Leland Miller is the force behind Innovative Power LLC, a business that restores Indiana’s dead batteries to working order.
“Our primary rebuilds are tool battery lines — mainly DeWalt, Milwaukee and Craftsman,” Miller said. “Pretty much any lithium battery packs for tools or your nickel-cadmium batteries that no longer work. We’ll go in there, put all new cells in and then have a completely new battery again.”
Miller purchased Innovative Power LLC in 2024 from Nathan Slabaugh, who founded the business with a focus on rebuilding nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride and some lithium batteries. Slabaugh was looking to step away and offered the operation to Miller.
“He didn’t have time to do this anymore,” Miller said. “He was looking for somebody. He asked me if I would be interested. Right away I wasn’t. But now I’m thankful for the opportunity he gave me.”
After taking ownership, Miller expanded the company’s services to include battery rebuilds for e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards and electric three-wheelers. He also added the DeWalt FlexVolt battery to the list.
He has grown the company’s inventory with special-order custom nickel plating.
“Your DeWalt FlexVolt, for example, is a very complicated battery to rebuild,” he said. “It’s time-consuming, and it takes special plating you can’t just get anywhere. That was one of my first projects. I wanted to rebuild one, and I have accomplished that.”
The DeWalt FlexVolt line automatically switches between 20 and 60 volts depending on the tool. It’s the most frequently submitted battery for rebuilds.
Miller said the company maintains an extensive inventory. “We keep several thousand cells in all shapes and sizes of nickel plating in stock,” he said. “We never know what gets shipped in or dropped off each day, and we want to have the batteries done in less than a week.”
He credits the quality of the rebuilds to the brand of cells used.
“These are top of the line,” Miller said. “They exceed the performance of the cells used in new batteries. By doing a rebuild, these batteries are 100% better than the new ones.”
Miller began his electrical career six years ago in the RV industry, where he developed the skills needed for battery repair.
The rebuilding process requires precision.
First, Miller removes the screws holding the battery casing. After testing the Battery Management System to ensure it can be rehabilitated, he proceeds. The BMS board controls charge rate and output and monitors cell conditions.
“Occasionally, a battery comes in with a bad BMS,” he said. “In that case, we won’t rebuild it. Aftermarket BMS boards are available but are questionable. In those cases, we opt not to return an unsafe battery.”
Once the BMS board is removed, he strips the plating and removes the old cells. New cells are inserted, welded with custom nickel plating, and reassembled. A final test ensures the battery charges before the casing is sealed.
Each rebuild includes a two-year warranty from the repair date.
“When I started advertising, it pretty much exploded. I’ve been busy ever since,” Miller said. “I’ve had multiple customers send me a few batteries just to try it out. Then a few months later, here comes another box full.”
He said rebuilt batteries often outperform new ones. “They are extremely good batteries,” Miller said. “Better performance than the new ones in runtime, lifespan, power — everything.”
Battery rebuilds also contribute to sustainability by reducing waste. Lithium batteries require specific disposal and are illegal to place in standard trash.
“It’s a big hassle to get your lithium batteries recycled properly, and it costs money,” Miller said. “We’ll take care of that problem, and you end up with a better battery that you don’t have to fix for a long time.”
He hopes the business will continue to grow through word-of-mouth.
“Customers say they notice the continuous long runtime between charge cycles even after hundreds of uses,” Miller said. “Whereas new batteries will lose runtime. One customer told me his e-bike jumps without power with just a small touch on the throttle.”
“Everybody’s going electric, so there’s more demand for an outlet to fix them,” he said. “It’s a safe, efficient fix. Better than new.”
Innovative Power LLC is at 12271 N. State Route 19 in Nappanee. Call 574-221-1671 or visit innovativepowerin.com for more information.
