revtothelimit - motorbike forum

My Makita ones are deed - again. The bodies are still in great shape. I've got a driver, a combi impact/driver and a sweet impact-only all taking the same battery pack.

So do I just buy a brand new set of drill/drivers and more batteries? (Is the new stuff noticeably better?)
Or some (presumably knock off) batteries to replace?
Or just repair the dead cells in the battery packs? ( these are the fairly crude ni-cads, I don't think there's much in the way of sensors in there).

Money's not really an issue - I could replace the lot - but OTOH cheap is good and I like fiddling with stuff.

Anyone had any success repairing the ni-cads?

I tried many years ago, it was the soldering them together that was the problem. If they really are ni-cads and not nimhs then you're probably best buying new tools. Bare tools are much more readily available now, but one with a battery and charger and just swap them over, it's not like you need to save time or be efficient being as it'll be for DIY use.

Alternatively if you like tinkering then if they are 18V tools you could get adapters for li-ion batteries, about a £10 each on Ebay or have some 3D printed and make you own contacts for them. You'd need a suitable charger, the new batteries would like the old charger.

Are the old batteries the one with nose that fits into the tool handle?

YeaH the old style Makita red batteries.

I used the top plate of the nicad battery glued to one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385652187968 ... R5q7rtvXYg

I've a photo of the drill, it might already be on here.

Had my genuine Makita battery 5 years and still perfect. Used lots.
Tried 5 cheap ones from China and all dead within 3 months.

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 5:40 pm Had my genuine Makita battery 5 years and still perfect. Used lots.
Tried 5 cheap ones from China and all dead within 3 months.

Yeah I think my one Makita ones must be getting on for a decade now, so they've done ok.

DefTrap wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 5:59 pm

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 5:40 pm Had my genuine Makita battery 5 years and still perfect. Used lots.
Tried 5 cheap ones from China and all dead within 3 months.

Yeah I think my one Makita ones must be getting on for a decade now, so they've done ok.

I got sick of the cheap ones, so just paid full price (ouch) for a 4 amp jobby.
Been busy last 2 days and great to always have a spare fully charged in reserve.

A bit of hot glue and the job's a good 'un.



It was previously on a different drill

I usually get my batteries via Ebay, Floureon is a name I remember, maybe spelt badly. They all done fine so far, various batteries over the decades. I seem to get about 7 years from them whatever I do.

DefTrap wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 4:20 pm My Makita ones are deed - again. The bodies are still in great shape. I've got a driver, a combi impact/driver and a sweet impact-only all taking the same battery pack.

So do I just buy a brand new set of drill/drivers and more batteries? (Is the new stuff noticeably better?)
Or some (presumably knock off) batteries to replace?
Or just repair the dead cells in the battery packs? ( these are the fairly crude ni-cads, I don't think there's much in the way of sensors in there).

Money's not really an issue - I could replace the lot - but OTOH cheap is good and I like fiddling with stuff.

Anyone had any success repairing the ni-cads?

Are they the 14v ones?
If so I ordered some 3ah ones off Ebay 6 years ago, one has just died but the other is going strong. I forget what I paid, but it was certainly cheaper than new drills etc.
Btw, you are welcome to scavenge my fubar battery for cells!

I'll probably try to rescue one or more gooduns from the three? I have that are fooked.

The 18v LXT Makita batteries seem to have more oomph and last longer betweeen charges than the pre lxt 18v ones, iyswim?

So, I took apart the two 18v ones that have lost their oomph.
Of the 15 cells
- #1 - 6 are dead
- #2 - 10 are dead
So I can't even make one good'un out of the two.

So, I'm probably going to abandon a repair at this point and grab a new set of drivers and batteries. Any good deals around? I'm only really interested in Makita or deWalt to be honest.

DefTrap wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 9:17 am So, I took apart the two 18v ones that have lost their oomph.
Of the 15 cells
- #1 - 6 are dead
- #2 - 10 are dead
So I can't even make one good'un out of the two.

So, I'm probably going to abandon a repair at this point and grab a new set of drivers and batteries. Any good deals around? I'm only really interested in Makita or deWalt to be honest.

Screwfix have an offer on this - 2 batteries and combi drill. Seems reasonable.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp48 ... rill/412xt

Or this twin pack looks a better deal in their clearance?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dlx23 ... pack/896hy

Unfortunately Screwfix availability of stuff is a bit weird across borders.

This one is available on the FR website https://www.screwfix.fr/visseuse-sans-f ... on-xr.html and looks ok
But it means leaving my comfort zone of Makita.

Count Steer wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 9:51 am

DefTrap wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 9:17 am So, I took apart the two 18v ones that have lost their oomph.
Of the 15 cells
- #1 - 6 are dead
- #2 - 10 are dead
So I can't even make one good'un out of the two.

So, I'm probably going to abandon a repair at this point and grab a new set of drivers and batteries. Any good deals around? I'm only really interested in Makita or deWalt to be honest.

Screwfix have an offer on this - 2 batteries and combi drill. Seems reasonable.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp48 ... rill/412xt

Or this twin pack looks a better deal in their clearance?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dlx23 ... pack/896hy

5 amp batteries are about £100 each.

DefTrap wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 9:57 am Unfortunately Screwfix availability of stuff is a bit weird across borders.

This one is available on the FR website https://www.screwfix.fr/visseuse-sans-f ... on-xr.html and looks ok
But it means leaving my comfort zone of Makita.

*spit*

Yorick wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 9:58 am 5 amp batteries are about £100 each.

I hear you about the 5aH stuff - but I've renovated an entire house using 3.5aH powered tools which are a chunk cheaper.
I'm not a contractor where I'm going to be at it for hours-and-hours on end.