Vortex screwdrivers: selection and operation

Peculiarities

Like many other brands, the Vikhr company has a wide range of screwdrivers. This can confuse the buyer, although a more advanced layman will immediately try to choose one or another product from the list of in-demand models.

Models of screwdrivers of the Russian manufacturer are distinguished by design ergonomics. They also have excellent technical characteristics, have a fairly reliable motor and gearbox. Their main function is to drill materials of different density and composition, as well as work with self-tapping screws and screws during installation during construction work. The convenience of the models is due to the rubberized body, which covers not only part of the handle, but also the back and sides.

How to choose?

It is important to understand that at the time of purchase, you should not think about the price, since it is often not an indicator that determines the best model for you. There are several main selection criteria.

Passport data and frequency of use

First of all, it is important to build on the data of the technical passport. These are the rotational speed, the type of battery of the accumulator (if any), and also the torque

It is on the basis of the basic data that it is worth choosing the right model. In this case, you should start from how often it will be used. For example, if the product is rarely available, it makes no sense to buy a professional version. In addition, having basic functions, the household model will weigh less, which is convenient for the master.

Tasks

It is necessary to take into account the tasks that the device must cope with. For example, a screwdriver can be bought only for screws or for screwing in and out screws, bolts, screws. It is worth considering whether the device should tighten the dowels and anchors. In addition, it is possible that the device will be used for cutting threads on parts made of metal and other materials.

Torque

This nuance will allow you to determine what materials this or that model can work with. For varieties of the brand, these indicators can range from 16 to 32 Newton meters. The higher this indicator, the wider the capabilities of the devices. The length of the screws used will depend on the torque. In addition, it also determines the diameter of the screws, which, depending on the type of the "Whirlwind" device, can be 25/10, 30/12, 18/8, 20/10.

Limiter

The limiter is a very handy feature. With its help, you can set up a barrier that will not allow you to twist screws or screws, which will significantly increase the quality of the work performed. Although the engine may still be running, the chuck will be stopped. This simple device will crackly inform you that the optimum screw-in depth has been reached. The limiter will protect the tool from wearing out the bit and breaking the self-tapping slot. It will not allow the screw to be sunk more than the selected depth.

Power and number of speeds

The more power the device has, the thicker and longer the screws it will be able to tighten and unscrew. The battery varieties of the brand are autonomous, while it is preferable to take options with higher power. The voltage of different models in the cordless screwdriver line is 12, 14.4, 18 volts. The number of speeds, depending on the specific variety, varies from 1 to 2.

Operation and power supply

It is imperative to check the stability of the selected tool under load

It is important that the engine frequency is maintained during operation. The rotation speed must remain unchanged

In addition, you need to pay attention to the power supply, as well as the ability to hold a charge.

Charging rules

In order for the charger and battery to work properly in the future, certain charging rules must be followed. If the instructions for the screwdriver say about this separately, or even the purchased battery or charger has its own instructions, they must be carefully read and try not to deviate from what is written under any circumstances. For example, nickel-cadmium batteries usually require a preliminary "overclocking", for this they are completely discharged and charged three times in a row, after each discharge they wait at least another 8 hours before recharging.

According to numerous reviews, ignoring this recommendation leads to the fact that the battery does not reach the declared amount of charge. Only after passing the procedure three times, the battery can be connected for charging and full use, however, operation is permissible only after reaching one hundred percent charge. In the future, recharging is possible only after reaching zero charge.

With lithium-ion batteries, everything is much simpler - they do not need any overclocking, and you can charge them at any time. At the same time, when buying a cheap charger, you need to understand that it may not provide for automatic shutdown, in which case it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the battery does not overheat, otherwise its explosion is not excluded. The recommended temperature for charging batteries, by the way, is in the range of 10-40 degrees above zero, it is not recommended to get out of this range.

For the period of inactivity, it is advisable to remove the batteries from the tool, without leaving them inside the case. The chargers themselves should be purchased only in specialized mechanisms; experimenting in this area by purchasing cheap Chinese blocks is risky. As for the duration of the charging process, it is better to check this point additionally in the instructions. It's good if the charger assumes an automatic shutdown when the desired level is reached, but if not, surprises are possible, because for pulse chargers, the minimum charging time can be only half an hour, and for analog chargers, it can reach 7 hours. If there is no automatic shutdown, but there is a charge level indicator, then it is better to disconnect the battery immediately after reaching 100%, even if the instructions say that a one-time overexposure does not threaten dire consequences.

For the features of chargers for a screwdriver, see the video below

Rating of popular models of cordless screwdrivers

When compiling the table, household models costing less than 10 thousand rubles were selected, a professional tool exceeds this threshold.

Table: cordless tool models

Bison ZDA-18-Li-K

Unique screwdriver. The only one of the dozen that has hammer drilling mode. And the torque has exceeded the 50 Newton-meters mark and is almost twice as high as that of all competitors.

The Zubr also has an option that has migrated from the world of professionals - shaft blocking. With this option, you can even tighten the tooling in the chuck with one hand.

Add to this the work area illumination, lithium-ion unit, battery gauge, 13mm chuck, rubber pads on the body, additional side handle, and you have a nearly perfect 18-volt screwdriver for the home.

Why almost? The fact is that only one complete battery is put into the case from the factory. Buying a second one is guaranteed to bring your budget out of the initial 5 thousand.

In our ranking, three screwdrivers are equipped with lithium-ion cartridges, and they all do not have spare batteries. Obviously, the savings on the spare unit allowed the manufacturers to fit into the desired price tag.

Despite the domestic brand Zubr ZDA-18-Li-K is produced in China.

Brief characteristics:

The main parameters of the battery and the tool itself

The main parameter that characterizes the operation of a screwdriver is the voltage of the battery, which, in turn, determines the power of the electric motor and the torque. For household models, the difference in voltage between screwdrivers is small - on average, it is in the range of 10.8-14.4 V. More productive options designed for permanent use can be equipped with batteries of 24-36 volts.

The battery voltage of the screwdriver depends on the type of battery - you can answer what the difference is, knowing what metals were used to make it. For nickel-cadmium batteries, large in size with a similar capacity, the value of the indicator is a multiple of 1.2 V (this is exactly the voltage for one cell of which the battery pack is made up), for lithium-ion batteries - 3.6 V.

Among other, equally important characteristics, one can note:

torque, the value of which can become one of the main answers to the question of what the voltage of the screwdriver's battery affects. According to this characteristic, it is possible to determine both the diameter and the length of the screw to be screwed or self-tapping screw. Large fasteners, as well as drilling deep and wide holes and hard materials, require a serious torque value. Torque - 12-15 Nm is enough for home models (up to a maximum of 30 Nm), for professional models - from 30 Nm

The parameter is important, pay attention to it.
If the maximum speed is below 1000 rpm, it will be convenient to use the tool to tighten screws and drill soft materials (wood, metal, plastic).If you are going to drill metal, choose models with rpm above 1500 rpm

They will have two speeds: the first is for fasteners, the second is for drilling.
For serial work (installation of drywall sheets, clapboard cladding), choose corded screwdrivers with a depth gauge. For work at home, both network and battery models are suitable, so choose what you like best.

There are two types of screwdriver torque - starting (larger in magnitude and required to start the device into operation) and constant, that is, working. The parameter value for modern equipment models can be adjusted - to find out how many modes can be selected for a particular device, you can find out in the documentation available for it. Moreover, tools with a pulsed mode of operation (turning on the rotating part by jerks) have more screwing capabilities - allowing them to periodically increase the torque, they can screw in a larger screw.

In addition to the voltage of the screwdriver and its power, the capacity of the battery should also be evaluated. The characteristic is measured in ampere-hours or milliampere-hours. The higher the indicator, the longer the screwdriver can work without recharging.

The average battery capacity of the household model is 1300 mAh, which is enough for 2-3 hours of operation. Professional equipment requires more time to complete the work - and a master who uses a screwdriver for a whole working day should purchase a model with a battery already from 1.5–2.0 Ah and more.