsafe mains hacks, choose workable specs, and keep a good drill running without hunting obsolete batteries.

Quick Facts

Can I power my 18V Einhell drill with a laptop power supply?

Yes. One working setup used a Compaq PPP012L brick rated 18.5 V, 4.9 A. The builder placed eight 1000 µF/40 V capacitors in the battery shell and ran a 5 m, 2×1.5 mm² cable. This kept the supply compact and the tool usable for home tasks. Use thick cable and solid connections for fewer voltage drops. [Elektroda, nostromo, post #17215136]

Is 19 V 4.7 A enough current for an 18 V drill?

It can spin the motor, but it may stall on tougher jobs. As one expert put it, “Maybe it will start ...”. Expect current limiting if you drive long screws or hole saws. Choose a higher‑current supply or a transformer build for headroom and reliability. [Elektroda, jack63, post #17218793]

Why pick a 160 VA transformer instead of a ~90 W laptop brick?

Transformers tolerate surge and short‑term overload better. One user contrasted a 160 VA setup with laptop adapters. “Laptop power adapters have 50–100 W.” Drills draw high peak power at startup and when near stall. The transformer approach held up better for heavy tasks, at the cost of weight and hum. [Elektroda, jack63, post #17219269]

What rectifier and capacitor values worked in practice?

A 50 A bridge rectifier handled the peaks. A 1000 µF electrolytic across the DC rails stabilized the trigger regulator. Without the capacitor the regulator misbehaved. “A 1000uF capacitor was necessary because the regulator without it did not work properly.” Expect a heavier, slightly buzzing unit with an iron‑core transformer. [Elektroda, czesiu, post #17219223]

How do I wire the transformer, bridge, and capacitor for DC output?

  1. Connect the transformer secondary to the AC inputs of a 50 A bridge rectifier.
  2. Install a 1000 µF electrolytic across the bridge’s + and – outputs.
  3. Run the DC outputs to the drill using a short, thick cable, observing polarity. [Elektroda, czesiu, post #17219223]

Can I just connect the drill to its original battery charger?

It usually fails under load. Chargers limit current for safe charging, not for driving motors. Users note laptop bricks around 50–100 W lag versus a 160 VA transformer that survives overload. Expect voltage sag or shutdown with a small charger. Use a higher‑power SMPS or a transformer‑bridge‑capacitor build. [Elektroda, jack63, post #17219269]

Is swapping in a blender motor and triac regulator a good idea?

No. “In no case. The screwdriver is not designed for mains voltage.” The switchgear and insulation are not rated for live mains. Keep the original DC motor and drive it from a proper DC source or rebuild the pack. That avoids shock hazards and premature failure. [Elektroda, retrofood, post #17218773]

What transformer voltage should I target for an 18 V drill?

One proven approach started from 24 V, 160 VA. The builder unwound several secondary turns to lower voltage, even reversing a few to trim it further. After rectification and a 1000 µF capacitor, the drill ran correctly. This gave durable torque but added weight and some hum. [Elektroda, czesiu, post #17219223]

What wire length and gauge have people used successfully?

A practical build used a 5 m cable of 2×1.5 mm². Thick conductors reduce voltage drop and keep the trigger responsive. The user also placed a weight in the battery shell to preserve balance. Keep leads as short as practical for better torque. [Elektroda, nostromo, post #17215136]

Can I place capacitors inside the old battery case?

Yes. One user fitted eight 1000 µF/40 V capacitors inside the pack shell for local energy storage. He also added a metal piece for weight to retain balance after removing cells. That setup ran from an 18.5 V, 4.9 A laptop adapter. [Elektroda, nostromo, post #17215136]

How do I rebuild with 18650 cells, and what will it cost?

Use a 4s2p pack for 16.8 V full charge. Choose high‑current cells rated 10–20 A. Example pricing: about PLN 4.99 per 10 A cell and under PLN 7 for 20 A types. Include a balancer connection and proper charging. You keep the tool cordless with familiar performance. [Elektroda, marian paszek, post #17219404]

Do I need a special charger for 18650 packs?

Yes. “Laptop cells require a specific and dedicated charger.” Use a charger that balances series cells and follows lithium charge curves. Avoid charging lithium packs with the original Ni‑Cd/Ni‑MH charger. Proper charging preserves cycle life and safety. [Elektroda, nostromo, post #17222920]

Can a shop regenerate my original battery pack?

Yes. Users recommend regeneration services that replace worn cells with new ones, often better than stock. You can also order a ready packet that matches your pack layout and assemble it yourself. This restores cordless convenience without rewiring the tool. [Elektroda, Szyszkownik Kilkujadek, post #17225561]

Where can I source used cells cheaply for a rebuild?

Ask power‑tool service centers, e‑waste points, or collection containers in construction hypermarkets. People discard worn packs there. You can sort cells and assemble a pack, though matching quality varies. Test and pair cells carefully if you go this route. [Elektroda, partyzancik, post #17227395]
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