Using a battery from unused and old power tools like drills or flashlights will save your money for battery replacement in the power wheels, this process is called power wheels drill conversion.
The drill conversion gives a new life to the battery so it can be used again.
The process is simple, you just have to cut the connector from the stock battery, add a new fuse and connect it to the adapter, finally, plug in the power tool battery.
This process will increase the voltage and make your power wheels faster.
Table of Contents
Tools and Parts Required for Power Wheels Drill Conversion
Quite a few tools and parts are required for the power wheels drill conversion. You may already have the tools in your garage.
If anything tool is missing you can buy borrow. In the parts the power wheels and its accessories you already have, all the other parts you have to buy from the market or online stores.
Let’s have a look at the list of tools and parts.
Tools
- Soldering Iron
- Mini Screwdriver Set
- Wire Crimper
- Wire Stripper
- Multimeter
- Magnetic Parts Dish
- Electrical Tape
Parts
- 6V or 12V Power Wheels (see also ‘What’s The Difference Between 12V And 24V Power Wheels Cars For Kids?‘)
- Lithium Tool Battery
- Fuse Holder
- 30A ATC Fuses
- Wire (10 ga)
- Hercules/Dewalt Battery Adapter
- Heat Sinks(optional)
- Battery Charger
- Velcro(Optional)
Some of the parts are optional like heat sinks which are not necessary to install but increase the life of a motor by keeping it cool.
Important Things to Know Before Starting Drill Conversion
- An inline fuse is required no matter what battery mod you are doing. Every time you are adding a battery to power wheels, the FUSE is a must.
Because stock batteries already have internal thermal fuses installed in them, so adding an inline fuse holder is required for changing batteries necessitates. - Overvolting makes a hard effect on stock components, it will decrease the life of the motor and gearboxes.
This can be prevented by using heatsinks which will keep to motor cool, for more protections rider weight should be lower, while in motion is better not to rapidly shift directions. - The unused lithium-ion batteries are toxic to the environment, it can emit mercury, cadmium, and lead that harm living creatures, take safety measures before working with these batteries.
- You can also use new lithium-ion batteries and chargers for this conversion but that will cost more.
Process of Power Wheels Drill Conversion
Power wheels drill conversion can be done in five simple steps.
1. Remove the Power Tool Battery and Power Wheels Stock Battery
You can buy an old power tool from a yard sale or online which can be a drill or any other power tool. Disassemble the power tool using screwdrivers and take the lithium Ion battery out.
Make sure the tool battery is charged. Keep the battery in a safe place.
Locate the stock battery in your power wheels it will be in the trunk, under the seat, or under the hood according to the Power Wheels model you are modifying.
Remove the battery from the power wheels, safely unhook the wires, the battery may be held in place by a bar with screws. Use screwdrivers to take out the battery.
2. Modify the Stock Battery
The connector plug in the stock battery will be required so you need to cut the wires attached to it.
After cutting the wires you cannot use the power wheels till the drill conversion is finished, the stock battery will not be usable.
Connect the stock battery connector to the battery adapter mentioned in the parts section.
An alternative to using the new adapter is that you can make your adapter by cutting, drilling, and modifying the donor power tool battery socket.
This process is time-consuming and requires a lot of effort.
Connect the negative black wires in the connector to black wires in the adapter, at first use electrical tape to cover them, crimpers can be used after everything is working fine.
The positive red wires will also be connected to the adapter with a 30A ATC inline fuse installed between. The fuse is used to stop the excess power to the motor, it will simply break if this happens.
3. Connect the Power Tool Battery and Install Optional Parts
After the wiring is done make sure the fuse is connected properly between the red wires from the power tool battery.
It is recommended to install heat sinks because this conversion will generate heat in the motor and gearbox, tutorials are available for installing the heat sinks. The heat sinks will prevent the heat which increases the life of the motor.
You can use velcro on the battery adapter to keep it in one place in the power wheels. It is also recommended to install an electrical speed controller kit if your vehicle already does not have one.
By installing the ESC you can control the power going to the wheels.
Both heat sinks and Electronic Speed Controller are the optional parts that increase the life of the motor and help control the speed. This conversion will increase the voltage which will surely make your power wheels faster.
4. Assemble the Battery Pack and Test
When the battery is connected to the adapter and a battery pack is generated, connect the battery pack to power wheels, lift the rear wheels with your hand and test it by pressing the throttle.
You will feel the change in speed with this new higher voltage battery pack.
Assemble the battery pack into the power wheels. Because the lithium tool battery is lighter it will increase more speed.
5. Finish Up and Let Your Kid Enjoy the New Experience
If the testing is successful use crimpers to cover the joints this will help for long-term use. Check the voltage by the multimeter.
Assemble the batteries and everything back as it was before locating the stock battery. Put every remaining thing back into its place.
Supervise your kid while riding the Power Wheels after the drill conversion, because there will be a change in speed.
The conversion will feel better than stock and your child will be thrilled.
Power Wheels Drill Conversion Safety
It is recommended to read the battery instructions on both power wheels and power tool batteries for your safety.
Before installing the lithium-ion batteries check for leakages or breaks.
Because of this conversion, the speed will be greatly increased and your child may not be able to control it and he may flip it over or hit something.
In that case, the ESC will help the speed limit can be set to low till your kid is trained properly.
The parents are recommended to higher the age limit and buy protective gear or at least a helmet for their child.
Power Wheels Drill Conversion Costs
The whole process of drill conversion with the parts described above can cost $60 to $80. The old power tool with lithium-ion battery can cost $10-$20, the fuse up to $7, and the 10g wire up to $1-$2 per foot.
If the power tool does not have a charger with it you can buy a lithium-ion battery charger which costs up to $40.
And if you don’t want to do it with an old power tool battery you can buy a new 20V lithium-ion battery from any power tool manufacturer, which would cost up to $40.
Some Drill Conversion Tips
- The drill conversion will add more voltage to the power wheels which will affect the life of the motor and gears. Heat sinks are a temporary solution.
You can upgrade the motor and gearbox according to the battery for a longer run. - Make sure you buy the adapter according to your battery choice, different brands have different types of adapters.
- If you want to pay less then you can use the power tool as an adapter, just cut the battery and socket part from the tool, or just use the power tool if it can fit into your power wheels.
This modification needs time and skills of wiring, cutting, and drilling.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Power Wheels Drill Conversion
Advantages
- The lithium-ion batteries are a lot lighter than stock batteries, this will make your power wheels faster as it will decrease almost 8-9 pounds of weight from your vehicle
- Lithium-Ion batteries charges faster
- The process of drill conversion is simple enough that parents can do it at home without any expert help
- Less cost than then stock battery replacement
- The power wheels get a great boost in speed. An electronic speed controller can give your child an experience of dynamic speed
Disadvantages
- More voltage will cause the motor to generate more heat and finally result in failure, up-gradation of the motor is recommended for long-term use. similarly, the gearbox is also recommended to upgrade
- You need to add more tractions to the wheel as the stock plastic wheels may spin because of more speed
- If the power tool battery is low Ah then you cannot expect a long run time. Instead of using a low Ah battery use a high Ah battery
- High speed will not be safe for young age kids
- You have to be very careful with lithium-ion batteries, check for damages or leakages time by time
Conclusion
The power wheels drill conversion process helps you save money for battery replacement and make your kid’s power wheels faster.
Drill conversions are usually done from old power tools like drills and flashlights, you can also use new lithium-ion batteries and chargers by paying more.
If you can modify the power tools to use an adapter in the power wheels then you don’t need to buy a new adapter, but for this modification, you require skills and time.
This conversion will boost the speed of power wheels, you can install an Electronic Speed Controller kit that controls the speed and parents don’t have to worry for their child.
Remember to read and follow the safety instruction while working with batteries.
