Milwaukee M18 Batteries can tell you how many times they've been charged.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Milwaukee Forge Battery Teardown kzbin.info/www/bejne/oojZlHqVgd6EjdE

[@seanz8091]

I accidentally pressed the button on the battery, causing it to flash, but I didn’t realize that this flash had meaning. Your video is so awesome.

[@starseeddeluxe]

When did you first notice this? I'm perplexed why I've never seen this or heard of this until now, despite using these batteries for 10 years?

[@jonathanshaw8868]

A great way to tell if a battery is fake

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Presumably, provided they are in the right date range. (And the fakes don't work out how to copy it, though they likely wouldn't bother.)

[@vadimbellous8313]

The real batteries light the LEDs in sequence once the button is pressed to test. The fake ones light them up all at once. No need to hold the button.

[@reignreincarnation5531]

​​@@vadimbellous8313 i assembled power tools battery packs myself, the oem bms for Milwaukee, (a good one) has the led lighting up in sequence with proper protection. Been using them for ages without problem.

[@nathanh2917]

They can get replacement pcms and then clone the code. But doubt they would go through the effort.

[@jonathanshaw8868]

@@nathanh2917 if you have never taken apart real and fake batteries, here is the takeaway. The control board on the milwaukees are very complex vs the counterfeit ones. Albeit all my m18 batteries are newer 6ah high output, so my expertise is limited.

[@Trae.T001]

Got my combo set today. I did this test with both 5 ah batteries that came with it... the first number is the same as yours, 0101, #2 and 3 are both zeros and the 4th number is 256. So based on my result, both batteries have never been charged.😊 Both batteries initial voltage was 17.5v, the date on the batteries is 2023.02.27 and they came with one bar of charge.

[@robertdascoli949]

Some electrical engineer at Milwaukee is really upset they didn't have eight LEDs in the display so they could have kept it a binary number.

[@kenh.249]

🤣

[@JFEnterprize]

Budget for it was cut in half. He did the best he could with the funding avail 🎉😂❤

[@TLDRDad]

This is channel is a hidden gem and the most undersubscribed channel on KZbin. The algorithms are doing the world an injustice by not getting Tools to the top of everyone’s suggestions!

[@riba2233]

True!

[@IANHANDS]

Yeah and??

[@neildem]

Really interesting video. And you called it - I had to run out to the garage and check mine half way through watching. I have 4 batteries. The first 2 (27Wh) came in the kit with my drill driver combo. The second 2 (54 Wh) were bought in a 2 pack a couple years later. Date code 2011, wk 34 1 - 0001 2 - 4576 days (12.5 yrs) 3 - 93 charges 4 - 1536 Date code 2011, wk 34 1 - 0001 2 - 4543 (12.4 yrs) 3 - 77 charges 4 - 1536 Date Code July 04, 2014 1 - 0101 2 - 3447 days (9.4 yrs) 3 - 42 charges 4 - 3151 Date Code July 14, 2014 1 - 0101 2 - 23471 days (9.5 yrs) 3 - 39 charges 4 - 3151

[@shawnlachance4427]

As always, great content! Currently binge watching your channel as usual. Pretty sure this is the best tool review channel on here. Cheers!! And thank you for the hard work

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Wow, thanks!

[@jaredcarpenter2231]

Pretty awesome video. Well done and appreciated

[@jason-hh6lu]

It might not be anything, but Festool have an app for their Bluetooth batteries, info comes up on your phone :- Battery charges How much power remains in battery as % and If the battery ever over heated. Cool video mate

[@Dudeguymansir]

Ridgid does too

[@markfitzurka9995]

When I first switched from dewalt to the m18 was back in the early days of the lithium ion. The Milwaukee rep had a thing he slid on top of the battery that would tell you how many times the battery had been charged. They also claimed 2000 charges guaranteed. Mine made it halfway through a hot summer and couldn’t keep up like the old Dewalt, so I ended putting all my Milwaukee tools on the shelf. The owner of the construction company would pay to get us the DeWalt batteries and not the Milwaukee ones so I never switched back. Now I no longer work in the trades and don’t use them daily so I have switched to the m-12 system. If its not enough power I just use a corded tool. Have all of those because it was the only way to do work back then. You got me cautious if my dusty old first generation tools still, work. The sawzall was amazing

[@starseeddeluxe]

I used Milwaukee tools daily for 10 years now, all the different models. If you're someone who wants the best tools, Flex makes the best 7 1/4" right blade circular saw, and 6 1/2" worm drive cordless circular saws, with their 24 volt batteries. I made a video showing why Milwaukee M18 circular saws are really not suitable for people who do precision woodworking. The Flex saws are quieter, have more battery capacity for the money, their big saw comes with a stacked lithium battery, but more importantly, they actually cut straight. I tried two M18 saws, both were misaligned and non-adjustable. And Dewalt makes the best impact wrench, the DCF891, it's the most powerful cordless 1/2" impact wrench in the category. Milwaukee has the best 1/4" impact hex driver, called the "Surge" hydraulic drive model, it's absolutely silent. Bear in mind, Milwaukee tools fail quickly in high humidity, high moisture, cold climates, I've had at least 5 failures due to moisture.

[@scottpollock1714]

@@starseeddeluxe i work in the trades as well, ive used dewalt and milwaukee primarily (milwaukee now) however a bunch of my tools were stolen from a worksite a couple years ago (right around when flex was getting known) and i decided to give them a shot and rebuild my arsenal with flex -- worst decision i couldve made. Yes their tools are super powerful, but thats because they dont superbly regulate the draw that they take from batteries (my understanding of it anyways as a layman) and as a result they overheat to all hell when your doing any amount of extended work (ie rebuilding a deck - driving screws, cutting boards etc.) and as a result the batteries also die way prematurely, only 1 (of 8 various capacity) battery held up after about 8 months of use. And agian while its more of a minor gripe the heat that they do put out when they are overheating makes them unpleasant to use. Maybe since i used them they have improved idk, but im never touching one again. I love my surge too, the noise reduction is an absolute godsend when working indoors in smaller spaces and just in general. Have had a number of other tradies onsite marvel at it.

[@whitechris720]

Milwaukee batteries drain while sitting on the shelf not being used. I lost 7 or 8 all at one time. I talked to our local rep he thought it was a bad charger but they were all being charged on different chargers. After he and I did some research. If you store a dead Milwaukee battery in a cold garage once they completely drain, they will not charge again.

[@whitechris720]

​@starseeddeluxe I think makita makes the best battery-operated saws! I have the regular skill saw, the worm drive and the 36v miter saw. I have been running the same saws for several years almost everyday. I had one issue with the miter saw the local repair shop couldn't fix it and sent it too Japan. It was repaired free even though it was past the warranty date. Now it's been about another year and it runs like a champ! I have had several older carpenters question is abilities. I let them run it and test it. Everyone has said it is the most accurate table saw they have ever used.

[@tdotw77]

​@@whitechris720Did you try 'jump' starting the dead batteries with a fully charged good battery? If you take 2 wires & touch + to + & - to -(good to bad) and let the 'dead' battery take juice from the full batt til it has enough voltage so the charger recognizes it's actually a battery it will charge. If you put a completely dead battery on the charger the charger won't recognize it's a battery because it's not showing anything. I'm not 100% sure how much it needs but I'd guess it has to be above 6 or 8 volts, maybe 10v (for a 18v -20v battery) for the charger to know its a battery. There's a bunch of videos on here showing how to jumpstart a dead cordless tool battery.

[@CyrusHostetler]

@14:00 maybe the 3rd LED is only going to light up when its on the charger and you press and hold the status light. Might be worth a try

[@tripstomexico9770]

I’ve also thought that, maybe a status light for the battery connectors to charger connectivity

[@richardplatko7532]

I learned about this back in 2019. I admit I was a little confused when I didn't work on batteries that I tried later. As for difficulties removing m18 and the larger m12 batteries. Some tools, like the reciprocating saw's Intense operation, would cause the battery to leave intermittent connection with the battery . So, a likely mitigation was tighter fit. Additionally, I read another comment that mentioned dirt, sand, grit, etc. causes the problem as well . Of which i lean in favor of. This was a nice rehash for me. Thanks

[@jaycarneygiants]

It's cool. If it's going to count how many times it is placed on the charger and not how many actual charge cycles then it's not helpful information. Your investigation into this however is really cool and appreciated. Keep up the good work.

[@georgedavall9449]

Good comment!

[@toolscientist]

For most people the charge count will be within 5%. Obviously something funky happened with that 9,999 battery, but most people will only have a few extra charges on their count.

[@georgedavall9449]

@@toolscientist ‘toolscientist’ and ‘Tools and Stuff’ GOT IT GOING ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 👍💪😊

[@Ramcharger1010]

I use my batteries sequencal and always charge from from 0-100 real quick. This is helpful to make sure they get used evenly. Took very long to get to the point.

[@georgedavall9449]

@@Ramcharger1010 no

[@flatroc1]

I have many M18 batteries, from small amp to 12 amp. They are mostly at least 15 years old and used often. I've never had any of these issues, didn't even know there was a code system going on. They all work great.

[@MrKeithsplace]

Wonder if the one is a fault, like over temp indicator? Because they won’t take a charge till they have cooled. Or possibly how many high temp cycles?

[@Jayde.S]

The difference in cut out voltage is possibly because of the different cell chemistry. The forge batteries being lipo and the high output Li-ion. Lipo's really don't like being over discharged

[@riba2233]

Yep, they have higher average and lvc voltages

[@BVN-TEXAS]

That’s like newer Motorola batteries for all public service radios. They have a little microchip that tracks the time put into service and how many charge cycles but also how much it was discharged and how much it was recharged each cycle.

[@wolphin732]

Not surprised... very easy to tell for warranty... as they have a date (2 year) and charges (2000) warranty, so they watch for those 2 numbers... and if the battery tracks it, makes it easy to go yes/no for free replacement (1 year & under 1k charges) or pro-rated replacement (1-2 years, 1k-2k charges).

[@uiopuiop3472]

skibiddy toalet emptiness forr garantie ,means batterie for skabidy toalet (NOT aprobed becausse 20000 flush sand 2300 pop insiade!!)Ö

[@coreysharp9794]

3 yr battery 5 yr tool warranty.

[@adamriddell190]

I have a 6AH High output, first time initiating the sequence and I got a 0011 on the first set of lights... The battery was brand new out of the package and had never run a tool. Plugged it into a drill real quick and after a second of use, it now flashes 0101

[@lnknprkfn]

maybe the 3rd light in the first set is to indicate if it's out of range on thermal from the battery getting too hot? and id defiantly agree with the 4th set being some sort of revision/firmware, batch, or maybe QC# so if there's a recalled batch tied to a certain inspector they can tie the battery to them based off the 4th code, the days since first charged and the date code on the battery's label

[@Jeff-rk8hq]

Hey buddy so glad you and tool scientist linked up he has some amazing content & the work both you and he puts into the videos are very much appreciated! So the data I gathered was this The following will not display a code after holding fuel gauge for 3-5sec note; I tried up to 15seconds and no code was prompted the dates are as follows and august 21st of 2021 is the newest I tested -( XC6.0 48-11-1865 ) August 21st 2021 (no code) -(Xc8.0 48-11-1880) December 21st 2020 -(12AH HD 48-11-1812) September 18th of 2018 None showed codes

[@markk3948]

512 and 256 sounds to me like memory. Which makes sense because the 12ah is 512 and 6ah is half the size so its 256.

[@chuckemtrad8541]

That's what I was thinking. 256 and 512 are almost never random numbers in the computer world. Btw, I've got two brand new 6ah batteries and they both show 256 which was an instant flag for me. My first assumption was an unused slot so it read the memory capacity by default.

[@paulsharpe3794]

1st set led3 could it be battery hot after a hard use

[@default9740]

Damn you man! My M18 batteries are 3 hours away!

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

HaHa Sorry dude.

[@jjb0894]

Might be an excuse to run to Home Depot and buy one real quick. 😂

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

That's even further away.

[@titter3648]

It could be a sinister reason for the charge count logging. It could be some planned obsolescence mechanism built into the battery circuit so that after X number of charge cycles it will brick the battery.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

This video shows thar isn't the case judging by how many charges some of the batteries have done.

[@ssiven]

It works on my US purchased Milwaukee batteries from end of 2021.

[@flybrain8175]

I have a battery I tested at the supply house before initial charge that blinked 3rd light on on first code. Have a video to show. It had not been charged or have a day count.

[@brallen1126]

I may be completely wrong but ram and storage are typically 128/256/512 whether that be in megabytes for small capacity ram and Gigabytes for larger ram modules/HDD/SSD, at a guess it could be a figyre related to the onboard chip/processing.

[@toolscientist]

Yeah, the 256, 512 numbers stood out as powers of 2. All the older batteries were numbers like 1120, 2134, 2251, and 3221. We've also got some newer codes that are 257 and 258, so it seems to be sequential.

[@SuperVstech]

@@toolscientistis there a reason you blocked some of the page? Looked like the serial number colum on the second blocked out scene, and a lot in the first blocked out scene. Just curious why?

[@tdotw77]

​@@SuperVstechDon't want those 'personal' serial numbers getting out in the publics hands! 🤔🤦🏻‍♂️🤣🤣 Not sure why it was done, ya got me.

[@5amonline699]

So helpful, thank you. Just tested on two of my old m18 2.0Ah batts (approx. 9.5yrs old / 3462 & 3450 days respectively), which are still going strong. To my amazement they’ve only been charged 63 & 36 times! I thought they must be ready to give up their ghost. / A few comments made about binary patterns (128, 256, etc), but this might be coincidental as the 4th data point for my batts, which came from a kit and extremely likely the same factory, both have “2186”. Incidentally, they both had a value of 0001 for the first data point, whereby they had a charge of 2 bars and 3 bars.

[@toolscientist]

Do you have a more precise manufacture date on those? It should be on the heat stamp near the terminals. Your date of first charge is October 2014 and April 2014 is roughly when batteries show 0001 instead of 0101.

[@5amonline699]

No precise date on batts I’m afraid AFAICS. All my M18 tools have a “Code” followed by 19+ digits, whereby I can see the last section is the year of manufacture. For example, the M18FPD and M18CID drills I bought in kit form with the above batteries have “D2013” and “G2015”. My most recent M18 tool purchase has “H2021”. However, both batteries only have “4932 4300 62”, which I believe is the “Code”. Next lines are: “5 INR 18/65” / “M18B2/2.0Ah” /36Wh” / “18V ~ Li-ion” / “Ser.-Nr.:34109” (“Ser.-Nr.:38048”) /

[@5amonline699]

There is something heat stamped near the terminals, but both have “DACCT” … whatever that means!?

[@toolscientist]

@5amonline699 first letter is month. 2nd and 3rd letters are year. So yours is April 2013. If you want to confirm, you can take it apart and there'll be 2 dials on the inside of the plastic shell. One dial will be 1-12 for month and the other will be year.

[@realworldmechanic]

I think the third one would be if the battery had ever been overheated or overcharged or abused somehow on the charger by overcharging or something causing it to overheat that would be on most likely I think that's what it is I don't know it's just a guess but that's what came to mind

[@riba2233]

Interesting. Imho something like this should be explained in the manual :)

[@toolscientist]

It probably is, just no one reads the manual 😆

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

What's a manual? Is that the packaging with tiny black marks on it?

[@riba2233]

@@toolscientist sounds about right 😅

[@riba2233]

@@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL maybe, never seen one 😂

[@BoltahDownunder]

Mate, around here we don't read manuals. Cos they didn't bother shipping them so far south

[@zachpangos7159]

Is the fourth number possible bms/board revision?

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

Could be maybe?

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

Bbc (board batch code)

[@g8madnessSS]

I just bought 2 band new 8.0s and the first set is 0011 on both and both have the last set of 0512. This is before charging them straight out of the package.

[@brianseaders]

maby the third led determins whether or not the charger is broken based on some googleing somone mentioned milwalky fou d out they had a bad charger based on the battery leds

[@sl66ggehrubt]

Is there built in decay ie to make the batteries obsolete before too long?

[@brianhall9019]

As far as the 1st set of numbers… I wonder if the infamous 3rd digit might have something to do with the pack being overheated and automatically shuts down to recover?

[@brandonbrown5166]

The low-voltage cut off point between a forge and a regular may not be so strange considering they are different cell technology and may have a different bottom voltage because of said.

[@petercasper224]

Fabulous channel, just stumbled onto your channel. Subbed . I wonder if that third bar is a nar to tell how many times it has been over heated, over worked? A cold counter possibly.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

We've worked out it is actually there before it is charged the first time, but may also have another reason. Welcome aboard!

[@patbird9694]

Milwaukee batteries are not very arthritis friendly . Compared to Makita’s LXT , CXT and XGT battery design style.

[@BoltahDownunder]

Great point. I find them hard to remove once they get a little dusty, and I'm still able handed. Must be a big problem for many users

[@georgedavall9449]

I’m with ya! The ONE thing against the M18 battery platform, is the battery latch system, whilst fairly secure ( not the best ) it is a PITA on some tools, and I’m thinking the Rover lights especially. Lining them up, on insertion, and especially trying to get the catch to release, is aggravating. Makita does have about the best ‘fitment’ of battery to tool, IMO. I’m sure ‘Tools & Stuff’ will agree! 😊 Take care be safe!

[@northhammerfl]

As another arthritic old geezer, there's a reason why most of my tools are Makita, only the mitre saw is M18 Milwaukee. I didn't realize this until I bought the Mitre Saw.

[@powderdescent]

@@northhammerflfunny. I’m in favor of Makita saws vs Milwaukee, but otherwise I’m on team red.

[@charizzkalum9137]

Dewalts about the same very difficult to remove

[@opinionatedman]

So the factory code I might be able to shed an idea on. I work in a field that had a recall on a particular product and they had what seemed like a random number. In that numerical digit to find out if it was in the affected batch they'd isolated it down to a certain date code range. The digits all meant something. If my theory is applicable to your scenario every battery you test one of those digits will always be a 1, 2 or 3 signifying 1st, 2nd, or 3rd shift. One example given was 221111. That date code was done in 2022, the 11th week, day one of that week, on the 1st shift. Between the info on the battery it might be more specific information like what shift or plant it came out of. Neat video.

[@vjmacintyre]

could be plant location or country

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

I have noticed every battery I Have charged every week on my rapid charger all them batteries have bad Cells any battery I charge on super slow Chargers like the regular Milwaukee chargers they still have 4 bars of charge on every charge and no dead cells

[@TsunauticusIV]

I have multiple twin packs of 8ah batteries at work. Never opened. About 6 months old I believe now. 🤔 have to check them out and compare what happens to all the other ones we have on our line at work.

[@sixtyfiveford]

3rd light possibly overheat fault.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

We tested that but couldn't get it to trip.

[@toolscientist]

Don't think it's overheat. I thermalled mine and didn't see any change. I think it's most likely unused, like T&S said.

[@deficere93]

@@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL what about if the battery goes open circuit (bypass fail safe)

[@EdwardEns]

I have a 1.5 that does not have it 210602- so that should be from yr/mo/dy June 02-2021. Also checking my M18 XC-6.0 there is no count between the 3rd and 4th 4 bar flash. The last or 4th does a 0513. I’m still not sure what the 4th on is then. So how do you know how many days or charges the XC batteries counts are?

[@rcsays]

I think the fourth sequence is a firmware version. If that's correct, they are probably in sequential order from oldest to newest... unless the battery has been repaired and the firmware updated.

[@will168]

I have two standard 5.0Ah batteries with date code 190731 and 190801 and neither of them have the feature.

[@TheDrunkenGuineaPig]

First led could also be due to temperature if it comes on after a long time of constant use?

[@205chooser]

Milwaukee/Berner 8Ah battery: 1: 0101 2: 0406 3: 0004 4: 0258

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

So you have a fake battery that this works on?

[@205chooser]

​@@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL Not a fake, just rebranded. Berner is a german company that sells tools for trades, not really sold for public. Also, I have more milwaukee batteries from different years, most 5Ah. I could check all of them if you're interested.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

If you could check them and take note of the year of each battery, that would be great.

[@jjb0894]

What’s interesting is I have a battery with a date code of 2021 even though I purchased it in 2023 and it still has this feature.

[@toolscientist]

Can you post exact date code, battery type, and the codes. Also the first 8 digits of serial number (something like J51ADCHB). This will help us figure out when the batteries got their codes back and what trh 4th code means

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

What is the date code from the battery?

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

​@toolscientist could that last code be related to the cells inside batch code or something? Considering they often buy a ton of cells and then do multiple battery production runs with that batch?😊

[@toolscientist]

@southaussiegarbo2054 don't think it's cells. So far 256 covers 1.5Ah, 2Ah, 5Ah, 6Ah HO, and 12Ah. We also have 12Ah with both 256 and 512

[@rolandm9750]

What about temperature? Could that third light on the first code be that? Like if it's over or under max operating temp, that one lights up?

[@jasperromeijn1729]

Great topic, most of my batteries do not do the flashing but my m28 batterys do , i started a l9ng time ago with the v28 serries most of them still work after replacing triggers and charcool brushes. Oldest batterie left is a 3.0 amp and now have only 3 5.0 left of which the oldest is probably almost broken (les power and need to be charged sooner) Oldest does 0001 3671 0326 0593 Oldest 5.0 does, 0001 2369 0327 0608 The 2 most recent bought togheter do, 0001 0834 0090 0640 And, 0001 0831 0085 0640 Cant find production dates and only the youngest 2 have readable serie nr 02459 and 02460 I hope this helps your quest😊

[@toolscientist]

Date might be on the heat stamp near the terminals.

[@ajwagner007]

Very interesting! I definitely confirmed my handyman status. Most of my household projects have been done for years now, and the biggest current use is mostly for my impact driver seasonal tire changes. Here is my data confirming my old, and now seldom used batteries. Serial # ...2R - Date: year 2011, wk 20 - 54 Wh (3.0Ah) 1 - 0001 2 - 4732 days 3 - 39 charges 4 - 1552 Serial # ...5R - Date: year 2011, wk 20 - 54 Wh (3.0Ah) 1 - 0001 2 - 4746 3 - 16 charges 4 - 1552 It's hard to believe that I favoured one battery over the other all these years. Makes me wonder if there is a difference in the charge-life between these now.

[@jmanlinc]

One was probably always on the drill, and the other on the impact. Whichever one of the tools got used the most probably got the battery charged to make sure it was goo for next time

[@wishicould473]

I've finally found a battery that lights up the third led its a new 12 ah I bought today and haven't charged yet

[@wishicould473]

I have a video for proof I'll upload it rn

[@wishicould473]

It's up now please let me know if you have any questions

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Yeah lots are reporting uncharged batteries have the 3rd light lit.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Could you please do us a favour and NOT put this battery on a tool. Can you please put it on the charger once and wait for it to start charging, then remove it and test the numbers again? Thanks.

[@wishicould473]

I just uploaded another video on my channel for you your right

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Great testing to test your theory

[@FlyingDropBearAU]

Oh, I heard that FF7 "Inn/overnight sleep" music, big props to you for using it :D

[@Natey1600]

my 8 amp hour battery does this!! that’s super cool, thanks for the great content !

[@toolscientist]

Any chance you could post date of manufacture (middle 6-digits of serial number, it's in YYMMDD format). If you're really keen, can you also post the codes displayed and the first 8-digits of the serial number?

[@ginog5037]

This works on 28v system but are the codes the same?

[@billsimpson8337]

I discovered that cold going on for 5 years ago. I could not decifer what it was saying I thought it said what was wrong with the Battery this help a lot. I have 16 Battys that wouldn't charge and IPatrazor blades in Pos and nes and chuged with an 18 volt charger they have been full for 3 year antheshelf But the Power won't come out into a tool. Yet they will keep a test light Bright 4a day or 2?

[@Colin6712]

Have you tried disconnected the battery's from the board because I've heard it resets the board

[@ronnierosepiler]

I have a 5AH that on the first set it is 0011 and not 0101 and the next 2 sets have nothing recorded/tracked in them 4 set is 256. This battery was purchased over 1yr ago and to this day has not been put on a changer yet as it has not been needed.

[@jeffhall3242]

We just started getting the new batteries in the states, damn

[@gregorsamsa1364]

I've got a battery that I've charged only the one initial time. But the second figure is still zero so I guess that means the initial charge probably just doesn't count?

[@charizzkalum9137]

I think you deserve more subs

[@philipdove1705]

So does the forge claim to be able to cycle more than the standard. And by how many a 1000?

[@emfs2016]

My 5AH M28 Bad Battery from Dec 2016 has the following lights 1st Led1 on once. 2nd 1st Led 2 then 2nd Led 7 and 4th Led 5. 3rd 3rd Led 2 then 4th Led 5. 4th 2nd Led 6 then 4th Led 8. Hope this helps

[@doctorlefthandthread]

Great video thanks for the information your channel is awesome

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

The end number could be associated with batch code

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

Actually as someone else said it could be related to the circuit board revision number. As they often use same board across all modals just increase cells etc it's a theory that it could be the board batch code... so say circuit board batch was 12032024 and the code was say 324 it is board batch made march 2024... Its a possibility considering i seen it in some other electronic stuff when in school.

[@brandonbrown5166]

@@southaussiegarbo2054All 4 of my brand new forge batteries have a code of 0004.

[@Iceking007]

What about if the battery is overheated or cold?

[@ZiggyTheHamster]

That fourth code being 256 or 512 gives me a tingly feeling. 256 and 512 are successive powers of two. I'm curious if all of them are powers of two. Could this be a bitset of the battery capabilities?

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

No they are not.

[@cameroncashatt692]

i wonder if the 12v batteries can somehow have this done to them

[@lesmore30]

I don’t know if this has been said or not but I just got a 12 hd and a 2 pack of the 6 hd and a the first thing I did was test them. The 6’s came up with a 256# and the 12 had 512… these are commonly used numbers when talking about gigabytes. Hope this helps.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Yes we thought along similar lines at first, but some also have 257 and 258.

[@lesmore30]

They’re just screwing with us now aren’t they!

[@voldemortified]

I wonder if any of the numbers could be the voltage - not of the whole pack, as that’s easy to test directly, and none of the numbers seem to match up for that - but perhaps of the individual cells, or perhaps the weakest and strongest individual cell? Not sure, but I feel that would be useful information for it to report. Factory codes make sense at first glance - but thinking about it (I’m a software engineer, and this is how I would do it), it seems so much easier for them to simply maintain a database of serial numbers, and have an entry indicating where each individual battery was made (and so much more about it). Or, like VIN numbers, there could even be a specific digit in the serial no., that’s the factory code…

[@iangregoryhome]

For the average user I can't see the benefits of knowing this but it's still a well presented video(more HiKoki 👍)

[@Bluesurge12]

Useful for people who want to buy used batteries.

[@toolscientist]

​@@Bluesurge12except for the poor guy with 9,999 charges after ~200 days. "New battery. Excellent condition. 9,999 charges. $200 o.n.o" 😆

[@brandonbrown5166]

Charge count is related to warranty.

[@currentliveoccupant]

Not sure if it helps your research but I checked the 4 1.5ah battereis I have with me. 3 of them did not give me any data The one that does give me info has a date code of 14 09 03 so almost 10 years old. The days count was 3227 days. What you might find interesting is the charger connection count is 9999 So it tells us that the charge connection count DOES NOT roll over. This might be a good number as I have done a lot of quick connections to charger trying to figure out which of 4 chargers are bad or if I have bad batteries. also for adding to your data the 4th # is 2070

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Tool Scientist Version kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnbbYmerpqpmhtk Inside a Forge Battery kzbin.info/www/bejne/oojZlHqVgd6EjdE

[@tim2195]

I have a battery Date 171011 0101 2037 0075 3226 Battery is used mostly on my light

[@ClintR-k8m]

First code new battery straight out of pack 0011 then fully charged 0011 once used in a tool 0101

[@brandonbrown5166]

Sorry I’m late to the party but yes, I just “discovered” this as well.

[@timeofyourlife7561]

Could it be counting overheating. Had my tools back seat in the sun 35c day and fully charged. Had to let them cool down they would not work battery light flashing. This killed one of my old battery's.

[@erichood3169]

That blacked out milaukee battery is beautfiul. 😂

[@Doubie.]

I have a 2020 and it has the feature but it’s definitely a different code for the activation and readout

[@toolscientist]

What type of battery? What codes does it give? Can you upload a quick vid of it to youtube. You probably won't be able to link it, but you can post the last part of the URL and we'll be able to find it. For example, this video is "0enzs3Ht4f8"

[@michaelplays2449]

Very intresting !!! thanks for the video !!!

[@bryanworkz6486]

Can I ask if Milwaukee Battery didn't used and charge for two years. It may cause problem to the battery? Or the battery must not function?

[@LP1011272]

Just tested a few of my batteries. Most seem accurate and I only had a couple that didn't do it. But one of my 3.0s that's barely over a year old caps out at 9999 charge cycles. And there's no way that I could have ever charged it that many times when I have one that is almost 2 years old and been on the charger more times. I'm not sure if that's a glitch or not but it did it multiple times in a row.

[@toolscientist]

Can you post full codes, build date (middle part of serial number - it's in YYMMDD format), and start of serial number (first 8 digits). We've had 4 other reports of 9999 charge cycles. No pattern so far, seems to be a glitch.

[@bd3952]

Do you know approximately how many total hours an 18v 6ah lithium battery can be used before the battery is dead and cannot be recharged (ie, over entire life of battery, not a single charge/use)? I realize this is a bit of a loaded question, as the particular tool and battery electronics probably come into play. I am interested in this information for both Ryobi and Milwaukee battery lines. Thank you.

[@alexhagedorn1365]

know way to know... we would need to know how many hours it's been stored at 100% and every other 10% down to 0% charge... the lithium cells degrade and oxidize the fastest when its at 100% charge... if you baby the cells they will at live you for sure... however if you keep them on charge most of the time just sitting at 100% they'll degrade into garbage in just years or sooner depending on heat/cold

[@stormorc2057]

Nice done! M18 5.0AH 1.0101 2.561 days 3.114 times 4.256

[@andrewbrinton1531]

Maybe how many times the battery has been run completely dead? Or at least down to a certain level? Or maybe how many times its been fully charged from dead?

[@timstacyTR]

i ran and grabbed my battery as soon as you said that in the beginning lol. Mind blown

[@ardie72]

512 and 256 are ram numbers... Could be the chips processing type.

[@gregjohnson2073]

Maybe I missed it but what is the purpose of counts on the charger?

[@tdotw77]

If you gotta ask, it's over your head😅

[@brandonbrown5166]

Because Milwaukees warranty pro-rates based on the charge count

[@kevinbriggs2611]

I have a 5.0 aH battery that has been charged for awhile with the indicator light on the charger displaying GREEN. However, when I press the button, the first light flashes 7 times (VERY QUICKLY) and the others do not illuminate. Thoughts????? I have numerous Milwaukee products but quite frankly, I am starting to get frustrated with their batteries! My oldest ones are 3 years old and most recent ones are 6 months old. I have experienced issued with a few of them. Help!!!!!

[@davidhalfacre7220]

Last one I had like that needed 2 new cells in the pack

[@johnsxterra9020]

I bought a 3.0 high output and a 6.0 high output May 2024 both batteries the #1 set 0011 #2 set and #3 set just flashes all 4 and skips over (#4 set 0257 for the 3.0)( #4 set 0512 for the 6.0)

[@johnsxterra9020]

I am confused??

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

I'll explain it all in a shorter updated video soon.

[@johnsxterra9020]

#2 and #3 flash because they're all zeros because I've never charged it but have you ever seen #1 0011

[@owenimholte3835]

I have my M18 charger on a smart switch with a schedule so it only charges during the cheap-electricity window. Whoops...guess the batteries I leave on the charger get some irrelevant bumps (though 80% of my batteries were bought during the "no codes" window). How many things did you try to get codes out of those batteries? I tried: holding for a minute, pressing 10 times quickly, double-press and hold, hold the battery upside down while holding -- all to no avail.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

It's pretty simple and the explanation is in the video.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

What do you do with the extra 1 cent from charging this way?

[@davidwal7344]

Just an fyi I just checked my batteries and one of them was slightly used but still had 4 bars. I checked the diagnostics on the battery and on the first set of diagnostic lights it was off,off,on,on not the off,on,off,on the other batteries indicated. It was not overused I just got it a month ago. Not sure why that one was like that. Its an HC6.0.

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

How many times had it been charged? As we have now found that brand new uncharged ones show 0 0 1 1

[@davidwal7344]

@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL when I first checked it had 0 times on the charger but I put it on the charger to see if it needed a little charge and the charger indicated it was fully charged. It was on the charger once but did not charge. After that it still read off,off,on,on. Maybe it has to actually take a charge to change the status.

[@brandonbrown5166]

@@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIALI’m not certain yet, but as i commented on another comment down farther I don’t think the 0011 verse 0101 has to with whether it’s been charged at all, I think it’s whether it’s been used.

[@Roofer0420]

We need an adapter that goes to a screen for easy reading of the data. I dont want to count the lights on the hundreds of batteries we have.

[@SuperRandykid]

There is a milwaukee battery checker, but they haven't been publicly available for like 15 years Occasionally a used one will pop up on ebay, etc ✌️

[@mattmo989]

Have you tried over temperature to get that third light ? Oven

[@brandonbrown5166]

The third light is whether the battery is brand new never used or not.

[@hakz1nunke]

Ill have to try all of mine today, some are probably around 2021 since thats when i bought my house, some are much newer. My 8.0 recently started to only charge to 3 bars so itll be interesting to see if it flashes something different.

[@hakz1nunke]

Unfortunately my 8.0 is a 2021 battery without the flashing numbers, as well as my 5.0. All of my other batteries worked and had the same 0-1-0-1 codes and the final number did seem to correspond to their manufacturer areas, two of which were 512 like yours, and were manufacturered in Mexico. Very cool info, thank you!

[@UkatzGaming]

Interestingly it doesn't work on 4.0ah batteries in Europe. Does work on 5 and up. Also one of my 5.0ah batteries has 241 charge cycles on it. Still works great.

[@DigitalIP]

So they have some kind of RTC built in?

[@jeffl4810]

Probably the microcontroller inside has a RTC function. Most do these days.

[@justinwhite604]

Some batteries are only under warranty for so many charges. That's why there is a charge count. Several brands do this. These codes can let you know if the battery is bad or even if the charger is faulty.

[@Self.reliant]

One thing an engineer of Milwaukee filled me in on is they will stop taking charge at 2500 charges as the BMS stops them for "safety". So don't put half used batteries on the charger

[@ToolsAndStuffOFFICIAL]

Well let me tell you, that simply isn't true.

[@jorgeo1492]

Makes no sense, how would it randomly stop charging.

[@keysautorepair6038]

Maybe a reverse countdown to 0 or how many times it has dropped below a certain voltage between money it’s planned to sell more batteries why would you want to know unless you wanted to know.