Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Makita). This thread is read-only.
Hey,
I have a serveral 3 ah and 2 5.0 amp. How do you guys find your batteries lasting in a day? I was using an old brushless impact and the 2x circ saw (brushed). My impact died by the end and I wasn’t even sinking a ton of screws. I had the 5.0 running in my circ saw and had to swap in some fresh 3.0 I had on me luckily to finish the job. It was just a small job setting up a roof on a shed, so decent usage but not a ton (not to mention I don’t fly through setting up rough like the pros out there). There was someone on another forum once mentioning his makita crew always having to switch out batteries at midday. It’s easy to have fresh batteries with the fast charging but it is still more steps (down the ladder and back up the ladder). What is your experience?
In general most batteries (18650 cells like Makita) all across the manufacturers are the same but only Makita offers 22 min charge on the 3Ah which is quite good as in very rear occasions you will be able to discharge one for less than the charging time.
The other thing to consider is the age of the battery.
The new 20700 cells in Metabo and 21700 cells in Bosch batteries supposed to be better but I do not have any of the to compare and confirm.
Hopefully Makita will come comming Year with something new.
It’s a vague statement. ‘They last me until X point of the day’ doesn’t really account for anything. All down to what you’re doing and how many (screws) for example.
A 5ah on my 285 impact wrench can last me a few days. On average that’s the equivalent to fastening 250 M10 nuts and bolts to peak torque. I also use 5ah on my BL rotary with vac attached and that’ll say do me a day which is maybe 40xM8x40mm in N40 concrete with say 10/20xM10x40mm too.
Cold or hot climates can decrease performance. My batteries are a few years old with daily use.
I make sure to run them all completely dead and charge them fully and leave them on the charger as long as possible after it says they’re fully charged to encourage cell balancing.
@danielicrazy….as I’ve said before . One of the crews I run use new cordless Makita tools to frame. The batteries charge fast and die fast.( as in 2-3 hours of normal use) Other people will tell you blah blah blah cells,,blah blah all the same….from my experience and years of use ..,all tools and batteries are Not created equal……I see it every single day at work framing houses…Best of Luck !
Framer joe wrote:
[mention=54898]danielicrazy[/mention]….as I’ve said before . One of the crews I run use new cordless Makita tools to frame. The batteries charge fast and die fast.( as in 2-3 hours of normal use) Other people will tell you blah blah blah cells,,blah blah all the same….from my experience and years of use ..,all tools and batteries are Not created equal……I see it every single day at work framing houses…Best of Luck !
You are funny.
You present nothing but biased opinions like they actually mean anything. When you can back up any claim with some fact, then maybe people will listen to you or take you seriously.
“I think this because of my narrow minded, factually void experience and you should believe me because I say so.”
Your vast experience with Makita means nothing. These “new” Makita tools you flap about were probably the entry level home owner HD stuff you got on sale, then whine how it’s not as good as you think it should be, so Makita is crap. Blah blah blah…
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From someone who actually uses Makita daily, here is my opinion.danielicrazy wrote:
Hey, I have a serveral 3 ah and 2 5.0 amp. How do you guys find your batteries lasting in a day? I was using an old brushless impact and the 2x circ saw (brushed). My impact died by the end and I wasn’t even sinking a ton of screws. I had the 5.0 running in my circ saw and had to swap in some fresh 3.0 I had on me luckily to finish the job. It was just a small job setting up a roof on a shed, so decent usage but not a ton (not to mention I don’t fly through setting up rough like the pros out there). There was someone on another forum once mentioning his makita crew always having to switch out batteries at midday. It’s easy to have fresh batteries with the fast charging but it is still more steps (down the ladder and back up the ladder). What is your experience?
It’s anecdotal, so take it with a grain of salt.
I am not, and never have been, a fan of the 3.0. That battery made me buy Milwaukee. 6 years and 2 brands later, I am back to full Makita and very happy.
I love the compact 2.0 and I use them exclusively for my lights, compact impact and compact drill. I have one 4.0 which gets radio duty because it gets me through the day and I don’t like that it doesn’t have a battery gauge. It’s the one I got from Jimbo when I bought his brushless grinder.
The 5.0 are my go-to. I use them in my 18v x2, my rotary hammers and my big drill and impact. I run 3 of them. One on the impact, one on the hammer drill and one spare. I don’t like trips down the ladder either. All of my impacts and drills are brushless, it does improve runtime a lot, compared to the older 2 pole brushed stuff.
I rarely change out the impact battery. It always lasts more than a day. The rotary hammer, recip saw are pigs.
I am electrician, I don’t run a circular saw all day.
I have a brushed, basic circular saw, that thing eats battery like candy compared to any of my other tools. It is the cheapest homeowner saw that Home Depot sells and I paid very little for it. It is grossly underpowered and that’s why it eats battery. With a good blade, no extreme force, it gets the job done fo me. I really only cut panelboards with it.
I would imagine you would be better off with an 18v Brushless saw, than the 18v x2 brushed. Or better yet, an 18v x2 Brushless!
So we are clear, the 3.0 I ran were several years ago and not the newer cell design with protection. 3.0 is pretty low capacity.
On the older Brushed Makita tools, they had no protection for batteries, over current etc. The older tools did drain them quickly.
The only reason I think the 3.0 still exist, is for Home Depot kits and to fit a price point. If you can afford it, try the 6.0.
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One of the primary reasons for the 3.0 to still exist, is that there are still plenty of older tools out there that will only run on the 3.0, unless you modify them. Some are simple to modify, others require a part to be changed out. I have been giving some of the ones I still had to my brother as I got around to replacing them with newer models this past year or so. He is always happy to run old tools and does not care about the batteries as long as he can find some for cheap. I still have two or three that are not worth the cost of replacing, and will look at modifying them once the current batch of 3.0 batteries I have die.
I personally have rarely had any issues with Makita Lion batteries crapping out on me. I had to warranty one early on, shortly after they were introduced, but have only lost one recently due to old age here this last year. I am expecting the rest of the 3.0 units I have to follow suit in the near future, as the ones I have left are all near a decade or more old. The batteries that were always a problem for me were the NiCad type, but that was across the entire spectrum of brands I have owned over the years.
hey guys, this isn’t to blast makita at all. Im invested in them and a bit of a fanboy but I still try to be objective. It’s true everything is just perception on runtimes (since we aren’t measuring everytime we are working). Everything has it’s plus and minus. Just wondering if my experience is more common and if others here have shared it or have had vastly different experiences. Maybe my batteries aren’t holding their charge the same as when I first got them.
Framer joe wrote:
15 hours ago, Framer joe said:@danielicrazy….as I’ve said before . One of the crews I run use new cordless Makita tools to frame. The batteries charge fast and die fast.( as in 2-3 hours of normal use) Other people will tell you blah blah blah cells,,blah blah all the same….from my experience and years of use ..,all tools and batteries are Not created equal……I see it every single day at work framing houses…Best of Luck !
Why do you even post?
Keep it civil.
Everybody is entitled to an opinion. No need for line bashing OR members.
Thanks.
@HiltiWpg ..Not that I care, but I’m sure in your world of electrical work,,you love Makita,great …I am happy for you..
I personally would not equate a electricians daily use of limited tools and batteries to a framers daily use ,of every tool that’s made but that’s just me..
…….I answered a question , fairly sure I’m entitled to. I build houses for a living,, using the latest tools and technology available to get the job done…the brands we use are two…Dewalt and Makita….pretty simple. The latest tool is the makita rear handle,,before that the 36v Makita circ saw….I’d say it’s not an opinion, it’s Daily use 7 days a week, …you could never own more Makita tools or batteries then a large construction company, unless you own a larger construction company……
..just keep it inside dude, I don’t disrespect you or your responses I see all over this forum…..I respect all opinions good or bad , newbi or seasoned veteran……
…..also never said Makita is crap or that their tools are bad……the batteries die quick……what is funny is that most posts or topics on the makita forum talk about the problems with the batteries and tools they make….;)
Man Makita threads on here read like snap-on vs x threads on GJ
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Framer joe wrote:
8 hours ago, Framer joe said:@HiltiWpg
…..also never said Makita is crap or that their tools are bad……the batteries die quick……
Just strange how experiences differ between people 🙂 I have people coming in the store weekly who are done with DeWalt for their batteries keep crapping out. They are all happy with Makita cordless gear now.
Framer joe wrote:
[mention=51679]HiltiWpg[/mention] ……what is funny is that most posts or topics on the makita forum talk about the problems with the batteries and tools they make….;)
This is why no one respects you or cares what you have to say.
Framers aren’t special. You don’t use tools any harder than a commercial/industrial electrician or any other trade for that matter. All trades work hard. Cutting 2x all day isn’t exactly as hard as you think it is.
Your posts aren’t constructive, you should do back and read your responses.
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Framer joe wrote:
[mention=51679]HiltiWpg[/mention] ..Not that I care, but I’m sure in your world of electrical work,,you love Makita,great …I am happy for you..
I personally would not equate a electricians daily use of limited tools and batteries to a framers daily use ,of every tool that’s made but that’s just me..
This truly shows your ignorance.
I don’t cut 2X softwood all day long. That would be nice.
I drill wood, steel and concrete. I cut and bend steel pipe. I core concrete. I use more than 3 tools. Housing Framers don’t use rotary hammers, metal saws, metal chop saws, pipe threaders, and the list goes on. You use 4-5 tools regularly? Come on.
You don’t work in confined spaces, on your back or in hazardous locations. You don’t have a monopoly on working outside.
All trades work hard.
You haven’t a clue what I do.
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Sorry guys. Let’s try to keep on topic.
If you guys want to email each other with opinions great, otherwise next one locks the topic.
So now that I’m writing I have Makita batteries for my at home Woodshop and DIY because that’s what I do. They work great. Never had an issue with a Makita battery in the last eight or so years of use. I also have more Dewalts than I do Makita and just had my first Dewalt battery crap out, one of the new 60v ones. Oh well that’s why they have a warranty.
Regardless… KEEP IT CIVIL. This will be my last request. I don’t want to bounce anybody but please remember what I have asked. Thank you.
That’s why we have warranty yup
So much hate on Makita In terms of new tools my new cordless makita track saw has excellent battery life even with those outdated 18700 cells. I got a lot of flexvolt which I like. I do not find the battery life on my dewalt impact even with the 5 amp to be anything special, I have to admit that the top of the line makita the one made in japan with 4 speeds sure feels good but I do not own it. I think dewalt and makita are both so good now there is no need for that over priced retired lawyer hobbyist festool crap, and it looks like Bosch is coming on and Hitachi is trying to make a comeback .:D please take my opinions with a grain of a salt as none of us actually own any of these companies.
The hate is really only coming from 1 person 🙂 Makita has excellent tools and pretty much always in the top 3 in their categories ( except rotary hammers. They are lagging behind Abit there )
Don’t think it’s possible to argue that their impact drivers aren’t the best.
kornomaniac wrote:
On 2017-10-31 at 1:10 AM, kornomaniac said:The hate is really only coming from 1 person 🙂 Makita has excellent tools and pretty much always in the top 3 in their categories ( except rotary hammers. They are lagging behind Abit there )
I like that Makita still makes an affordable Rotary Hammer. The DHR241z is a great cordless Rotary Hammer and the only one you can buy for under $200 CND!
Considering the price, I think it’s fantastic performance for the cost.
HiltiWpg wrote:
6 hours ago, HiltiWpg said:
I like that Makita still makes an affordable Rotary Hammer. The DHR241z is a great cordless Rotary Hammer and the only one you can buy for under $200 CND!
Considering the price, I think it’s fantastic performance for the cost.
That’s a good way of looking at it ! 🙂
But we also need a newer stronger up to date model 🙂 we should have both right ? 🙂
Q1 / q2 should bring us brushless X2 SDS plus and SDS max tho 🙂
Stercorarius wrote:
On 10/31/2017 at 8:07 AM, Stercorarius said:Don’t think it’s possible to argue that their impact drivers aren’t the best.
The Triple Hammer by Hitachi rivals Makita’s XDT12 IMHO, albeit with fewer settings. Generally speaking, though, I’d agree that Makita is to impact drivers what Milwaukee is to reciprocating saws.
aabee wrote:
1 hour ago, aabee said:The Triple Hammer by Hitachi rivals Makita’s XDT12 IMHO, albeit with fewer settings. Generally speaking, though, I’d agree that Makita is to impact drivers what Milwaukee is to reciprocating saws.
Ahhhh forgot about the triple hammer. Very closely matched. Good point.
The triple hammer is pretty damn nice.
I still love my DTD154. With a BL1820B it’s the perfect size and weight for my belt.
I ran a hundred feet of EMT with 3 self tappers per 10feet. A couple holes in steel and some KOs cut and my battery was at 75%.
HiltiWpg wrote:
2 hours ago, HiltiWpg said:The triple hammer is pretty damn nice.
I still love my DTD154. With a BL1820B it’s the perfect size and weight for my belt.
I ran a hundred feet of EMT with 3 self tappers per 10feet. A couple holes in steel and some KOs cut and my battery was at 75%.
Yeah I had the td170dz and only one battery and was able to keep it going without the battery dying. Loved that impact. Perfect size and power.
Hey guys,
I run makita everything and am a commercial glazier. I’ll spend all day constantly drilling into concrete either m8/10 with my drz202 hammer drill, cutting down bolts on my grinder and fastening with my impact.
I bought 2x 5ah last year and have already had them replaced by makita, they would say fully charged but once they showed 2 or sometimes even 3 bars my hammer drill would die.
On the hammer drill it would show the battery only has 1 bar but on the battery it would show 2 or 3.
I have just taken my 6ah batteries back that are less than a year old because they are doing the same.
Its winter here and In the cold wind it will take up to 1.5hrs to charge, out of the wind the normal 45mins.
(yes this is a thing, mind you has to be super cold as in the battery itself isn’t even slightly warm while charging)
Today I’ve bit the bullet and bought the new makita BL DHR242 with vacuum attachment which is supposed to give us 30% more battery life than the brushed. Fingers crossed this helps.
At the moment I’m going thru batteries like crazy, I’ll get maybe 10 holes drilled and 10 bolts installed before the battery dies (brand new battery) on both my 5ah and 6ah.
Im guessing the cold in general is not helping (im wearing 7 layers and have heated insoles in my shoes!)
Anyway, i hope that gives you some idea on battery life.
Makita batteries all come with a 3yr warranty so don’t be afraid to take them back when they play up!
Cheers guys
If it’s just happening on that one tool, my guess is that something is wrong with the tool. It seems weird that the batteries die quickly and even the new ones. With all the electronics in tools these days, maybe something is wrong with a circuit board in the tool. I am sure cold can effect the batteries as Lithium doesn’t like extreme cold. However I still think it’s weird that multiple batteries are having problems with the same tool.
Eric – TIA wrote:
On 7/21/2020 at 10:14 PM, Eric – TIA said:If it’s just happening on that one tool, my guess is that something is wrong with the tool. It seems weird that the batteries die quickly and even the new ones. With all the electronics in tools these days, maybe something is wrong with a circuit board in the tool. I am sure cold can effect the batteries as Lithium doesn’t like extreme cold. However I still think it’s weird that multiple batteries are having problems with the same tool.
Hey mate, nuh it’s the batteries, all my tools are new, the batteries did it with the older tools and now the same with the new ones.
I get roughly 20 holes in concrete with an 8mm drill bit going in all the way.
Its just old technology, makita use VERY VERY old lithium tech.
I don’t mind, I’ll keep taking them back every year for new ones until they’re sick off me.
Hammer drills are pigs on batteries, but makita are the worst.
Compare it to my battery caulking gun – i can use a 3amp battery all day long for a week or two before it needs a charge.
Completely different power being used 👍🏻
Is this why my Makita batteries die so fast on my handheld router? I got through about ten passes.
I have had a Makita reciprocating saw Model BJR182; I bought it many years ago. It was the first Makita tool I bought. I now find that none of the batteries that came with my subsequent Makita tools will even `dock’ with the base of the reciprocating saw. I notice on the saw it says to only use a BL1830 battery. All my other batteries are BL1850B. All tools are 18volt LXT units so one would think they should all work together. I have not had a reciprocation saw to work now for many years and the saw only serves to be a ugly paper weight. I was reading in one of the forum texts that some one was saying the only reason the #3 units are around because there are older tools that only run on them. He went on to say that they can be converted by installing an adaptor part. What is the story; are these #3 batteries still available or can I buy parts to convert?
See this thread:
If I were you, I would file off the nub since your saw is already old, out of warranty, and a paper weight – in other words, you have nothing to lose. I think the worst that could happen is you burn out the motor or electronics… just don’t run it for extended periods.