There are several different generations and battery chemistries for these 18v tools.... Ni-Cd, Nimh, and Li-ion. And lately they are labeling them "20V max" but they are just regular Li-ion 18V batteries. IOW it really is critical that you have a charger that matches the type and generation of batteries you have.

 

I just went through something similar with my 18V B&D tools. I had a skill saw, saws-all and about 4 drills. I'd originally bought a set, and when those batteries died it was cheaper to buy a drill and two batteries than to just buy two batteries. I did this twice, hence all the drills. So I have a few generations of battery technology and chargers, some with 2 pins and some with 3, and different model drills. All my batteries were dead and I was about to throw all the hardware away, but...

I figured I would check to see if anyone sold replacement batteries for a reasonable price. No, but for around $35 each I could buy a pair of Li-ion batteries on Amazon. I figured I'd take a chance.

Wow! These things are great! They power the tools like those old batteries never could, and I haven't been able to kill them yet, after a few deliberately challenging projects.

Here's the thing: These batteries appear to have an internal charge controller. I was worried that my old chargers would not work. I have the little clip-on chargers and two of my drills have a jack in the back where the cord from a wall transformer plugs in. All these chargers work with my new Li-ions. These batteries have a charge indicator light - four bars. They show charging, and charged status, correctly. Leaving them plugged in long after fully charged didn't heat anything up (I tested in a safe place.) This seems to confirm that the batteries control the charge, and just need the charging voltage from the chargers.

So, I suspect the charging station isn't needed, and may not even work, with the new Li-ion batteries. All you need is the little clip-on charger, even though it says for Ni-Cd and/or Nimh right on it. You can even buy the replacement batteries along with one of these for a few bucks more.

Now, if anyone has any B&D 18V tools they want to get rid of, I'd be happy to take them off your hands. They used to sell an 18V hand jig saw (saber saw) but they're long out of stock now. That would be a great addition to my set. I'll be watching Craigslist, maybe I can snag one locally.

One more thing: These come in different AH ratings. Make sure you get the 6A or higher models.