Thread: new lithium batteries how to get the most from them!

All that gear and fancy bag and no instructions?

This is a good exposition:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

I printed that off the battery university info last night.
My kit comes via courier today so I haven't seen it but will very very soon
I'm interested in initial charge and use...
Eg do I do a 24 hour charge then run it fully flat once then use it in a normal manner by recharging as often and as silly as I am.
And then when I'm finished my use for a period of time say a month or two flattening to 40 % and popping in the fridge till next time where I simply recharge and use.

Be nice if someone made Li Ions for previous models. Must be a huge market for that.

Well now if you own a hitachi your in luck!
or a ryobi plus one!
as both of these are backwards compatible with previous drill /saw torch etc models.

My package just arrived and Ive read the instructions with the battery charger.
Do not attempt to charge different brand of battery... well this is surprising
keep children away.... hmm this is is getting better
place battery in charger...this would help
when light changes colour its charged...
when light goes this colour its too hot...
when light goes this colour faulty battery...
when light this colour its charging.
insert and remove battery from charger within 5 seconds to change the beep sound....
Absolutely bugger all....
Nothing about initail charge and or use abuse and care of your batteries...like if your not using for a while flatten to 40% and stuff in fridge...

Exactly as I suspected and why I posted this question last night.
cheers Rileyp

All modern Makita Lithium Ion batteries have a chip in them, which tells the charger how to charge it.
All modern Makita chargers are set up to use the chips.

In other words, chuck the battery in the charger and it will get exactly the right charge applied. Thats why there are no real instructions!

The charger will also analyse the battery and do what is needed (and what it can) to 'regenerate/fix' the battery if it sees a drama.
You don't need to do anything as the charger will do it for you.

Most premium brands have this sort of set up, Makita differ in having the chip in the battery rather than having 'a sensor in the battery and the chip in the charger'.

no special charging required first go (actually, the charger will just sort that out for you).

The lights on the front are really just 'comforter' lights... charging, charged, stuffed and hot (hot - means that the charger will run a fan and wait till the battery is cool enough to charge).

Only thing with the kit is the 3 speed drill... highest speed is for light duty only (like thin drill bits or light screws into sheet metal). Use the low and medium settings for heavy duty like tek screws into roofing iron and larger drill bits.

Use and abuse - Li-Ions don't like heat and dropping them, so try not to flog them when it is very hot, and keep a good hold of them.

Be a good idea to mark one battery and chuck it in the fridge or freezer every few months... see if it makes a difference.
Take you a few years to find out though, and the technology might have changed by then.

Hope that puts your mind at ease... I reckon Makita have got to a good place with their Li-Ions, a pretty good system which removes the stuffing around.

Have fun...

I understand the charger is ubeaut super smart etc...
That still dosent answer my question.
I can still charge and use straight away or leave in charger for 24hours before 1st use.
I did read somewhere on the net I should leave each battery in the charger for 24 hours then flatten completely for first cycle then simply charge and use as descibed by makita and or battery university.
Thing is the internet is so big when you find something unless you bookmark it you never find it again and you are left wondering where did I read that and was the source reliable.
Cheers Rileyp

That still dosent answer my question

yep, it does answer your question.... put it in, let it charge, the charger will sort it out.

Originally Posted by Groggy

Be nice if someone made Li Ions for previous models. Must be a huge market for that.

Originally Posted by rileyp

Well now if you own a hitachi your in luck!
or a ryobi plus one!
as both of these are backwards compatible with previous drill /saw torch etc models.

Add Dewalt to that list too. To be released sometime soon apparently.