Milwaukee has started the transition from their V28 battery system to the M28 Lithium Ion system. Users who switch their cordless power tools over to the new battery system will experience more advanced electronics, higher performance, greater run-time, and upgraded durability. M28 batteries are completely compatible with current V28 tools.
Also making an appearance in the new batteries is a new digital power management (DPM) feature which includes a temperature management system to keep batteries at the ideal operating temperature range. Coupled with individual cell monitoring, this ensures optimal charge and discharge rates.
From the looks of it, these batteries appear to have a built-in battery gauge as well!
These batteries also feature a side packed design, integrated weld frame, cell separator and impact/vibration protective rubber coating. Users shouldn’t be throwing their batteries around, but it’s nice to know that they’re designed to handle rough jobsite conditions with ease.
With the transition, Milwaukee is also releasing a new M28-powered hammer drill and new lighting solutions. These new products should be hitting stores this summer.
You make the built-in battery gauge sound like a new feature. The V28 batteries have this too.
Also, as far as I can tell, new “M28″ tools will be able to be used with V28 battery packs. Nice for those of us who already have V28 tools.
I didn’t mean to sound like it’s a new feature, I’m just a HUGE fan of battery gauges and think that other manufacturers should implement them more often.
I agree, it’s great that Milwaukee made the battery form factor backwards compatible.
I really enjoy using older Milwaukee tools. But, I am hooked on Makitas lithium series of tools.
DPM? thats a marketing crock, ambient temp. and amp draw will dictate battery temp. “Temperate” in my dictionary means moderate, We dont need cell monitoring, we want auto cell balancing when being charged or anytime possible
i have a v28 power tool kit sawzall, hammerdrill, light and circular saw. my one of two batterys won’t charge the charger constantly blinks. i have had it about five years, but only recharged the one battery about twenty times now it won’t take a charge. for at least a 149.00 for a new battery this is totally wrong. thought i was buying top of the line tool.
I enjoy the V28 tools. The only problem with getting a new M28 battery, you need to buy the M28 charger to properly charge it. Otherwise you are just going to kill all the extra DPM you just paid for.
DPM is in the battery not the charger it doesn’t matter if you use the old or new charger. I have 7 of the V28 tools and the batteries only hold up about 3 1/2 years, I believe that is why the new M28 batteries only have a 3 year warranty. Great tools though the prices are a little to high.
Agreed, the DPM is in the batteries. 3-4 years is actually a long lifetime for lithium ion batteries, especially if they are cycled daily or even several times a day.
Older li-ion battery performance can degrade over time, even if they’re just sitting there unused. 5 years is a long time for li-ion batteries, so I’m not too surprised that Jeff’s batteries are no longer able to hold a decent charge.
Lithium ion battery life is not necessarily predetermined by time or useage. Heat is the real enemy. A fully charged battery sitting in a hot car will last only a couple of years. Kept cool, they should last 10 years. Of course, if you use them every day, they do have a cycle limit. I seldom recharge a battery more than 100 times a year though, and with a 1000 charge cycle limit, that would also be about ten years.
I keep my spare batteries in my shop fridge whenever possible.