Makita drill batteries dead after not using for about a year. B&Q

jay213

I bought a Makita Drill pack with 2 batteries from B&Q some time ago. I would guess it was about 2 years ago and I've used it a handful of times, kept safe and in it's case. I believe I would have paid by debit card but have no idea of when and don't have an receipt.

I went to use the drill a few days ago and tried to charge the batteries but both are completely dead, the charger indicates dead/broken batteries.

Now is there anything I can do? as looking online it looks like the batteries are over £50 and it looks like some Makita batteries not working is a common problem if you don't regularly charge them, which I had no idea about until now.

Makita HP457D is the drill.
Batteries BL1813G 18V 24Wh 1.3Ah

Browntoa

https://www.its.co.uk/blog/tricks-of-the-trade/make-lithium-ion-batteries/

Batteries have over discharged

spadoosh

Yeh theres things you need to do to look after the battery. They usually have all the requirements in the instructions for battery care. Im guessing you left the drill pretty empty when you stored it for a year and makita just dont cope well with over discharge and not being used.

By all means try with B&Q i just wouldnt be holding out much hope. Id go for the asking if you can swap batteries over as opposed to getting refunds theyll be more amenable that way.

For what its worth a lot of the makita drills B&Q sell are retail versions. So whilst you bought a trade brand you brought its retail version. Easiest way to spot it is with the tiny capacity batteries. Trade drills will be 3ah +.

shaun_from_Africa

What happens is that the charger used for lithium ion batteries is classed as an intelligent charger and it will only allow an output if it senses that there is a battery fitted. When Li batteries are left for a long time, they self discharge down to zero volts so even though they are in the charger, it doesn't know this so the charging cycle can't begin.

There are a couple of things that may help.
Take the batteries out of the drill and leave them somewhere warm for a few days (an airing cupboard for example) then try them in the charger.
Even if it doesn't come on straight away, leave them a, making sure to keep an eye on them.
Batteries can recover from 0 volts if warmed up a bit and you may only need a slight rise for the charger to acknowledge that there's one fitted and for the charging to begin.

The 2nd option should only be tried if you are confident doing so.
This is to see if you can give the battery a bit of a boost to raise the voltage a little bit then put it in the correct charger.
Connect a few reasonably good quality alkaline batteries (such as Duracell) together until you get a voltage about the same as the charged Li battery should be then connect up these to the Li battery, making sure that you have the +ve and -ve the correct way around and leave it for about 10 minutes.
Keep a close eye on it as the Duracel batteries may well get quite warm.
Then disconnect and put the drill battery in its correct charger.

lincroft1710

spadoosh wrote: »

By all means try with B&Q i just wouldnt be holding out much hope. Id go for the asking if you can swap batteries over as opposed to getting refunds theyll be more amenable that way.

Problem is OP does not have a receipt, so no proof they bought from B&Q.

MothballsWallet

OP, do you have a bank statement or credit card statement showing the B&Q purchase on that date?

[Deleted User]

MothballsWallet wrote: »

OP, do you have a bank statement or credit card statement showing the B&Q purchase on that date?

Even if they do, B&Q won't be interested two years after purchase..

BargainGalore

I have a makita batteries fast charge been working almost 3 years no problems. I very much doubt any company would do something as batteries are consumables.

You need to maintain Li-ion batteries need to be a sucertain voltage if it goes below that the charger may not been able to charge it, as said there is a trick you can do but not guaranteed and as there could be some danger if done wrong this also works for NimH batteries I have done it myself and does work.

jay213

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

What happens is that the charger used for lithium ion batteries is classed as an intelligent charger and it will only allow an output if it senses that there is a battery fitted. When Li batteries are left for a long time, they self discharge down to zero volts so even though they are in the charger, it doesn't know this so the charging cycle can't begin.

There are a couple of things that may help.
Take the batteries out of the drill and leave them somewhere warm for a few days (an airing cupboard for example) then try them in the charger.
Even if it doesn't come on straight away, leave them a, making sure to keep an eye on them.
Batteries can recover from 0 volts if warmed up a bit and you may only need a slight rise for the charger to acknowledge that there's one fitted and for the charging to begin.

The 2nd option should only be tried if you are confident doing so.
This is to see if you can give the battery a bit of a boost to raise the voltage a little bit then put it in the correct charger.
Connect a few reasonably good quality alkaline batteries (such as Duracell) together until you get a voltage about the same as the charged Li battery should be then connect up these to the Li battery, making sure that you have the +ve and -ve the correct way around and leave it for about 10 minutes.
Keep a close eye on it as the Duracel batteries may well get quite warm.
Then disconnect and put the drill battery in its correct charger.

Thanks, option 2 sounds like something to try. Are you talking about linking normal batteries together e.g. AA batteries, if so how? are there any YouTube videos with someone doing it.

jay213

I don't think B&Q would be interested either as I think it would probably be just over 2 years ago I bought it. I still have the instructions for the drill and the battery charger and neither mentions that you have to regularly top up the battery for them to continue to work (that I see anyway).

I think I only used one of the batteries once. If I had known I would have maintained them. It's ridiculous, especially as the batteries aren't cheap. Over £50 for a new one. Looks like faulty ones are being sold on ebay too and there are quite a few complaints in general about people having dead Makita batteries; there was even a class action suit against them in america (the things you find out when trying to solve a fault)

My first time buying Makita as it was supposed to be a good brand, now probably my last. I also notice that they are selling the drill with different colored batteries, they probably revised them. I have products with older rechargeable batteries that still work.

MothballsWallet

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Even if they do, B&Q won't be interested two years after purchase..

Sorry, I missed that when I skimmed the thread last night.