M18 12ah Battery Repair Tutorial Cells rebalanced

[@doctorlefthandthread]

To purchase the balance charger featured link is below amzn.to/4i7Dn8Z

[@BWsDealsandDIY]

I think I have a Milwaukee or Dewalt that's doing this. I'll have to check it out. I've already taken a couple apart & replaced their cases. For $14 & time, it's worth fixing them. Ive got a couple of these balance chargers. The Bmax are nice units & considered very good chargers by numerous people.

[@doctorlefthandthread]

Thank you sir for your comment

[@shifty277]

What is a wonder though is why are these 3 parallel batteries so commonly getting out of balance? They happen on the 54volts flexvolt that have a 3 parallel arrangement when using them on 18v gear. Are these companies using the cheapest semi conductor balancing chips on the charger or battery bms side? Great video and explanation. It's a shame I bet 9/10 times that M18 and Flexvolt batteries that are failing on consumers are failing after the 12 month guarantee, which is why they wont offer these batteries that are sometimes £200 with a 2/3 year warranty.

[@doctorlefthandthread]

As you point out I notice the 15 cell batteries do seem to fall out of balance alot and at the price I agree they should offer better warranty terms

[@shifty277]

@@doctorlefthandthread Do you think it is the BMS/controller on the battery board? If you yourself are a YT watcher theres a channel "Tool Scientist" where he explains logically why the Milwaukee and Dewalt 18v batteries are a little inferior to the Makita due to design differences.

[@doctorlefthandthread]

@shifty277 tool scientist is amazing definitely knows what he is doing. I would say Dewalt Milwaukee are more ambitious than Makita as far as making batteries with 21700 etc for 18v ranges. I think that Makita batteries are very well made. Maybe Milwaukee and Dewalt have been over ambitious with their batteries. Even with the failure rate it's nice to have these 15 cell batteries with the larger cells for certain applications. I know Makita has their 40v range but the price is quite high I think.

[@shifty277]

@@doctorlefthandthread The 15 cells is great as it allows for a m18 to put out say 50amps over 3 banks in 16amps each as opposed to 25amps on 2 sets of cells and less voltage sag. Still 50/60amps is a lot of current on an 18v tool. The Samsung 40t cells in both the 8amp (pre 2024 so non-forge) and 12amp milwaukee as well as the 12 amp felxvolt aren't as good as there datasheet suggest. The newest tabless cells in the 8 and 12 amp forge hopefully fix cell imbalance issues. Hopefully tabless cells come to the flexbolt batteries too. The XGT batteries at the cheapest online in the UK is not far off Makita 18v pricing tbh for the upgrade in quality - a 5 amp 18v can be had for £55 off powertoolmate and is 90 w/hr capacity total. The 5.0amp xgt is double that at 180 w/hr and at powertoolmate is £160, the bms and waterproof coating on it, the casing, and the manufacture of the XGT packs is another level up from lxt 18v. Plus that battery doesn't have 21700 but still Sony VCT5a's 18650s. Not keen on the 4amp 40v pack. the 5.0ah will put out 2kw on a full charge for say a grinder or 9" saw. The makita 40v bare tools are expensive though....

[@doctorlefthandthread]

@@shifty277 yeah the 40v tools are tremendously expensive. These tabless cells are an excellent idea. I have mixed feelings with stacked lithium the small dewalt seems great however the 5ah powerstack is yielding unremarkable feedback from people that have them. The M18 Forge are looking good so far but again expensive.

[@mariusz1977]

👍

[@doctorofart]

My miluakee battery charger failed. I wonder if I can take it apart and see if anything is rusted inside causing a short. Do you have a video on repairing chargers?

[@doctorlefthandthread]

I never had much luck repairing chargers sorry