What Sets Ridgid Octane Apart
The highly anticipated Ridgid Octane 18V tools and batteries are making their way to Home Depot stores. These revolutionary battery packs offer larger capacities, promising more power and longer runtimes. Curious to see what makes this new system stand out, we decided to investigate. In addition, we conducted a thorough comparison between the Octane Ridgid products and their non-Octane counterparts.
Understanding Ridgid Octane
At its core, Ridgid Octane introduces an extra layer of communication between the tool and the battery. When you pair a Ridgid Octane battery with an 18V Octane tool, the tool provides precise information about the connected battery. If both the tool and the battery are registered as Octane, the power available to the tool is significantly amplified.
The Ridgid Octane 6Ah and 9Ah battery packs use standard 18650 cells. The 6Ah pack has two 5-cell layers and the 9Ah pack has three 5-cell layers.
The Ingenious Technology Behind It
Standard Ridgid cordless tools incorporate fail-safes to protect battery packs from excessive power consumption. These safety measures, resembling a governor, limit the amount of current that can be drawn. However, with the new communication system, the need for this buffer to protect the “dumb” battery becomes redundant. The battery now possesses accurate information about the connected tool, enabling it to power the specific torque curve of that tool in the most efficient manner.
Electronic communication not only allows Ridgid’s current brushless motors to demand more power, but it also provides the opportunity to utilize larger brushless motors.
Unleashing Unmatched Performance
The results are astonishing. Ridgid observed a remarkable 65% increase in performance upon connecting the Ridgid Octane tool with the battery. Now, you might assume that this improvement is due to the adoption of 20700 or 21700 Li-Ion cells. However, that is not the case.
Ridgid saw a 65% increase in performance when a connection was established between the Ridgid Octane tool and the battery.
According to Ridgid, the 18650 battery is sufficiently advanced, eliminating the immediate need for a larger battery replacement. By staying with their current battery, Ridgid customers won’t experience significant price differences compared to other manufacturers. Although some changes may be evident in the packaging, the majority of the performance gains stem from the enhanced communication capabilities.
UPDATE: Ridgid appears to be transitioning to newer 21700 cells in its 3Ah Octane battery pack. This observation is based on our examination of the pack’s internals and cell size. Take a look at the Ridgid Octane 3Ah battery open:
Enhanced Functionality with Bluetooth
Ridgid Octane batteries come in three sizes: 3 Ah Compact, 6 Ah Standard, and 9 Ah High Capacity. Moreover, each battery incorporates Bluetooth communication. This exciting feature brings a dozen functionalities to the table. Among them, Battery Status stands out as a personal favorite. Not only does it offer insight into the battery’s health, but it also provides a real-time countdown during charging—an invaluable tool that lets you know exactly how long it will take to reach a full charge.
Curious to learn more about batteries? Read on:
Ridgid 18V 9.0 Amp Hour Bluetooth Battery
The Future of Ridgid Octane
At present, the Ridgid Octane 18V lineup includes new brushless reciprocating saws, Octane grinders, Octane jigsaws, and Octane impact drivers and drills. But wait, there’s more! MegaMax, the next phase of this innovative line, is on the horizon. Expect to find exciting new tools like a full-size rotary hammer boasting an impressive 1300 inch-pounds of torque. This is just the beginning of Ridgid’s Octane revolution.
With the Ridgid Octane 18V tool and battery combination, you can unlock unparalleled power and performance. Experience the difference for yourself at Home Depot today.