Adapter: Bosch "Power4All" batteries to Einhell 18-V drill

Adapter: Bosch "Power4All" batteries to Einhell 18-V drill
 

I have an old Einhell "LE-AS 18" drill that was, at the time, powered by NiCd accumulators. Similar drills were available from other suppliers such as Ferm, Workzone and others.

Looking for 18-V replacement packs, I noticed that we have some Bosch garden tool with an 18-V “Power4All” battery pack that was unused most of the year. I decided that this battery pack would now also power the Einhell drill 😎

The battery adapter presented here is a modified version of an adapter by Thingiverse user usedbytes (see links below). I removed the XT60 connector and modified the position of the spade connectors slightly.

Materials

• 1 defective Einhell accu pack
• 2x 6.3-mm spade connectors and crimping tool
• 2x approx. 20 cm of flexible wire (1 mm² or larger), preferably different colors
• Soldering tool (… for electronics, not for water pipes 🤪) and accessories
• Hot glue
• Your preferred 3D printer and filament

Printing 

My final version was printed with 0.2 mm layer height. 

I actually forgot to enable supports (these might be useful for the overhangs along the two slide slots on the sides) but the unit came out very nicely anyway.

I used black PLA and at the time of publishing, my unit is running for more than a year now 😁

Assembly of the base plate

1. Connect (crimp) a length of wire to each of the two 6.3-mm spade connectors.
2. Insert the spade connectors into the base plate, then feed the wires through the hole on the back of the plate. 
3. Glue the connectors in place, e.g. using hotglue - see photo above.
4. Test: insert the Bosch battery pack and see if it fits as intended. 
   • If not, adjust the position of the spade connectors. 
   • Also, avoid short-circuiting the open ends of the cables … 🔥
   • When finished, remove the Bosch battery pack again.

Assembly of the battery pack

1. Disassemble the original battery compartment (and make sure to recycle  the "dead" batteries, these are neither landfill nor household waste!) 
2. Remove the contact plates from the upper part of the original battery compartment. Clean them. 
3. Solder the “open ends” of the two wires protruding from the base plate to the two contact plates. 
4. “Assembly is performed in reverse order” 😋 so insert these contact plates back into the upper part of the original battery compartment and attach them there … hotglue may be useful. 
5. Check that polarity matches the markings on the housing.
6. Double-check polarity.
7. Glue the printed adapter to the upper part of the original battery compartment - see photo below.
8. Insert the Bosch battery pack.
9. Enjoy 😁

Note 1: The clips that held the original battery in place are not reproduced here. You will need to secure the battery e.g. with rubber straps - see photos.

Note 2: No, I did not use the screw holes. Black hot glue was faster 😇 

A big “Thank You” to usedbytes for his model!