Kobalt 40V Lithium Ion Battery
Kobalt 40V lithium-ion batteries are very popular Kobalt batteries used from smaller handheld tools to full-size cordless lawn mowers and similar tools and appliances.
Kobalt 40-volt rechargeable Li-Ion batteries range in capacity, weight, and charging/discharging features, but the Kobalt 40V MAX rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are compatible with all the Kobalt's 40V MAX Li-Ion battery tools - just smaller batteries (in terms of capacity) don't last long in energy-hungry tools.
Published: August 8, 2022.
Kobalt 40-Volt Rechargeable Lithium Batteries
Kobalt 40V lithium-ion batteries differ in capacity from 2.0Ah to 6.0Ah and have a nominal battery voltage of 36V and a maximum voltage of 40-42V - hence the "40V" as part of their label.
Internally, these batteries consist of ten (10) 3.6V lithium-ion cells connected in series in order to achieve the required voltage (36V).
The batteries also feature an internal Battery Management System (BMS), which monitors the battery and, if required, protects the battery from unwanted events.
Also, during the use, the tool and BMS communicate, and if required, the BMS stops the tool and battery to protect the battery from any damage, if possible.
When looking for a new Kobalt 40V battery, always go for the battery of the same or larger capacity - batteries with larger capacity may be somewhat heavier, but they prolong the tool runtime on the single battery charge.
Most popular Kobalt 40V batteries are 2.0Ah, 2.5Ah, 3.0Ah, 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah, 6,0Ah.
Each battery features Battery Capacity Indicator with 4 LED lights, which allows the user to check the battery's remaining capacity:
- 4 Green LEDs: The battery is at full capacity,
- 3 Green LEDs: The battery is at ~70% capacity,
- 2 Green LEDs: The battery is at ~45% capacity,
- 1 Green LEDs: The battery is at ~10% capacity and should be charged soon,
- All LEDs Out: The battery is under 10% capacity and should be charged immediately.
All Kobalt 40V lithium batteries should be recharged using compatible Kobalt 40V lithium battery chargers, which either came with the Kobalt tool and battery (batteries) or with the compatible charger that was ordered later.
Note: In order to prolong the battery lifetime, it is recommended to let the batteries cool down for 10-15 minutes right after the use and right after the charging and to store them and charge them at room temperature. Also, when the battery is 100% charged, take it out of the charger.
Kobalt 40-Volt Battery Hacks
While Kobalt batteries are often somewhat cheaper than the batteries of some more expensive brands, it is not recommended to hack the Kobalt or other batteries to power devices, tools, and appliances of other brands via these batteries.
Also, it is NOT recommended to hack Kobalt tools, devices, and appliances in order to power them with, for example, 36V battery packs used to power electric bikes or something similar.
Another potential Kobalt 40V battery hack is using empty space of, for example, Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah battery and adding another set of lithium cells, practically doubling (at least) the capacity - this is a big no-no since the additional set of cells must be added in parallel, increasing the load on the charger, bypassing the built-in BMS, increasing the thermal load, etc. Such modification can easily lead to overheating, fire, and even battery explosion. Seriosly!
If You have a Kobalt tool and if You need a new Kobalt battery, go for a compatible Kobalt battery and pay as much as You have to - cheap batteries and/or cheap solutions, in the end, are often the most expensive ones.
Tampering with the batteries and/or tools will void their warranty.
Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah Battery
Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah battery features a charging voltage of 40V, which peaks at ~42V, and a nominal voltage of 36V.
With its 2.0Ah capacity, the Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah lithium rechargeable battery is able to store ~72Wh of energy.
Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah battery offers fade-free power without memory effect - as soon as the task is done, it can be recharged, with no need to discharge it down to 0-10% before another charging cycle.
This is one of the cheapest Kobalt lithium batteries and one with the least energy stored. If your device supports (probably it does, but just in case, check the documentation), consider Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah or 3.0Ah batteries.
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah Lithium Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah Battery
Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah battery can store ~90 Wh of energy, improving the runtime when compared with the Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah battery.
Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah battery is compatible with the Kobalt 40V MAX tools, allowing the user to power a wide range of cordless tools with a single battery.
However, larger, energy-hungry tools and appliances may quickly discharge the Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah battery.
But, smaller garden tools, like pole saws and similar, are an excellent match with this battery.
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 2.5Ah Lithium Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah Battery
Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah battery is intended as a direct replacement for the Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah and 2.5Ah batteries, offering larger capacity and longer runtime.
As such, the Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah battery is compatible with the Kobalt 40-volt MAX range of cordless tools, allowing the user to power a range of cordless tools with a single battery.
And thanks to the larger capacity, the Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah battery is able to store 108Wh of energy, which is 50% more than the energy stored in the Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah battery.
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah Lithium Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah Battery
Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah battery offers twice the energy stored compared with Kobalt 40V 2.0Ah battery - up to 144Wh of fade-free power, which is respectable energy that can be delivered rather quickly.
Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah battery is compatible with the Kobalt 40-volt MAX set of tools - Kobalt 40V 3.0Ah and 4.0Ah batteries are the two most popular models of Kobalt 40V MAX lithium batteries, balancing very well between the energy stored, weight, and the price.
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah Lithium Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Kobalt 40V 5.0Ah Battery
Kobalt 40V 5.0Ah battery is able to store 180Wh of energy and is usually used to power cordless lawn mowers and similar tools.
But, it can be used to power backward-compatible tools as well.
However, the Kobalt 40V 5.0Ah battery is often out of stock. It can be supplemented with a pair of Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah batteries - while one battery is being used, another one can be recharged.
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 5Ah Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Kobalt 40V 6.0Ah Battery
With its 216Wh of stored energy, the Kobalt 40V 6.0Ah battery is the largest, in terms of capacity, Kobalt 40V lithium battery.
But, just as Kobalt 40V 5.0Ah battery, Kobalt 40V 6.0Ah tends to be harder to find - 5.0Ah and 6.0Ah models should be replaced with batteries of the same capacity, but both can also be replaced with a pair of Kobalt 40V 4.0Ah batteries (just check the tool's compatibility - it really shouldn't be a problem, but just in case).
For the most up-to-date offers and prices, feel free to check the Kobalt 40V 6Ah Battery Amazon link (link opens in the new window).
Long Story Short: If You have Kobalt 40V MAX tools, using compatible Kobalt 40V MAX rechargeable lithium-ion batteries will allow You to power a broad set of tools with just a few batteries.
Because of that, any further purchase of compatible Kobalt 40V MAX tool-only (bare tool) will be a very affordable purchase.
Kobalt 40V MAX batteries may last for a long time, just be sure to store and charge them at room temperature, avoid mechanical impacts, and similar.
And always, if unsure, check the documentation that came with your tools and/or batteries and chargers - better safe than sorry.