The Power Tool Institute, an industry organization for power tool safety resources, strongly recommends power tool users to use only the same manufacturer battery and battery charger with the manufacturers power tool and not to use a third-party battery or an adapter that claims to allow battery-switching between brands.
"You might wonder why choosing only batteries designed to match the tool system matters," said Power Tool Institute in a recent press release. "But when you look inside, you see that it gets to the very heart of what makes a power tool run safely and efficiently.
The organization notes that power tool battery packs contain very high amounts of stored energy. Original equipment manufacturers "manage this energy storage and release by employing a sophisticated battery management system (BMS) present in the battery, in the power tool, and in the battery charger. The BMS allows electronic synchronicity between system components so that, in addition to numerous parameters it monitors, proper charge and discharge levels are achieved during use."
According to the release, third-party batteries don't contain the same electronics, meaning the battery, charger, and tool may not work at all or may possess an increased risk when paired together. The use of either a third-party battery or a battery adapter may bypass the BMS elements contained in tools or chargers, which can create a potentially dangerous situation. This can include causing contact with caustic chemicals, burns from escaping chemicals, fire, or even explosion.
