Chainsaw Battery Not Charging After Fall – Any Fix?

Hey all, I'm new here but been lurking. I dropped my cordless chainsaw (Ryobi 18V) and now the battery won't charge. It clicks when I put it on the charger but the light stays red. Any ideas before I buy a new one? Cheers.

Welcome Larry! Dropping a tool can loosen internal connections. Pop the battery open if you're brave – check for broken solder joints on the terminals. Sometimes it's just a loose wire. I fixed a drill battery that way once. If not, might be the charger itself. Got a multimeter?

I've seen that with Ryobi – the charger senses a fault and won't charge. Try cleaning the contacts with a pencil eraser. Also, if the battery has a fuel gauge, press the button – does it show any charge? If it's completely dead, it might be in sleep mode. Some chargers have a bypass trick, but simpler: check with another battery if you have one.

Had a similar issue with a Makita after a drop. Turned out a cell was knocked off the protection circuit. I took it to a battery shop – they replaced the battery pack for half the cost of new. If you're handy, you can rebuild it, but it's risky if you're new to 18650s. Otherwise, consider a new battery – they're not that pricey.

Thanks for the tips! Tried the eraser, no luck. I don't have a multimeter but might borrow one. Opened the case – everything looks fine visually. Guess I'll try the battery shop route. Appreciate the help, guys!