Makita TD020D

[Rod]

Yes - I have got one. Yes - I love it. Yes - so does partner. :-(

And my charger is no longer functioning properly. (When I plug it in, it goes to red/green alternate flashing within about 5 seconds. Putting a discharged battery in only sometimes works.)

This is possibly the only powered screwdriver thingy that partner could use - she has not got the strength to handle heavier machines and the very small non-impact drivers are generally too wimpy AND require more strength to use.

So - I want at least a new charger. And, if I could find one, I would be happy to buy a complete one and share the charger with partner.

But the prices! I paid something in the region of GBP40 complete. Now they are listed at somewhere north of GBP80 - sometimes well north. And few on Ebay.

Any suggestions?

(I have yet to locate a charger other than through Makita agents. Where it is sure to be expensive.)

[Dave Liquorice]

I wouldn't be so sure to jump to the conclusion that the charger is at fault. Li-Ion batteries have some "smarts" inside to protect the battery from short circuits and excessive charging. It's not unknown for these smarts to get confused about the actual state of charge of the battery and lie to the charger...

Have you tried leaving a battery "on charge" for 24hrs? That some times gets things back in sync. A *very* brief direct short to trip the protection followed by a 24hr charge is another trick.

Of course the batteries maybe genuinely knackered how much use have they had? Have they been abused by being used after the signs of a discharged battery are evident?

[Rod]

Dave,

I do appreciate your response. If I simply connect the charger to the mains, in 5 seconds it flashes red/green. That is, without a battery.

Thereafter I cannot successfully insert a battery.

If I plug it in an within a couple of seconds or so put a battery in, it does seem to charge it.

Once it has gone red/green it has to be left off for a while before it stands a chance of working.

My first thought had been that a battery was bad.

The batteries have been used modestly - never down to absolutely flat. They seem to work OK in the driver.

Yes - I have tried a 24-hour charge - no difference. Bit concerned about a direct short... :-)

[John Rumm]

It does sound like a charger problem I would agree. One option would be to have a service centre look at it.

If you are quick:

[Rod]

Well took a couple of minutes before getting back from the buy button to thank you for that.

Now don't anyone else here *DARE* think of bidding. :-)

[The Medway Handyman]

I prolly got mine before you got yours & I've used it really heavily.

Makita's service centre is very good, drop them an e-mail.

[Rod]

Yes - your experience helped me decide - it had looked rather like a toy! I have used mine quite a bit but it is still clean and the charger in particular looks perfect without even any dust on it.

I emailed them - some time ago - and got no response at all.

Today I rang them and was told I could take it to a service centre for repair or get a new one. Nothing else could they do. Isaac Lord being in spitting distance, I went there and asked. GBP45 plus vat for a replacement. I declined to pay more for a charger replacement than the whole damn thing!

And good news (probably!) I outbid all the other hundreds of bidders on the ebay auction Mr Rumm found. Well, I paid the starting price. :-) Now just hoping it arrives and is up to snuff.