Being a retired female I can’t afford a lot. Came across a case of blue tools at a yard sale for practically nothing. Tried my new Ryobi drill battery in all of them and they ALL worked! I’m so happy! I will still buy the newer tools one at a time as I can afford them. I love Ryobi!
@@livefreeandtoolon I just got a One+ series drill and flashlight with charger and 2 batteries all in their little case at goodwill for $14. As I suspected the NiCAD batteries are dead as a doornail. I would have not expected a company like Ryobi to re-use the same battery molds from 20 years ago for the new tools. Mostly every time you buy a tool they deliberately make the batteries not cross-compatible.
In South Africa we have the navy blue ryobi products. we dont have the yellow/greenish ones. I again like the yellow/greenish. We also gave a dark green coloured ryobys i think the differerance is proffesional vs home use. But over all ryobi over here does not have a very good name. People prefer stanley, dewalt or makita.
@@Mailmartinviljoen so it´s like bosch green and bosch blue. makita is great but they skimp on built quality here in europe, japanese made makita´s are rock solid
@@Humbulla93 Yep example: www.makro.co.za/sys-master/images/hac/ha6/8910529658910/silo-MIN_356476_EAA_large I'm not sure where south african suppliers source Makita from but the one I have is awesome and much better than my ryobi . But then again it was also 3 times the price. However as of late Makita entered the entry level market and there is a clear distinction on build quality on their new range of products. Not a good move IMO. I guess they are getting greedy now and focus on quality is an after thought.
Same here. I make my living as a general handyman and have nearly a dozen blue Ryobi 18v that have been in continuous use, some for over 25 years. I've had to replace batteries but only had one tool die in that entire time.
2020 and no good news...until this! SO glad to get my set of power tools back! I was afraid to order the new batteries, and the old yellow ones are not easy to find. Thank you for this helpful video.
Very cool. I've had a set of blue Ryobi tools since my dad bought them for me as a Christmas present probably 15 years ago. I've recently been wondering if the new lithium batteries would work instead of buying rebuilt nicad batteries and now I've got my answer. Thanks for this video. 🤙
The blue tools work very well with the new batteries. My dad has an old drill and vacuum that used nicd batteries. The batteries are dead, but the tools work perfectly when coupled with new batteries. Hats off to ryobi for committing to making all 18 volt tools and batteries compatible!
I noticed the lithium batteries will not fit into the older chargers due to a notch that cut into the base of the older batteries to match up with a ridge in the charger. I got the tools for free, but by the time I buy a new battery AND charger I'll be out $70 minimum.
@@PRODEVE6 Not sure what you mean by this comment. You cannot charge a lithium battery on a NiCad battery charger. That is not electrically or physically possible.
@@fbnmndz Get the latest generation of chinese made junk engineered to break or catch fire with thinner plastic that will shatter to pieces if you drop it? Yeah okay dude. I have a 30 year old Makita cordless, one of the first ones they made, and it's better than anything Makita makes today. The only downside is it is so huge it can't be used in tight spots. It's become my yardwork drill for things outside the house.
I was a little worried about installing the blade after reading a couple of reviews. But it was amazingly easy. Took about 1 minute. Works great th-cam.com/users/postUgkxjpBI8OOeUXib_iT7UomCrQ-uauwZJ62c . Cuts easily and is perfect for pocket cuts I needed to make for replacing some old deck boards.
I bought many blue tools years ago and worked them hard...in their day they worked well ..I have a few of them still and use them regularly with the 4 amp batteries ..🇨🇦
I will always use Ryobi, they have upgraded over the years but have never changed the battery design. I don’t think any other manufacturer can say that.
Great video. I had the old blue yellow Ryobi tools but retired them almost 4 years ago and stored them. I found them again and was curious about if the new lithium batteries would work and good to know they do. Now they are back in service...the older ones still work very well!!! Thank you!
I’ve been using my Ryobi blue tools with the lithium batteries since they first came out a number of years ago! I bought 3 and a charger, they are I think only 2.4 amp hr batteries but with 3 I am able to work continuously with one in the tool, backup and one in the charger! I’ve had no failures with all tools and batteries still working perfectly at 100%! Unlike other manufacturers who switched to “slide on batteries” meaning you could NOT upgrade your battery technology, Ryobi have stuck with the “Plug in” format allowing us to continue using older perfectly good tools with the latest batteries! Thank you Ryobi 👍👍👍!
Ty for the video, recently in my shed going thru old boxes i had, have a bunch of the old blue tools. Good to know new batteries will woek on the old tools. Like you said almost like finding new power tools without having to buy new ones. again ty so much.
Picked up a pretty much new blue sawzall with a fully working nicad and charger for 45$. Put a 4AH HP in it and Holy hell it goes through trees like nothing.
thanks! just what I needed to know. I have the same pile of old Ryobi tools and lost the batteries. Picked up a new Ryobi hammer drill which included 2 lithium batteries and the charger, for the same price as just 2 batteries. it all works in the old saws. great
I went a bit different route. Recently acquired a few Makita LXT 18V Li-tools, and found some battery mounts on ebay for those batteries. So far I've converted a Ryobi 18V saw, Craftsman 12V drill, Craftsman 18V sawzall, no-name saber/ jig saw as well as a Craftsman 90 angle drill, and made an adapter for the old long handle Makita 9V to make use of an angle drill and mini sawzall So now all these tools operate on the Makita 18V Li batteries. I'm 75, and doubt these will be obsolete by the time I am unable or worse
I got into Ryobi starting with the weed trimmer. Now I've got the blower, chainsaw, and palm router(green). Just picked up a blue drill at the thrift store, and found generic LiONs online. So far, no complaints, save for mother-in-law can't quite squeeze the release catches to swap batteries. She loves yard work, though, so it's still a win for us! Cheers ☘️
I had a couple of those blue sets laying around for years. A few years back I dropped my green ryobi 5 1/2 circular saw that came in combo kit and it broke. I've been using the blue ones paired with lithium batteries and a Diablo blades ever since. I discovered the blade makes a huge difference as well, the included house blades are junk.
Great video content, thanks for the info! I had thrown away my old yellow nicad batteries and wasn't sure if I should trash the old tools too. I just ordered a P117 refurbished charger (after watching your video) and will also purchase the P108 as recommended in order to give my tools a new life! The old blue drill, circular saw, and rotary tool always worked great and served me well until the yellow nicads quit holding a charge.
I guess Ryobi's campaign advertising the "1 Plus" Lithium battery system as being able to work in all of the 18V tools they have ever produced, and that they will continue to develop new tools based the the original 18V battery profile for the life of the line, got missed by a few people!!
Got an old blue set of a drill, worklight, charger, and 2 nicad batteries for free off craigslist. The blue drill and light work great with my 4 amp lithiums. The nicads actually worked too after jolting them some. Will use them for camping flashlights or something. Lots of life left in these old ryobis
I bought the duffel bag set of ryobi tools YEARS ago and the batteries stopped charging after about 4-5 years. They’ve been sitting in my basement for just as many years as I got to use them now because I didn’t think the new batteries would work for them. 🤦🏼♂️. Glad I came across this video.
I just bought all blue: impact driver, 3/8 drill, 1/2 drill, recip saw, circular saw, chainsaw, and 30 mins charger all for $100 even. Some people might say I overpaid or why get old tools but they all function and I'm totally happy with that purchase. I honestly wish the new tools were blue I hate the neon green
Ryobi rocks! I went with the Ryobi One system after a couple of other systems proved disappointing. I Have had these tools for 1 year now and I am very happy with my green tools, BUT,, I love my blue tools that I find for $5 at yard sales and thrift shops, I have 3 drills a circular saw a fan a vacuum a caulking gun (very cool!) And a chainsaw for just $15. Every tool I have bought used has worked perfectly and do not seem inferior to the green tools in any way. The Ryobi One green is a strong value leader but coupled with the batteries working for the blue tools as well,,, UNBEATABLE VALUE!
Awesome video & EXACTLY the question/issue I was hoping to learn about/gain clarity on. I acquired the identical “Blue Gen” 1/2” Drill & an identical Saw to the model you tested 1st, bundled w/ 2 of those identical P100 Nicad batteries, charger, & a large heavy duty(-ish) Blue Ryobi canvass duffel/transport/tool carrier approx 5-6 years ago. Drill was always adequate but unimpressive, saw only used handful of times, & 2 batteries rapidly declined to ~25% original runtime & a full drain idle on a shelf 24 hrs after a full charge. The “saving grace was having 2 batteries, as I could just hot swap them off the charger every 15 min, & that workaround afforded me all day use of the drill without compromise via time (never had to wait for the “on deck” battery/had no down time other than the time for the swap) or performance. (The drill ran without any discernible drop off in speed or torque in that “rapid swap” workflow. Last month I jumped on a deal for the new (lime green) Gen impact driver, 2 (1.5’s) batteries, charger, and a flimsy joke of a “soft” case in a bundle for $38 after tax. I quickly noticed that the old Nicad batteries fit the new driver, & the new sleeker & smaller likewise did the dame on the old drill & saw. I was hesitant to even try at 1st, but eventually did (of course) & was more than pleasantly surprised that they even powered & ran (all tools worked with either battery chemistries/versions). When I realized the drill & saw both ran better than perhaps they ever had (on the absolute smallest “base” 1.5 lithium no less, though I had zero knowledge of Ryobi’s battery lineup at that time) I felt just like you described, as if I’d “won” 2 additional free tools as a result. This video gives me the desired confirmation & confidence in the compatibility, and I am now hunting for a good deal on 1-2 of the larger lithiums, &/or testing some of the 3rd party lithium options, as that route has been a boon in multiple products/instances previously. (Non-OEM inkjet ink or cartridge refills, photography equipment from non manufacturer batteries, chargers, lenses to flash, lighting, light stands, tripods & virtually everything in between, and everything imaginable in the computer, tablet, & smart phone accessory/component markets, to name a few of the most dramatically discounted in equal or even superior designs, features, &/or performance) I see no reason why a robust 3rd party market wouldn’t fare as well in the straightforward realm of power tool batteries, and I’ve already located multiple offerings that I plan on researching imminently. All that aside, finding a TH-cam video that quite thoroughly covered the EXACT topic, in which the tools/products discussed, demoed, & even tested are identical matches to my own, somehow feels like the biggest surprise “win” of the whole experience, one I hope many more “Blue Gen” Ryobi owners get to discover and enjoy. Cheers. not on charger identical to the one you demoed was afraid to “swap” the nicad Gen batteries &/or
I live in the United Kingdom🇬🇧 I have the old blue Ryobi 18v battery powered which was my dad's old one that he gave me. It originally comes with 2 NI-CD batteries. I ordered a Lithium-ion battery originally for my green Ryobi ONE+ reciprocating saw. When the Li-ion arrived, it powered my old blue 18v drill. I'm glad that I can still get batteries that fit it even if they're Lithium-ion
Thanks Ryobi for keeping the same battery, got a set of OLD but mint chainsaw, jigsaw, flashlight, etc for $5 each from thrift store, work with my new batteries well.
I have the multi tool set from this generation - drill, saw zaw, saber saw, chain saw and flash light. Definitely was ecstatic when I discovered the rebirth of these tools with the new battery technology. I recommend that you get the Ryobi compatible off brand lithium batteries “Amazon’s prices are pretty good” I used both Ryobi proprietary and the off brand extensively and find the generic to be about 80% as good as the Ryobi for battery life and inferior build quality but at 1/2 the price and similar warranty they are a better value from my perspective.
I have a Ryobi drill I bought back in 2000 or 2001, the battery looks exactly the same as this, I went and bought a DeWalt corded drive to replace it. But would love to get a newer battery to give my old Ryobi life again. I went through a lot with that old Ryobi !
Thanks for posting this. Just came back from the hardware store, where they were not that sure and directing me to the internet. I have a blue combo pack and another drill which I bought at the time for the two new batteries to run all the tools. But now they are failing. So glad I have this option. and will go with the P108 suggestion, if I can get the same or comparable here in Australia. Cheers
Good video. Ryobi has a promotion now at Home Depot where if you buy the $99 battery kit which includes a charger and two 3aH batteries, ($99), you get a tool for free. I got the sawzall. I think Ryobi is smart to do this and especially to never change their 18v form factor. I have already found an older 18V drill slated to be thrown away, that works great with my new batteries. Cheers to Ryobi.
The whole reason I started buying Ryobi is that I was frustrated with other manufacturers who kept changing their battery designs so that when you went to buy a new tool, none of your old batteries would fit. Ryobi has continued to make all of their batteries backwards compatible and that alone has earned them my business. For stuff I really need to beat on, it's Milwaukee Fuel, but it's the same parent company now anyway. 😂
The old Ryobi tools weren’t terrible, but their batteries were. They’d start out fairly strong, but they only had a fraction of the lifespan of better batteries like DeWalts. The new lithium batteries seem pretty good. I’ve been using them for years now and have yet to have a single battery go bad.
This is how NiCad batteries work. They have a memory. If you use the battery you have to use it until dead, then recharge it. You can't use it partially and then charge it. You also have to keep them charged twice a month or they will decay in storage.
I've thrown out three perfectly good cordless drills because the NiCads no longer held a charge. B&D Firestorm 12V (my first cordless drill), a 9.6V DeWalt, and a 14.4V Makita.
Well if you liked the tools, you were DUMB to throw them out. Do you throw away your TV Remote when the batteries die? No, you simply replace the batteries. So why the fuck wouldn't you do that with your power tools? DOH. PS: The Makita 14.4V were excellent - mine is still my favourite "go-to" drill, been running for many years on a cheap eBay NiMH battery pack.
Cool, this answered my question about the old Blue Ryobi tools. I wasn't sure if the newer Li-Ion batteries were compatible. Now I have to contemplate if purchasing a new battery and charger for an old blue drill makes sense. (probably not).
Almost got rid of my old blue Ryobi tools due to the poor battery performance of the original G0440 18.0v batteries. Perhaps I’ll give new batteries a try. Thank you for the video.
Of course they would work great and do work great.I didn’t even ask the question they are obviously the same design! I can’t believe you didn’t buy just batteries for your blue tools lmao!
Thumper 1968 I thought the same once I found out the new batteries worked on the old tools. That was post buying the new tools. I must admit however the new tools are great with better tech and stronger parts meant to except higher amperage drives
When I brought my mom the new green 18v chainsaw, she told me she threw the old blue 4 tool combo away because the batteries would not take a charge 😑 DANG mom , you call me every day.. you could have said something.. uggg. 😏
I have that old blue circ saw. Even with the 4ah lithium battery, it is PAINFULLY slow to make cuts with. The drill and demo saw are pretty good. I'm hesitant to get a new one. Are the newer ryobi circ saws any good?
Old video, I know, but I just got the new 4ah battery kit and a Diablo blade for my blue ryobi saw. I was about to throw it away cause it wouldn’t cut a 2x4, and within a day I was chopping up 2x6 pressure treated and used it to build a deck.
The older ni cads were ok at best. BuT so many folks didn't realize that Ni Cads needed to be burned down to zero as much as possible to make their life longer, with out heating them up. The new Li Ions don't like to be zeroed, hence the chips that prevent this! But, I have blue Ryovi tools that work just fine with the Li Ions, tools that are 15yrs old, with LI batteries that are 10 yrs old.
You blue tools and yellow batteries look new. You're lucky. All of mine, purchased in 2006, look beaten up. My yellow batteries won't hold charge anymore.
I was given a P231 ryobi impact drill today. It came with 2 of the big yellow batteries and the charger. I charged them and the drill wouldn't work. Either the batteries are bad or the charger is bad. The lights on the charger did light up. So, I put the P102 lithium battery I had on the drill and it works.
I have a set of the even older Blue tools, plus 4 working NiCd packs (now rather weak). But I did floor out my loft with them in 2005.. Today I have at least 12 Ryobi 18+ tools, many are garden tools, which need the 4Ah or 5Ah batteries available in the UK. But in Australia you can get the monster genuine 9Ah batteries. We never see them in the UK or EU. It's long passed time that Ryobi replaced the very dated style battery mounting system. It's rather fragile and often cracks. They should move to a Makita style slide on mountin. It is more robust and more compact.
Wondering if this would apply to my older 12V/14.4V tools. They serve me well, except for the batteries. Any help would be appreciated. Good video and keep them coming!
I'm really surprised at the comments from people who didn't know the lithium batteries worked n the old blue tools. I currently have 5 of the blue. I just put the new batteries n them without a second thought 2 whether it was going 2 work. I just assumed it would. Also, I wanted 2 add, that when my circular saw and nicad battery were both new, the nicad ran it just fine. Is it going 2 work on a battery that can no longer hold a charge like apparently the ones u have? Of course not. So, I guess I missed ur point on that one.
@@livefreeandtoolon Milwaukee Cordless Blower M18 Battery Adapter to Ryobi 18v One+ Tools . you can find it on ebay its kinda pricey for what it is and will make you tool a little longer and heavier, but I invested in the Milwaukee lineup and only wanted a few of the Ryobi tools that Milwaukee don't offer or the simple ones that are a lot cheaper
I realized the new 18-volt lithium-ion batteries work in the old blue Ryobi tools, but my question is, will the old (Blue) Ryobi 18v Charger, charge the new 18v Lithium ion batteries if I invested in the new batteries... or do I also need to invest in one of the new chargers? Thank you, George Silver Hawk
QUESTION: Excellent video, question is: are the RYOBI 18+ HP series batteries too much for my blue tools and eventually burn them up. I know 18v is 18v but I keep seeing HP has more power, I was interested in the information being presented at time of about 4:07 but it was cut out, it seemed to be heading to what information I wanted, but it left me hanging. Buying new RYOBI tools may be only brushless in the future and may need HP batteries for peak performance over the non HP Batteries. If any knows or has a direction to find this information, it would be greatly appreciated. I continue to use my blue tools until the burial end, put available money towards tools I do not have, or need to replace deceased tools. I do not want the batteries to be the death of my blue tools. Basically. I do not want to kill my stock transmission with an HP engine. Thank you for any guidance or direction.
The HP tech is the electronics where the battery can communicate with the tool and only releases more power if the tools tells it to. the blue tools do not communicate with the batteries so the typical work of the battery will be used. or you can buy the regular batteries
Yes, the batteries will act as a typical non hp 4ah battery since the blue tools do not have the ability to communicate with the battery. thanks for your comment.
Ryobi do recommend to use the new batteries on your old tool, I guess they don't sell the old batteries anymore. Have you tried using an adapter for 20V Dewalt battery?
I know some people that still use the old Ryobi blue with the new lithium batteries they work just fine did it work as well as brushless no did it work as well as the first generation green which was brushed yes or no depends if it's the first generation of that color which is 11 years old now a second generation I think use the 4 pole motor which gave it a little bit more power as far as my knowledge goes on Ryobi tools if you still got the old blue work light you can upgrade the bulb to LED and given New Life to it.
Your comment is totally unreadable. Do you understand PUNCTUATION? Sentences. Full stops (Periods). Commas. Paragraphs. These are used in English for a very good reason... so that other people can understand what the fuck you are blabbering about.
I've got a few old Ryobi tools that take 14.4v, not even sure if they are NiCad or NiMh (but def not lithium) as its not printed on the batteries, tool, or charger anywhere. The existing batteries I have are on their last legs and it doesn't seem to make much financial sense to replace them with more basically obsolete non-lithium batteries. Any idea if the newer batteries would work on those tools?
I bought me a Ryobi p340 Oscillating multi tool & I first bought a 2 ah battery & it works good. Then I found 2 5 ah & 2 6 ah Batterys for $ 65.99 So I figured why spend $65.99 when I can get the 6 ah for no more then What 5 ah Batterys cost chose the 6 ah Batterys for $72. 99 $7.00 difference big deal
Being a retired female I can’t afford a lot. Came across a case of blue tools at a yard sale for practically nothing. Tried my new Ryobi drill battery in all of them and they ALL worked! I’m so happy! I will still buy the newer tools one at a time as I can afford them. I love Ryobi!
So happy for you that’s awesome!
@@livefreeandtoolon I just got a One+ series drill and flashlight with charger and 2 batteries all in their little case at goodwill for $14. As I suspected the NiCAD batteries are dead as a doornail. I would have not expected a company like Ryobi to re-use the same battery molds from 20 years ago for the new tools. Mostly every time you buy a tool they deliberately make the batteries not cross-compatible.
I just found my dad's old blue tools and did not realize they could work with the new batteries! I am so excited. Thanks!
The blue tools look great with the silver lithium batteries. I think Ryobi should have kept the blue color.
In South Africa we have the navy blue ryobi products. we dont have the yellow/greenish ones. I again like the yellow/greenish. We also gave a dark green coloured ryobys i think the differerance is proffesional vs home use. But over all ryobi over here does not have a very good name. People prefer stanley, dewalt or makita.
@@Mailmartinviljoen so it´s like bosch green and bosch blue. makita is great but they skimp on built quality here in europe, japanese made makita´s are rock solid
@@Humbulla93 Yep example:
www.makro.co.za/sys-master/images/hac/ha6/8910529658910/silo-MIN_356476_EAA_large
I'm not sure where south african suppliers source Makita from but the one I have is awesome and much better than my ryobi . But then again it was also 3 times the price. However as of late Makita entered the entry level market and there is a clear distinction on build quality on their new range of products. Not a good move IMO. I guess they are getting greedy now and focus on quality is an after thought.
Still using my blue drill and saws after 18 yrs. Been used and abused but just keep going! Only replaced batteries once.
Same here.
same here. I want to add the sander though and fear they don't make it any longer
Me too! Just bought a 6 amp hour battery works with my old blue tools.
Same here. I make my living as a general handyman and have nearly a dozen blue Ryobi 18v that have been in continuous use, some for over 25 years. I've had to replace batteries but only had one tool die in that entire time.
2020 and no good news...until this! SO glad to get my set of power tools back! I was afraid to order the new batteries, and the old yellow ones are not easy to find. Thank you for this helpful video.
You can also buy the internal batteries within the battery pack or rebuilt ones. Google them.
Very cool. I've had a set of blue Ryobi tools since my dad bought them for me as a Christmas present probably 15 years ago. I've recently been wondering if the new lithium batteries would work instead of buying rebuilt nicad batteries and now I've got my answer. Thanks for this video. 🤙
The blue tools work very well with the new batteries. My dad has an old drill and vacuum that used nicd batteries. The batteries are dead, but the tools work perfectly when coupled with new batteries. Hats off to ryobi for committing to making all 18 volt tools and batteries compatible!
I noticed the lithium batteries will not fit into the older chargers due to a notch that cut into the base of the older batteries to match up with a ridge in the charger. I got the tools for free, but by the time I buy a new battery AND charger I'll be out $70 minimum.
@@PRODEVE6 yea in that case i would pass them forward and grab the newest and latest generation.
@@PRODEVE6 Not sure what you mean by this comment. You cannot charge a lithium battery on a NiCad battery charger. That is not electrically or physically possible.
@@fbnmndz Get the latest generation of chinese made junk engineered to break or catch fire with thinner plastic that will shatter to pieces if you drop it? Yeah okay dude. I have a 30 year old Makita cordless, one of the first ones they made, and it's better than anything Makita makes today. The only downside is it is so huge it can't be used in tight spots. It's become my yardwork drill for things outside the house.
I was a little worried about installing the blade after reading a couple of reviews. But it was amazingly easy. Took about 1 minute. Works great th-cam.com/users/postUgkxjpBI8OOeUXib_iT7UomCrQ-uauwZJ62c . Cuts easily and is perfect for pocket cuts I needed to make for replacing some old deck boards.
I bought many blue tools years ago and worked them hard...in their day they worked well ..I have a few of them still and use them regularly with the 4 amp batteries ..🇨🇦
I will always use Ryobi, they have upgraded over the years but have never changed the battery design. I don’t think any other manufacturer can say that.
Ridgid 18v battery will fit any Ridgid 18v tool every made. Of course, they're made by the same people.
@@Stan9106 lmao ridgid isn't as old.
Great video. I had the old blue yellow Ryobi tools but retired them almost 4 years ago and stored them. I found them again and was curious about if the new lithium batteries would work and good to know they do. Now they are back in service...the older ones still work very well!!! Thank you!
I’ve been using my Ryobi blue tools with the lithium batteries since they first came out a number of years ago!
I bought 3 and a charger, they are I think only 2.4 amp hr batteries but with 3 I am able to work continuously with one in the tool, backup and one in the charger!
I’ve had no failures with all tools and batteries still working perfectly at 100%!
Unlike other manufacturers who switched to “slide on batteries” meaning you could NOT upgrade your battery technology, Ryobi have stuck with the “Plug in” format allowing us to continue using older perfectly good tools with the latest batteries!
Thank you Ryobi 👍👍👍!
I've heard that the old tools work with the new batteries, but it's good to see it in action. Amazing how long they've lasted after all this time.
Ty for the video, recently in my shed going thru old boxes i had, have a bunch of the old blue tools. Good to know new batteries will woek on the old tools. Like you said almost like finding new power tools without having to buy new ones. again ty so much.
Perfect. I need to bring some life back to my 12 yo Ryobi set of tools.
Picked up a pretty much new blue sawzall with a fully working nicad and charger for 45$. Put a 4AH HP in it and Holy hell it goes through trees like nothing.
Just found an old blue from a relative. This is exactly my plan😂
thanks! just what I needed to know. I have the same pile of old Ryobi tools and lost the batteries. Picked up a new Ryobi hammer drill which included 2 lithium batteries and the charger, for the same price as just 2 batteries. it all works in the old saws. great
I went a bit different route. Recently acquired a few Makita LXT 18V Li-tools, and found some battery mounts on ebay for those batteries. So far I've converted a Ryobi 18V saw, Craftsman 12V drill, Craftsman 18V sawzall, no-name saber/ jig saw as well as a Craftsman 90 angle drill, and made an adapter for the old long handle Makita 9V to make use of an angle drill and mini sawzall So now all these tools operate on the Makita 18V Li batteries. I'm 75, and doubt these will be obsolete by the time I am unable or worse
Thank You very much. I just got 4 more tools using your information.👍🇺🇸🤙😃
I got into Ryobi starting with the weed trimmer. Now I've got the blower, chainsaw, and palm router(green). Just picked up a blue drill at the thrift store, and found generic LiONs online. So far, no complaints, save for mother-in-law can't quite squeeze the release catches to swap batteries. She loves yard work, though, so it's still a win for us! Cheers ☘️
I just got all these blue Ryobi tools from my father inlaw😄 was looking around for some battery for them this video help me a lot 😄👌 much appreciated
Thanks for that valuable information. I have 3 blue tools and will be getting the 4 ah li-ion non smart batteries now.
I had a couple of those blue sets laying around for years. A few years back I dropped my green ryobi 5 1/2 circular saw that came in combo kit and it broke. I've been using the blue ones paired with lithium batteries and a Diablo blades ever since. I discovered the blade makes a huge difference as well, the included house blades are junk.
Just got the blue set on the cheap from my friend. Now I know what battery to get. Thanks for the video.
Great video content, thanks for the info! I had thrown away my old yellow nicad batteries and wasn't sure if I should trash the old tools too. I just ordered a P117 refurbished charger (after watching your video) and will also purchase the P108 as recommended in order to give my tools a new life! The old blue drill, circular saw, and rotary tool always worked great and served me well until the yellow nicads quit holding a charge.
This has rekindled the faith that i have, that these new batteries can indeed fit the old Ryobi tools.
I guess Ryobi's campaign advertising the "1 Plus" Lithium battery system as being able to work in all of the 18V tools they have ever produced, and that they will continue to develop new tools based the the original 18V battery profile for the life of the line, got missed by a few people!!
Got an old blue set of a drill, worklight, charger, and 2 nicad batteries for free off craigslist. The blue drill and light work great with my 4 amp lithiums. The nicads actually worked too after jolting them some. Will use them for camping flashlights or something. Lots of life left in these old ryobis
I bought the duffel bag set of ryobi tools YEARS ago and the batteries stopped charging after about 4-5 years. They’ve been sitting in my basement for just as many years as I got to use them now because I didn’t think the new batteries would work for them. 🤦🏼♂️. Glad I came across this video.
I just bought all blue: impact driver, 3/8 drill, 1/2 drill, recip saw, circular saw, chainsaw, and 30 mins charger all for $100 even. Some people might say I overpaid or why get old tools but they all function and I'm totally happy with that purchase. I honestly wish the new tools were blue I hate the neon green
These answered all the questions Ive had for a while re Ryobi batteries! Thanks
that was roybi's whole sale pitch back in the day was you could use new batteries with the old tools
A trick : watch series on Flixzone. Been using it for watching a lot of movies recently.
@Hayes Alexis Definitely, been watching on flixzone for months myself =)
thanks for the demo, I've had the old blue Ryobi tools for very long time and struggled with them. I didn't want to invest in another set of tools.
Ryobi rocks! I went with the Ryobi One system after a couple of other systems proved disappointing. I Have had these tools for 1 year now and I am very happy with my green tools, BUT,, I love my blue tools that I find for $5 at yard sales and thrift shops, I have 3 drills a circular saw a fan a vacuum a caulking gun (very cool!) And a chainsaw for just $15. Every tool I have bought used has worked perfectly and do not seem inferior to the green tools in any way. The Ryobi One green is a strong value leader but coupled with the batteries working for the blue tools as well,,, UNBEATABLE VALUE!
This video probably saved my stepdads old ryobi drill from the garbage, I’m going to try to use it with brush attachments for the boat.
Awesome video & EXACTLY the question/issue I was hoping to learn about/gain clarity on.
I acquired the identical “Blue Gen” 1/2” Drill & an identical Saw to the model you tested 1st, bundled w/ 2 of those identical P100 Nicad batteries, charger, & a large heavy duty(-ish) Blue Ryobi canvass duffel/transport/tool carrier approx 5-6 years ago. Drill was always adequate but unimpressive, saw only used handful of times, & 2 batteries rapidly declined to ~25% original runtime & a full drain idle on a shelf 24 hrs after a full charge. The “saving grace was having 2 batteries, as I could just hot swap them off the charger every 15 min, & that workaround afforded me all day use of the drill without compromise via time (never had to wait for the “on deck” battery/had no down time other than the time for the swap) or performance. (The drill ran without any discernible drop off in speed or torque in that “rapid swap” workflow.
Last month I jumped on a deal for the new (lime green) Gen impact driver, 2 (1.5’s) batteries, charger, and a flimsy joke of a “soft” case in a bundle for $38 after tax. I quickly noticed that the old Nicad batteries fit the new driver, & the new sleeker & smaller likewise did the dame on the old drill & saw.
I was hesitant to even try at 1st, but eventually did (of course) & was more than pleasantly surprised that they even powered & ran (all tools worked with either battery chemistries/versions). When I realized the drill & saw both ran better than perhaps they ever had (on the absolute smallest “base” 1.5 lithium no less, though I had zero knowledge of Ryobi’s battery lineup at that time) I felt just like you described, as if I’d “won” 2 additional free tools as a result.
This video gives me the desired confirmation & confidence in the compatibility, and I am now hunting for a good deal on 1-2 of the larger lithiums, &/or testing some of the 3rd party lithium options, as that route has been a boon in multiple products/instances previously. (Non-OEM inkjet ink or cartridge refills, photography equipment from non manufacturer batteries, chargers, lenses to flash, lighting, light stands, tripods & virtually everything in between, and everything imaginable in the computer, tablet, & smart phone accessory/component markets, to name a few of the most dramatically discounted in equal or even superior designs, features, &/or performance) I see no reason why a robust 3rd party market wouldn’t fare as well in the straightforward realm of power tool batteries, and I’ve already located multiple offerings that I plan on researching imminently.
All that aside, finding a TH-cam video that quite thoroughly covered the EXACT topic, in which the tools/products discussed, demoed, & even tested are identical matches to my own, somehow feels like the biggest surprise “win” of the whole experience, one I hope many more “Blue Gen” Ryobi owners get to discover and enjoy. Cheers.
not on charger identical to the one you demoed was afraid to “swap” the nicad Gen batteries &/or
Glad it helped!
thanks for telling us this. my new lithium batteries just got here today (5/4/22) cant wait to try them out
I live in the United Kingdom🇬🇧
I have the old blue Ryobi 18v battery powered which was my dad's old one that he gave me. It originally comes with 2 NI-CD batteries. I ordered a Lithium-ion battery originally for my green Ryobi ONE+ reciprocating saw. When the Li-ion arrived, it powered my old blue 18v drill. I'm glad that I can still get batteries that fit it even if they're Lithium-ion
To anyone buying the lithium batteries, you WILL need a new Lithium charger too!
Often sold on offer with batteries!
Thanks!
Thanks Ryobi for keeping the same battery, got a set of OLD but mint chainsaw, jigsaw, flashlight, etc for $5 each from thrift store, work with my new batteries well.
I have the multi tool set from this generation - drill, saw zaw, saber saw, chain saw and flash light. Definitely was ecstatic when I discovered the rebirth of these tools with the new battery technology. I recommend that you get the Ryobi compatible off brand lithium batteries “Amazon’s prices are pretty good” I used both Ryobi proprietary and the off brand extensively and find the generic to be about 80% as good as the Ryobi for battery life and inferior build quality but at 1/2 the price and similar warranty they are a better value from my perspective.
I have a Ryobi drill I bought back in 2000 or 2001, the battery looks exactly the same as this, I went and bought a DeWalt corded drive to replace it. But would love to get a newer battery to give my old Ryobi life again. I went through a lot with that old Ryobi !
Thanks for posting this. Just came back from the hardware store, where they were not that sure and directing me to the internet. I have a blue combo pack and another drill which I bought at the time for the two new batteries to run all the tools. But now they are failing. So glad I have this option. and will go with the P108 suggestion, if I can get the same or comparable here in Australia. Cheers
cotteeskid glad this helped! Ryobi sells a really cool isolating to in Australia that’s not available in the United States. Thanks for the comment.
sorry mate. what is this isolating item? when I googled it, it just seems to be a isolator key for their battery lawn mower. is that right?
Good video. Ryobi has a promotion now at Home Depot where if you buy the $99 battery kit which includes a charger and two 3aH batteries, ($99), you get a tool for free. I got the sawzall. I think Ryobi is smart to do this and especially to never change their 18v form factor. I have already found an older 18V drill slated to be thrown away, that works great with my new batteries. Cheers to Ryobi.
Ty man. Great info. I’m be buying some old ryobi tools and they have no batteries. I’ll keep you posted.
Man these remind me of working with my grandfather when I was a kid
The whole reason I started buying Ryobi is that I was frustrated with other manufacturers who kept changing their battery designs so that when you went to buy a new tool, none of your old batteries would fit. Ryobi has continued to make all of their batteries backwards compatible and that alone has earned them my business. For stuff I really need to beat on, it's Milwaukee Fuel, but it's the same parent company now anyway. 😂
The old Ryobi tools weren’t terrible, but their batteries were. They’d start out fairly strong, but they only had a fraction of the lifespan of better batteries like DeWalts. The new lithium batteries seem pretty good. I’ve been using them for years now and have yet to have a single battery go bad.
This is how NiCad batteries work. They have a memory. If you use the battery you have to use it until dead, then recharge it. You can't use it partially and then charge it. You also have to keep them charged twice a month or they will decay in storage.
Thank you for publishing this find.
I've thrown out three perfectly good cordless drills because the NiCads no longer held a charge. B&D Firestorm 12V (my first cordless drill), a 9.6V DeWalt, and a 14.4V Makita.
Well if you liked the tools, you were DUMB to throw them out.
Do you throw away your TV Remote when the batteries die? No, you simply replace the batteries.
So why the fuck wouldn't you do that with your power tools? DOH.
PS: The Makita 14.4V were excellent - mine is still my favourite "go-to" drill, been running for many years on a cheap eBay NiMH battery pack.
Cool, this answered my question about the old Blue Ryobi tools. I wasn't sure if the newer Li-Ion batteries were compatible. Now I have to contemplate if purchasing a new battery and charger for an old blue drill makes sense. (probably not).
Thanks for making this video. A friend just gave me three 18v drills - 2 P205 and one P206! No batteries because they had gone bad.
I have an old ryobi powered jigsaw and a sheet sander, both look and work great and cords hold up
Exactly the video comparison I needed. Thanks!
Almost got rid of my old blue Ryobi tools due to the poor battery performance of the original G0440 18.0v batteries. Perhaps I’ll give new batteries a try. Thank you for the video.
Jeremy Rabb let’s me know how it goes. I think you’ll be happy! Thanks for your comment!
@@livefreeandtoolon kinda tough id they got rid of all the tools as stated but hey ...
Still have some blue ones still good but use newer batteries it’s a new life for the blue tools
EXACTLY what I was looking for although I believe the older batteries were not holding their charge, for some reason
Glad it hwlped
Awesome! Keep up the Good work.
I still have my 20 year old blue drill, works great with new batteries.
I'm curious to know if you tried changing the old battery on the new charger? Theoretically may give them a harder charge.
Of course they would work great and do work great.I didn’t even ask the question they are obviously the same design! I can’t believe you didn’t buy just batteries for your blue tools lmao!
Thumper 1968 I thought the same once I found out the new batteries worked on the old tools. That was post buying the new tools. I must admit however the new tools are great with better tech and stronger parts meant to except higher amperage drives
Thumper 1968 thanks for your comment
Awesome thanks!
Holy crap I have a set of those tools that I have not used because the batteries are bad. Nice!
When I brought my mom the new green 18v chainsaw, she told me she threw the old blue 4 tool combo away because the batteries would not take a charge 😑 DANG mom , you call me every day.. you could have said something.. uggg. 😏
thats too bad, but now you can get more!
Thank you!
Very good blue tools! now they're brushless,with "chips" far from being fixed by yourself....like old cars vs new cars....
At least Ryobi was smart and kept old battery design I just got tool set cause I was told they kept same batter for like forever
truth!
I have that old blue circ saw. Even with the 4ah lithium battery, it is PAINFULLY slow to make cuts with. The drill and demo saw are pretty good. I'm hesitant to get a new one. Are the newer ryobi circ saws any good?
The new HP tools are amazing
Did you get a new blade for the old saw? Those factory ryobi blades can't cut foam insulation board lmao.
I can finally use my big blue ryobi hammer drill with the 4ah lithium battery
Old video, I know, but I just got the new 4ah battery kit and a Diablo blade for my blue ryobi saw. I was about to throw it away cause it wouldn’t cut a 2x4, and within a day I was chopping up 2x6 pressure treated and used it to build a deck.
That’s awesome!
The older ni cads were ok at best. BuT so many folks didn't realize that Ni Cads needed to be burned down to zero as much as possible to make their life longer, with out heating them up. The new Li Ions don't like to be zeroed, hence the chips that prevent this! But, I have blue Ryovi tools that work just fine with the Li Ions, tools that are 15yrs old, with LI batteries that are 10 yrs old.
You blue tools and yellow batteries look new. You're lucky. All of mine, purchased in 2006, look beaten up. My yellow batteries won't hold charge anymore.
I put 2ah of aldi lithium inside some very dead 1.3ah yellows. Easy hack to keep that authentic look with the blue tools.
I have Roybi blue drill driver I love it
I was given a P231 ryobi impact drill today. It came with 2 of the big yellow batteries and the charger. I charged them and the drill wouldn't work. Either the batteries are bad or the charger is bad. The lights on the charger did light up. So, I put the P102 lithium battery I had on the drill and it works.
Thanks dude, was about to throw these things out. 👍
Excellent instructive video.
I have a set of the even older Blue tools, plus 4 working NiCd packs (now rather weak). But I did floor out my loft with them in 2005.. Today I have at least 12 Ryobi 18+ tools, many are garden tools, which need the 4Ah or 5Ah batteries available in the UK.
But in Australia you can get the monster genuine 9Ah batteries. We never see them in the UK or EU. It's long passed time that Ryobi replaced the very dated style battery mounting system. It's rather fragile and often cracks. They should move to a Makita style slide on mountin. It is more robust and more compact.
Wondering if this would apply to my older 12V/14.4V tools. They serve me well, except for the batteries. Any help would be appreciated. Good video and keep them coming!
I seen on Uribe where someone rebuilt
an old Set of Ryobi Batterys
& they worked great.
That isn't hard to do if
You know how to solder.
I did it with a lithium upgrade!
Also amazing demonstrations 👍🏽
Great Video Brother, Thanks
I'm really surprised at the comments from people who didn't know the lithium batteries worked n the old blue tools. I currently have 5 of the blue. I just put the new batteries n them without a second thought 2 whether it was going 2 work. I just assumed it would. Also, I wanted 2 add, that when my circular saw and nicad battery were both new, the nicad ran it just fine. Is it going 2 work on a battery that can no longer hold a charge like apparently the ones u have? Of course not. So, I guess I missed ur point on that one.
I got a adapter to run my Milwaukee battery's on Roybi tools and man did the old tools seem to really come to life.
Thanks for you comment that's cool! can you share the adaptor information? dont forget to subscribe!
@@livefreeandtoolon Milwaukee Cordless Blower M18 Battery Adapter to Ryobi 18v One+ Tools . you can find it on ebay its kinda pricey for what it is and will make you tool a little longer and heavier, but I invested in the Milwaukee lineup and only wanted a few of the Ryobi tools that Milwaukee don't offer or the simple ones that are a lot cheaper
It would be much smarter to buy an adapter so your could run your Milwaukee tools on much cheaper Ryobi battery packs.
@@Videogamerforlife69 any video links for the adapter?
my ryobi jigsaw finally died this year. I bought it in 2004
I realized the new 18-volt lithium-ion batteries work in the old blue Ryobi tools, but my question is, will the old (Blue) Ryobi 18v Charger, charge the new 18v Lithium ion batteries if I invested in the new batteries... or do I also need to invest in one of the new chargers?
Thank you,
George Silver Hawk
QUESTION: Excellent video, question is: are the RYOBI 18+ HP series batteries too much for my blue tools and eventually burn them up. I know 18v is 18v but I keep seeing HP has more power, I was interested in the information being presented at time of about 4:07 but it was cut out, it seemed to be heading to what information I wanted, but it left me hanging. Buying new RYOBI tools may be only brushless in the future and may need HP batteries for peak performance over the non HP Batteries. If any knows or has a direction to find this information, it would be greatly appreciated. I continue to use my blue tools until the burial end, put available money towards tools I do not have, or need to replace deceased tools. I do not want the batteries to be the death of my blue tools. Basically. I do not want to kill my stock transmission with an HP engine. Thank you for any guidance or direction.
The HP tech is the electronics where the battery can communicate with the tool and only releases more power if the tools tells it to. the blue tools do not communicate with the batteries so the typical work of the battery will be used. or you can buy the regular batteries
Do you have to hold the yellow button in on the reciprocating saw to be able to pull the trigger?
Yes it’s a safety
Great video... Do you know if the P192 batteries will work with the old Blue tools as well?
Yes, the batteries will act as a typical non hp 4ah battery since the blue tools do not have the ability to communicate with the battery. thanks for your comment.
I love my old blue tools with lithium batteries
Ryobi do recommend to use the new batteries on your old tool, I guess they don't sell the old batteries anymore. Have you tried using an adapter for 20V Dewalt battery?
What
Grrat video. Thanks for the info 🤗
Super !!!
Thank you
can you charge the new batteries on the old charger?
very helpful! thanks
I still have the recip saw and the circ saw but i dont use them.
I assume you can’t charge the new lithium 18v batteries in the older blue one+ 18v charger, correct?
I know some people that still use the old Ryobi blue with the new lithium batteries they work just fine did it work as well as brushless no did it work as well as the first generation green which was brushed yes or no depends if it's the first generation of that color which is 11 years old now a second generation I think use the 4 pole motor which gave it a little bit more power as far as my knowledge goes on Ryobi tools if you still got the old blue work light you can upgrade the bulb to LED and given New Life to it.
Your comment is totally unreadable. Do you understand PUNCTUATION?
Sentences. Full stops (Periods). Commas. Paragraphs.
These are used in English for a very good reason... so that other people can understand what the fuck you are blabbering about.
I've got a few old Ryobi tools that take 14.4v, not even sure if they are NiCad or NiMh (but def not lithium) as its not printed on the batteries, tool, or charger anywhere. The existing batteries I have are on their last legs and it doesn't seem to make much financial sense to replace them with more basically obsolete non-lithium batteries. Any idea if the newer batteries would work on those tools?
Hello, no the batteries will not work, the voltage is different
@@livefreeandtoolon Too bad. Thanks for the info though.
I bought me a Ryobi p340
Oscillating multi tool &
I first bought a 2 ah battery
& it works good. Then I found
2 5 ah & 2 6 ah Batterys for $ 65.99
So I figured why spend $65.99 when
I can get the 6 ah for no more then
What 5 ah Batterys cost
chose the 6 ah Batterys for $72. 99
$7.00 difference big deal