Thread: Anyone bought the makita batteries off gumtree

I have a few times got batteries for various tools on ebay. Generic not brand name. Just make sure it is an Aus based dealer. Good prices and a warranty. I would always be a bit suss about something being sold as brand name with no proof or backup.
Regards
John

I am not saying that guy is selling hot goods, but if there is a chance he is selling stolen goods, I for one, am not willing to encourage them by buying from them.

I look at Cash Converters, can be a bit hit or miss but allows you to get some things delivered.
Here are three batteries I found, pickings for batteries currently a bit thin. 6Ah Makita Bl1860b 6.0Ah
5Ah used Makita Bl1850b 18V 5.0Ah or 5h new Makita Bl1850b Note the price difference between this one and the 6Ah and the delivery charge if you can not collect.

thx guys

Did you get a reply from the seller?
I don’t see any tradies with the knock off batteries if that is any indication
Personally I just buy them from tool stores or take advantage of some of the promo deals that include either free batteries or a skin to make a deal a bit sweeter

Seller didn't give an answer that made me feel like it was worth pursuing. Far too many dishonest sellers on gumtree.

I've never seen any knock offs on sites but not really looking for them either. I'm sure they're being bought though. People are buying ozito cordless and I doubt they would be any better than the knock offs...

I would never buy knock offs - always far inferior to the genuine article. But enquiring doesn't cost me anything. If I happen to be going that way one day I will message him so I can inspect in person. Pulling all the batteries out of the box and looking at the serial numbers will give a good indication of whether they are genuine. Most counterfits will have very little variety in the numbers. And see if they weight the same. I'd buy a few if I was confident they were genuine.

I have bought non branded and even recommended them initially but after extensive use, never again, they don't last as long as genuine and no warranty.
Will only buy genuine now.

I agree with RWBuild above, I’ve bought a couple of non branded but never again, the originals last way, way longer. My protool drill and impact driver are 17 years old and are still on the original batteries, they were the first of the lithium ion batteries and have performed faultlessly as have the drills. Lots of guys that work for me have makita stuff and those original batteries last a long time too.

Around the same time the mens shed bought their Dewalt gear they decided to get some extra batteries so bought some cheap batteries branded as Dewalt from ebay. The ebay ones lasted about 9 months whereas several years later the original ones as still going.

I sell the 18V 6ah for $80 which fit MAKITA,..They sell fridays and Saturdays for people without a plan. They batteries are from PRC.
As long as Bunnings, SydneyTools, Total Tool ask for $169 OEM Makita, I can shake my head.
MAKITA did the same as the printer manufacturer over the years, Midrange tools and expensive supplies which don't last.
The useres are actual tradesman and not handymen,...No complaints and a few bought a second time.
I would not sell or buy an after market charger, because they can get hot.
The batteries are fine

Here's a half decent comparison of some of the DeWalt knockoffs - and an interesting conclusion about price/peformance. Are Cheap Power Tool Batteries better than DeWalt 20V OEM Lithiums? Let's find out! - YouTube

AvE is a clever (an irreverent) guy, and he does a complete breakdown of a flexVolt vs knockoff: BOLTR: DeWALT knockoff battery vs. the real deal - YouTube

Originally Posted by Bernmc

Here's a half decent comparison of some of the DeWalt knockoffs - and an interesting conclusion about price/peformance. Are Cheap Power Tool Batteries better than DeWalt 20V OEM Lithiums? Let's find out! - YouTube

AvE is a clever (an irreverent) guy, and he does a complete breakdown of a flexVolt vs knockoff: BOLTR: DeWALT knockoff battery vs. the real deal - YouTube

I agree the was a good comparison, but as the reviewer suggests a critical KPI for most users is how many recharge cycles batteries can deliver which was not tested.

Originally Posted by BobL

Around the same time the mens shed bought their Dewalt gear they decided to get some extra batteries so bought some cheap batteries branded as Dewalt from ebay. The ebay ones lasted about 9 months whereas several years later the original ones as still going.

One of the expensive battery production costs is the matching of battery cells. The output and life of a battery depends on the weakest cell in the pack. Unmatched batteries, even of good brands, are quite cheap so it is possible to build a battery pack quite cheaply but it won't deliver the same capacity or life as a matched set battery.

I bought a range of 18V Makita gear in from the US before they were ever released in Oz, used them when needed for four to five years and only lost one 3AH battery by overloading on a rattlegun trying to remove a FWD drive shaft nut to replace a hub, also exploded a 1/2in drive Ujoint and sheared the square off a brand name 1/2in extension at the same time. Replaced the failed battery with a new one, continued using for a few years, charged all batteries and put them into storage while we moved house. Recovered them after 5 yrs a couple of months ago anticipating that I would be buying new batteries, but all were in the 80-100% capacity range out of the case, have been through a few discharge recharge cycles and seem to be virtually as good as new, which to my mind says a lot about the quality of their cells back then.

As Bohdan says, cell matching is expensive, critical, and time consuming, as each cell has to be charged and discharge under the sort of conditions they will get in regular use, and logged each way for comparison with the rest of the batch, then matched with other similar performing cells before being assembled into packs. There are two ways to cut the cost of a finished pack, one is to buy unmatched cells and assemble without any attempt at matching, the other is to buy reject cells from either to top line pack manufacturers who have done matching and rejected them, or cell manufacturers who have withdrawn them due to under performance.

I have a fair bit of experience with assembling battery packs in various chemistries over 30+ years and know that absolutely prime carefully matched cells and packs sell for a lot higher price than the ones at the lower end of the pecking order, but also have higher capacity for the space and weight and longer working lifes than the lower end ones because the cells charge and discharge at similar rates so don't have issues with polarity reversal of weak cells.

I haven't had to buy replacements for my 18 V Mak packs in 7 or 8 years, so don't have a working knowledge of the newer 5 and 6AH packs, but I was always fairly careful to match my pack size (1.5 or 3AH) with the tool and job to give the lightest and best balanced combination for the job at hand. I suspect that using 6AH packs for lightweight tasks where balance and sensitivity are required could become tiring and counterproductive, though they would probably be helpful for hammer drilling and running a rattle gun.