New drill or batteries?

[PeterC]

My 18V Makita combi is now 6 years old and I've noticed that the batteries aren't doing much, then recharging seems quick (haven't timed them). They're the 1.3Ah NiCads, so have done quite well I suppose.

Now, I could get a couple of new batteries - the charger will handle NiMH as well, or I could have a new toy :-)) New Nicads would be about £60 - 70 for 2 on

or about £35 on ebay (6 month warranty! - trust?). so a considerable proportion of the original price.

I'd consider a new lithium one, but the drill is still good. Be Ok if I could find a home for the drill.

Any recommendations?

[Tricky Dicky]

Go on buy a new one, you know you want to.

[Bill Wright]

Discharge the batteries fully (use car headlamp bulbs, two in series if

24V, leave connected for a while even when batteries seem completely flat) and recharge, then do it again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't.

Bill

[Stuart Noble]

The Lidl Li-on at £45 seems pretty substantial (I had a feel this afternoon), but one battery is the killer. My Mak 18V nicad is still as good as new so I'm not even remotely tempted.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd be wary of a non genuine replacement battery. The battery is paramount to the performance of a drill, and a quality maker's one is usually as good as you'll get.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it's the 18v one on sale this week you can buy spare batteries (mail order) for about 20 quid delivered.

[David]

I'm racking my brains because I think I have bought at least one Makita battery off eBay.

I started with the Site hammer drill (Screwfix rebadge of Makita) and two batteries.

I have subsequently bought a Makita impact driver body, and also another Makita hammer drill body, and they all have batteries so I must have bought at least one battery.

So I have managed O.K. via eBay so far.

You, of course, may not be as lucky.

Was that 2 batteries for £35 from eBay?

Depends how well you like the drill - I'm satisfied with mine at the moment.

Cheers

Dave R

[PeterC]

What's the capacity of them? I've looked at the site and there's no mention of it.

[PeterC]

Yes, I agree, but the price of two new ones... If I could get a couple of lithium that would fit (but then there's the charger) and use those until the drill's borked then get a naked drill it might be worth considering. Some makes can use lithium but Maks don't seem to.

[0345.86.86.888]

I acquired an 18v Makita 8391D Drill/driver thing. Batteries were almost extinct so I bought a pair of "Floureon (Brand)

18v 3000mAh Ni-MH" off ebay and they've been very good so far.

Nowt wrong with the drill so couldn't see much point scrapping it for the sake of £45 for 2 new after-market batteries.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

1.5 amp.hr - so not the very largest of batteries.

[John Rumm]

I bought one "compatible" 3Ah NiMh batt from ebay - was ok when new but only really lasted 6 months. In the end bit the bullet and bought a three pack of OEM batteries. They are still performing like the original ones used to...

[RJH]

Of course, you could buy the jig or circular saw in the range - effectively getting the tool for £20 if you were going to buy a spare battery anyway.

Only just got the saws (seem very good), so too early to judge useful battery life. The drill has been fine for my use, and of course relatively light, but I'd guess the short battery life would be quite tedious for a pro. On the few times the battery has run out (it just stops working, very little trail-out), recharging takes about an hour. But now of course I have 3 batteries.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

What I've found too.

Cells do seem to vary enormously by maker. Perhaps more so than anything else.

A drill maker can buy the very best by the million at a decent price. Aftermarket makers simply won't have the same purchasing power.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. I now have all three. And two extra spare batteries.

I'm often doing small work compared to what certainly a pro would use them for. And have mains ones anyway if I know I'm going to do a lot. So here, the convenience of cordless even with a smallish battery is worth it. What will be interesting is how many years the batteries last with my sort of use.

I also have a Wicks cordless - the one with the right angle drive - which came with two batteries. And again had light use - compared to that of a pro. Both batteries died after a few years. I've had one professionally re-celled, but it's not quite as good as the originals were, torque wise.

[John Rumm]

Nice idea, although I have found it hard finding Makita 18V tools other than drills and IDs that still use the old battery format.

[PeterC]

The 14.4V combi from Lidl about 8 years ago did a good job when I was building a shed. It had 2x1.3V NiCads that were OK for about 2 years then started to lose capacity and also discharge in a month or so.

>

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Did you keep the receipt? Three year money back warranty? Makes sense to keep the relevant Lidl receipts somewhere safe.

[PeterC]

OK, I'm weal-willed and like toys. How about this beastie? (only £10 more than the 1.5Ah version from SF):

Compared with my NiCad Mak it should be OK. Has twice the torque rating so should never be overloaded with similar use.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I used them for my Wicks one. Although OK, not as much torque from the drill as the originals. Which would suggest the cells they use are of an inferior quality.