Black & Decker 7.2 volt DustBusters don't bust much dust

May 7, 2007

Battery power in home tools is critical. Remember those first power drills screwdrivers. They could barely turn themselves much less a screw. There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a home project and have your cordless drill crap out. The worst offender for premature wimping out are cordless vacs, namely the Black & Decker DustBuster. I have two 7.2 volt DustBusters and they a both don't suck, BUT THEY"RE SUPPOSED TO!!! I get two minutes max of sufficient power to make using them worthwhile. In other words, I get about a third of my car done of my car before the &^%#%@) unit dies. The earlier 4.8 volt DustBuster was useless junk and the 7.2 volt units didn't improve on it much. Somehow the 7.2 volt unit earned three and half stars in Amazon reviews…maybe I got two lemons. Black & Decker has a huge line of corded and cordless portable vacs. In cordless, they come in many voltages now: 9.6, 14.4, 15.6 and 18 volts. The 18 volt PHV1800 gets four and a half stars on Amazon's user reviews, but costs $55 while less energized units are consider less.

I have a Firestorm 14.4 volt Black & Decker cordless drill that just doesn't quit, but the DustBusters are getting tossed out.

Posted by John Dodge on May 7, 2007 | Comments (3)

March 25, 2009

In response to: Black & Decker 7.2 volt DustBusters don't bust much dust
kenneth elliott commented:

Tell me where i can get a power adapter . it is a 7.2 v at 290ma.

March 6, 2009

In response to: Black & Decker 7.2 volt DustBusters don't bust much dust
kathyfin1 commented:

i have a 7.2 volt & need replacement batteries...suggestions? mine worked ok when new nothing to brag about...

May 9, 2007

In response to: Black & Decker 7.2 volt DustBusters don't bust much dust
Mike Weller commented:

I had the same problem with a 7.2 VDC FLOORbuster (a Dustbuster with wheels) and was ready to throw it out when I checked the [charged] batteries with my meter. One of them was dead, the other was fine. I replaced them both with NiMH cells, which always check fine. I can sweep my hobby room several times before recharging. After digging into this thing, I decided that the tool itself is 'okay', but the batteries and charger are TRASH. As a model airplane nut who is now into electrics, I am sensitized to the whole battery/charging/discharging thing. I have concluded that the real purpose of Wall Wart Chargers is to ruin battery packs. The alternatives, however, are much more expensive. Another thing I have discovered is that the batteries that come with these, as well as other rechargeable tools, don't develop their real capacity until they have been cycled (charged and discharged) a few times. Whatever you do, DO NOT LEAVE THEM ON THE CHARGER ANY LONGER THAN YOU HAVE TO.

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