Last week we wrote about Makita’s new 18V LXT 4.0Ah Li-ion battery (BL1840) and new tool additions to their LXT lineup.
Two readers emailed in asking about whether their LXT tools will be compatible with the new battery, and via comments Fred asked about charger compatibility.
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Monte provided a link to Makita UK which says that the new battery will be compatible with over 100 power tools, and they also show the “star” and “yellow connector” part of the base plate that indicates positive tool compatibility. According to this information, if your LXT tool doesn’t have these markings or indicators, it won’t be compatible.
The 4.0Ah 18V Li-ion battery (BL1840) will work with your 18V machine if it has a star on the connector plate, has a yellow connector plate with a star, or has a yellow connector plate only.
Dave wrote in saying that his charger works perfectly fine with a BL1840 sourced in England.
Larson pointed out in comments that the Makita 4.0Ah battery looks to lack a battery fuel gauge. This wouldn’t be as missed a feature if more of Makita’s 18V tools had built-in fuel gauges.
Since only limited information is available at this time, perhaps the new battery pack will feature a fuel gauge. Makita USA has said that more details about the battery pack will be announced closer to its Summer 2014 launch.
Thanks to everyone for their questions, comments, and insight!
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We reached out to Makita, asking if they could clarify about tool-battery compatibility. Even though the new battery won’t be available in the USA for at least half a year, we know that power tool users will sometimes plan purchasing decisions based on pending releases.
With other brands, such as Bosch, Dewalt, and Milwaukee, newer battery packs are absolutely compatible with all of their previous same-line tools. We are hoping that this will be the case with Makita’s 18V LXT tools and their upcoming BL1840 battery. Veto reported via a comment that his Makita sales rep informed him that very few 18V LXT will not be compatible with the new battery pack. A great majority of Makita LXT tools WILL be compatible with it.
We asked:
“Would you be able to clarify about BL1840 compatibility? Are there any LXT tools that won’t be compatible? Is there a year cut-off where earlier tools are not compatible?”
Makita US’s reply:
The Makita 4.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery will be available in summer 2014, and more information will be provided as we near the release date. But we can say that the new battery will give users a “bigger gas tank” (meaning more run time), but it won’t take an hour-and-a-half to reach a full charge. The BL1840 will reach a full charge in about 40 minutes.
What we think:
A “bigger gas tank” will mean nothing to users if the new battery won’t work with users’ tools. My feeling is that all newer Makita 18V LXT will work with the new battery pack, and maybe all but a few older models. It is also possible that there’s a cut-off production month or year where previous tools might not be compatible.
We are disappointed by Makita USA’s official response and have no recourse but to wait a few months until the new battery pack launches.
For Makita users wondering if they can upgrade to the new higher capacity batteries next summer, all we can tell you right now is to check your tools and hope that the Makita USA product compatibility indicators are similar to Makita UK’s. If you find an LXT tool that’s not compatible, we’d love to hear about it!
LORDDiESEL
From the picture you posted. You can see 1 extra battery connection on the ones with the star. That must be the temperature sensor for thermal overload protection.
Michael Quinlan
I don’t own any Makita cordless tools, but if I did, this non-answer would be all I needed to look elsewhere for my next cordless tool investment. Yes, it’s an investment. I expect my tools to last a long time, and not be rendered useless by a manufacturer providing limited backward compatibility.
Dave
Thanks for the comment DeWalt salesman.
Richard Charbonneau
I’m NOT a Dewalt Sales man, in fact I think DeWalt is highly overrated.
I just got 2 new 4AH batteries, they work in my NEW impact drill and my wifes stick vacuum. They do not fit in my saws-all or my older but still good drill. This is bull crap. So now I have to get a couple of 3 AH’s to run the saws all or drill. This is getting a little pricey.
John
i borrowed my neighbors DeWalt impact ,, that thing is junk ,,i drug my cheapo ryobi 18 volt out and started slamming screws in with it ,told here try this cheapo ,, he was like what the heck ,,lol
Richard
Same here. I have a few older 3 ah batteries that work with everything but my newer 4ah won’t work with my recip. Saw or circular saw. I’m guessing the newer 3ah batteries won’t work either. It’s just a little tab that’s preventing it but I’m assuming there’s some reason they made them not fit. These tools will be garbage once my older 3ah batteries crap out (Which will be soon). No more makita for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make the next gen of new batteries not fit any tools I currently have. I already have a (3) 20V dewalt batts. and charger so I guess I’m going to start switching over tools.
SLOTH
Just cut away the little tab on your tool.
Davis Customs Inc.
cut the plastic tab off and you are good to go, I already did and use it everyday, no issues just a shorter run time with smaller battery.
Rob
If you look long enough you will find something with all brands that might not fit into your comfort zone. I did so much research before buying a new drill/driver that I had to take a week before I pulled the trigger just to let the dust settle. However , what it came down to for me was reliability , power to get the job done and weight and comfort in my hand . After weighing all these factors, Makita . Milwaukee ,Dewalt all scored very high with the only difference being weight in my hand. Makita is super reliable , lasts a heck of a long time and is so much lighter than its competitors that its enjoyable to use. So don’t go to hard on Makita . They are a great tool that have never disappointed me where it counts which to me is on the job. Thanks for listening to my opinion and take care. Rob
Tony
as my old corded devices die I will generally look for cordless option. after having only makita kit and then finding out new tools are not compatible with old batteries I jumped ship to a new brand. coz makita got greedy they will never get my business again.
jay k.
One step forward, two steps back…
Javier
All of this better be clearly stated on the battery package otherwise there will be a bunch of angry customers.
KenZ
This makes no sense to me. All their doing is plopping in higher capacity 18650 cells to reach 4AH. The only thing I can think is that they’re worried about knockoff batteries, and thus have created newer tools that check to make sure the battery is a Makita branded battery. OK, fine. But that would imply the older tools don’t do that, so… 18v is 18v. Older tools should work fine. I can take a DeWalt battery, run aligator clips between the contacts on the makita drill and the dewalt battery, and it runs fine.
The only way this could be done is if Makita is worried about their batteries being used in non-Makita tools (like I do with my modified B&D, 36V Bosch, and Ryobi tools with custom Makita battery adapters). So, the battery could be made to look for a signal from the tool to make sure it’s legitimate. WHY they would do this however confounds me. Totally.
Garrick
I would guess the 4 amps are just like the 3 amps, as far as compatibility goes. It would foolish of Makita if they weren’t. There aren’t many, if any, tools that require such a heavy amp draw that 4 amps would make a significant difference over a 3 amps. And no reason why 4 amp/hr capacity would be too much for anything at all. Tools don’t draw more than they need.
However, I do know that the 1.5 amps won’t fit the some of the”pro” series tools that require a heavy draw. I had file off some plastic tabs on my Right Angle Drill (BDA350Z), to be able to use my 1.5 amp batteries in it.
By the way: The 4.0s take 40 minutes for a charge,
the 3.0s take 30 minutes, and
the 1.5s take 15.
Veto
The 4.0Ah should be fully charged in 36 minutes, the 3.0Ah in 22 minutes. Not sure about the 1.5Ah batteries though.
Palani Palapala
The new batteries aren’t compatible with 1st gen LXT tools with out cutting off a tab on the tool. Not a huge deal but very disappointed in makita for this change in design. Seems like a stupid thing for them to do unless they were going to give Initial lithium adopter customers a free upgrade to a new tool or upgrade the old tool baseplates. I’ve always like makita but I think I’ll be buy Milwaukee from now on. I take care of my tools but it looks like makita won’t take care of me.
Veto
To clear up some confusion about the amount of connectors.
2 connectors: Compatible with ALL of the previous 1.5Ah LXT and 3.0Ah LXT batteries.
3 connectors: Compatible with 3.0Ah LXT batteries.
This is because some tools require higher amp draw that the 1.5Ah batteries cannot deliver.
Example:
My BML185 18V LXT Flashlight has two connectors. Being a flashlight it does not require a high power input from the battery.
My BHP458 LXT Hammer Drill has three connectors. It needs more power due to the power it needs to deliver.
The new 4.0Ah BL1840 LXT batteries should be compatible with all 18V LXT power tools EXCEPT:
*BGA452 18V LXT 4-1/2″ Cut-Off/Angle Grinder
*BGD800 18V LXT Die Grinder
*BTW450 18V LXT High Torque 1/2″ Impact Wrench
*BJV180 18V LXT Jig Saw
They can be charged with the existing DC18RA and DC18RC chargers.
* This is what I’ve been told from one of the larger online retailers of Makita here in Denmark. They supposedly also have these in stock already, which I find very strange since you got told they would be available in Summer 2014.
Stuart
Thank you very much for the information!
USA availability is said to be summer 2014. I know it’s going to be available overseas sooner, and can only guess that either safety certification or supply constraints are holding things up.
Veto
Oh yeah, totally forgot about that US and Europe has different standards. That cleared up my confusion about availability.
I must say though, I find it odd that the 4.0Ah batteries aren’t fully compatible with all 18V LXT tools. The 3.0Ah fits all 18V LXT tools. To begin with I thought the 4.0Ah was just an upgrade or an improved version of the 3.0Ah.
Paul
I just bought the BJV180 jigsaw and a new 4.0 18v battery and it doesn’t fit, as you stated. However, by removing the plastic tab on the underside of the jigsaw, as mentioned elsewhere in this forum, the battery now fits and the jigsaw seems to work fine.
The plastic tab is about 5mm x 5mm and about 3mm high, just to the left as you slide the battery in with the tool facing dow, below. It is quite tight but, ironically, a jigsaw blade can squeeze in quite nicely… 😉 My battery worked with my drill so a quick comparison with the jigsaw battery fitting revealed the small plastic tab. Happy bodging!
Paul
Sean
Excellent news
I was on the verge of replacing my older kit when I found this thread
Have now saved a few £££££’s by just removing the small pegs
As mentioned above can’t see why it would harm the motor as it can only draw what it needs as long as you don’t try stupid stuff it should be fine
Simon
Remove tab 5mm x 5mm on tool with chisel so battery slides on and your good to go worked for all my non star makita tools
Mik Drinks
yeah, came here to say this. Just did this to a pair of 4aH batteries with a Dremel and chisel and the hammer drill wants to torque out of my hand. This is a changing the key to the lock situation, it’s a sick sad ploy by Makita to have everyone throw away their tos and buy new. Chisel out that tiny sliver of plastic and you’ll be good to go with what you have invested in tools for years to come. Do it! It works!
Richard
That might work on this makita “upgrade” but I suspect the next one will be less hackable.
Jim
Being a little curious the direction this thread was taking, I decided to do some research.
Referencing Makita Japan, I found the following:
http://www.makita.co.jp/product/category/ana_ake/td136d/td136d_j_view.pdf
It states the new BL1840 4.0Ah battery is compatible with all LXT products with the exception of; HP454D, DF454D (some of the earliest Hammer Drills and JN160D, JN161D (Nibblers). I do not know how this can be enforced since the battery interface is the same as other earlier products and I can only assume the ‘smart’ interface is not designed into the products to specifically identify the product model.
Also, another cultural tibdit. Note from the .pdf that the tools are offered in five different colors. This is because, to my understanding (I maintain a second residence in Tokyo) specific trades are associated with certain colors. So, on a construction site, electricians wear one color and steamfitters wear another. They choose their tool color based on their profession. (On larger projects, their uniform also often have stripes, designating rank or positions; the trucks are spotless, loaded with chrome and often thoroughly pressured wash by a dedicated crew before leaving the construction site)
Uniforms are part of Japanese culture and construction uniforms are no exception. For a intesting overview, see:
http://pingmag.jp/2006/01/18/construction-worker-fashion/
Will
Hi I got two 4 battery’s and tried to put them in my grinder but didn’t slide in cause it didn’t have a star so I cut the bit ov extra plastic off the side ov the battery so it slid in to place and they work spot on I’ve charged them 50 times now and no problems I carnt see why they say this ?
CJ
I just bought a new 4.0 battery, it fits my impact driver, and radio but not my 1/2″ drill, sawzall, or angle grinder. The easy fix is to cut the little tab off just inside the battery receiver on each tool. It works great.
Scott Ellison
one website has this description “NEW Battery Protection System provides Over-Discharge, Temperature and Current Protection for enhanced performance, battery cycle life and overall battery life (when used with STAR marked tool)”
So does this imply that the battery will still work with/power LXT tools without the star mark as described above…..only the new protection features will not work.
Stuart
It sounds like yellow-base non-star-marked tools will work with the battery but won’t protect it, and tools without star markings or yellow bases won’t be compatible with the battery, at least not without being modified.
I tried to get an answer from Makita, but they were of absolutely no help. They were exceedingly rude and insulting, and vehemently insisted that they just wanted to announce the product without actually having to talk about it.
Makita USA won’t answer any questions about the battery until summer 2014.
bellator01
I received BL1840 today. Most of my tools are not compatible with it.
In short, it is obviously a new MAKITA policy how to force you to buy new series of tools. All the older ones do NOT fit at all. All the NEW ones fit well. BUT…
You can do a simple modification to the BL1840.
Just cut off small piece of plastic they added. You will figure out which one if you compare BL1830 to BL1840. All works well now. 🙂
Cheers
Jonathan McDonald
Just read your post I will do the same but will try to mod the tool side.
corler jean -alain
en français svp je voulais savoir si le news rabot bkp180 est -il compatible avec les news batteries 18v4ah merci
Stuart
Je suis désolé, mais ils n’ont pas dit, très secret. S’il vous plaît pardonnez la traduction.
Jack Cleary
You are not French or are struggling with your own language…….were you French, or how to correctly speak the French language, you would know how to correctly enter into a conversation, know the correct translation of ‘new’, would use singular, for the tool and the correct word for ‘batteries’. You would also not construct…or rather mis-construct the sentence.
Anzelmus88
About a year ago, i bought a cordless Makita angle grinder (without battery), and a cordless drill with 3 1.5 Ah batteries. These 1.5 Ah batteries didnt fixed in the angle grinder’s slot, but as it was said above, i did the same: cut a piece of plastic from the slot and then it worked very well. 🙂 (But this capacity is only enough for some little cutting)
Jonathan McDonald
I’ve done the same but just remember that the difference between the 3ah and the 1.5ah (1.3ah now) is that the cells in the 3ah and now 4ah are 5 in series and 2 in parrallel witch means you can safely pull twice the current from the higher capacity batteries.
Jonathan McDonald
Hi I’m an electronics tech. From Australia and have been a reparing and collecting makita power tools since I was 12 years old.
My experience with makita and there Rep’s is that thay are told very little about new products and have to fill in the blanks themselves. From my point of view these new 4ah batteries will be electrically compatible with all 18v lxt tools but there could be a mechanical mechanism that stops you sliding the battery on to older tools but a doubt it. As for the new third contact on all the star tools it is simply tied to the batteries positive side and in the newer star batteries is disconnected when the battery can no longer provide sufficient power to the tool ie the battery is flat.
xavier
The third contact on the new star batteries is actually two electrically separate contacts. One is always live(18v), the other is switched, 0v or 17.5v. I guess it’s this switched contact that sends a Run signal to the tool.
I burnt out the inverter module in my DHP 481. I wanted to make use of this 3rd contact when I built a replacement inverter, for protection.
I found that the 3rd contact will go low, 45sec after a current draw from the main terminals. Sliding the battery out of the rails by about 5mm and in again would wake up the 3rd contact(17.5v). This is because the contact blade on the drill momentarily connects the live and switched contacts.
A 20ms pulse of 5v via a 470K resistor is enough to wake up the switched contact.
leonte marius dospinescu
I was looking for the new Makita D series …so i have a look on Makita. de. where they explain all about the new 4.0 ah battery bl 1840 like you did ….and they say : the new series D it means the bhr202 is dhr202 now …bjv is Djv …ecc ecc…all the ” B” s change to “D” s so all the new tool series D are working with 4.0ah than i have a look on Makita .uk and surprise …THE SCAM …new kit DLX contains Bhr202 ,Bss610 ecc ecc ….so i send an e- mail to them tell them IS NOT FAIR For US Makita lovers and they respond back …we don’t understand …sellers may have stock …ecc …lot of s**t… So be carefull when you gonna buy a dlx kit …could be a surprize …SHAME MAKITA.UK!!!
Hubert
Perhaps you are looking at the wrong DLX set. For example DLX6001 from http://www.toolstop.co.uk/makita-dlx6001-18v-lxt-lithium-ion-6-piece-cordless-kit-3-x-3ah-batteries-p68524 include only new D-series tools.
When it comes to battery I’m more curious if they have fixed issues causing battery to die even after few months (well known case).
Stefano Vignato
My report.
BL1840 doesn’fit into BHR202 rotary hammer.
It has a little bump in the slot, and the battery has a different slide profile, intended NOT to enter in that slot.
Everything OK with BHP451 and BML185.
Steven Williams
i own quite a few Milwaukee tools… and an equal number of Makita…. but as of today, i will never (read.. NEVER EVVVVVVER) purchase another Makita tool as long as i live. This very thread is the reason why.
Over the years i’ve spent a ton (!!) of money on my tools and one of the ways i justify it is by keeping them in newish condition. i lay them down carefully and make sure the surface i lay them on is tool friendly. it only takes an extra moment but the payoff to me is seeing my tool investments looking good. If we were working side by side… you’d never even notice that i’m being careful.. but i am.
i recently upgraded my Milwaukee batteries to give me a deeper gas tank when using them. i bought two new M18 Red Lithium XC4.0 batteries for my ‘go to’ drill and they’re GREAT. Even the older version had on on-board fuel gauge and i was already beginning to lament my Makita purchases. At first i didn’t really think this fuel gage would be as useful as it is… and now i find myself using it quite often. I was so impressed with the my new Milwaukee batteries i decided to do the same for Makita. The other day i ran into a friend of mine who works his butt off and barely gets by. I had already made the decision to upgrade my Makita 18V batteries so i gave him my two Makita 3.0Ah. Both batteries barely had 10 hours use between them… and still looked never used. Anyway, he was beyond thrilled to have two more batteries in his arsenal…. and i was glad to do it for him.
Today on Father’s Day, seemed like a good day to make my purchase…. especially since as of the other day my Makita LXT (BSS610) circular saw was now without any batteries!! I honestly never gave compatibility a second thought. i knew it was a Makita 18V so i thought i was golden. I made my purchase and opened them before i got home. i also did something i rarely do… i destroyed the evidence of my purchase. i don’t really hide anything from my wife but i didn’t feel like explaining a $200 battery purchase on Father’s Day so i paid cash and conveniently disposed of the evidence before i got home.
i put them on the charger and a few hours later… the first of the two batteries had that beautiful green light color. i removed it from the charger and honestly stood there dumbfounded it wouldn’t fit the tool. WHAT?? IT DOESN’T FIT???? you could have knocked me over with a feather. I knew I needed an 18V battery, i knew Home Depot was an authorized Makita dealer so it never even occurred to me it wouldn’t fit my tool.
I’m furious… slightly heart broken and will never EVER EVVVVVVER purchase another Makita tool as long as i live. Milwaukee doesn’t pull this crap… 18V is 18V. When time permits… i will copy my words here and re-post this to every thread on the web that even MENTIONS the word Makita. i’m beyond livid with a company that would make my tool obsolete. I’ll get my $200 bucks worth… in publicity.
Palani Palapala
I totally agree with you! What a bunch of BS! I did modify all my old makita stuff so the new batteries fit now but I feel the same way. I take care of my tools and think makita should take care of their customers…never buying their stuff again.
Jack Cleary
For 40 years as a tradesman I bought Makita….but then I could tax them off when batteries changed. I have two modern brushless Makita angle grinders (115 and 125mm) They must draw a hell of a lot of current as neither (on 4A/H or 5A/H runs over 20 minutes without running out. I have always thought of Milwaukee as ‘total crap’…but my son uses them and advises that they actually give good operation from their batteries. I will not be rebuying Chinese Makita not only because they are obviously poor quality in electrics but made in a country so evil and brutal to its serfs and so significantly arrogant and condescending when rich filthy and powerful…or have emigrated which one could say of USA and Israel and other places…but China is more military expansionist than the British Colonial Office ever was…so I am prejudiced. I’m also annoyed that the nations which well made tools have subcontracted to China “same specifications”…oh b/. Whilst USA is run by people morally and ethically no better than the Chinese in future I’ll buy Milwaukee…America all my life has had a great reputation for quality tools…not cars…not presidents…not its ‘justice system’…not ethics in its military…controlled anyway by Israel…but tools.
Steven Williams
PS. The new batteries in my above post are: Makita 18-Volt LXT 4.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Battery 2-pack (Model # BL1840-2).
strobo
bought a 4.0 amp hour battery for my Makita set. Has a hammer drill and impact driver. Batter fit impact driver and charger but not the hammer drill. I noticed a little tit in the battery slide path for the hammer drill. I cut it out, battery slides right in now. Drill works . Go figure. Why would they design something so screwed up. Leave it to Yankee ingenuity to overcome foreign designers.
John King
I’m experiencing the problem of new 4.0 & 5.0 Ah LXT batteries not fitting into my (US sourced) BHP454 drill (which incidentally has a black receptacle, and no star symbol present) . The new batteries start to slide in as normal, but come to a stop before they reach the end of the rails. I read with interest the comments people have made about cutting off some ‘tab’, but could anybody here please elaborate where exactly I should be looking for this ‘tab’?
Is it on the tool, or on the batteries?
Thanks in advance.
strobo
the tab, actually a little bumb is on the tool not the battery. Look at the tool at the rails . looking at the tool it is in the right side rail. I was able to cut it off with a razor knife. It is near the front of the rail. hopes this helps.
Ettu
Thanks for the info strobe. Before stumbling across this web page, I read various confusing versions of how to get the new batteries (4.0 & 5.0 amp hr ) to fit the older tools. Your note confirmed it is as simple as eliminating the little nub on the inbound right side of the tool’s battery receiving plate. Saved me from following a bunch of more complicated and some downright stupid alternatives.
As for why Makita has made these newer batteries not fit the older tools, I think Toolpig has is about right. It seems to me Makita has addressed the most frequent reason for battery failure, overloading it. Sure we say we don’t abuse our tools or batteries, but how many times does a blade get momentarily jammed or a drill stall? Faster than you can take your finger off the trigger. Sure, 99.5% of the time you don’t abuse your tools, but how many momentary unintended stalls and how much short term lugging to finish a run does it take? The new tool and battery combinations are intended to detect these conditions and limit discharge rate.
I suspect that although filing off that nub will allow the newer batteries to fit the old tools, you loose the overload protection. Sure, now you can pinch a blade or bear down with a big hole saw, but your $100 battery is more at risk. With the price of the 3.0Ahr batteries dropping, and compatible with both the old and new tools, one wonders if it might be worth buying them for the old tools, and keeping the expensive ones off those old tools
Tank
I found out the hard way about the 4.0ah not working with some tools on the jobsite a day ago when I needed the battery.
I had 3 – 3.0h batteries between my 5 LXT tools, not used every day nor abused. After about a year and half 2 packs bricked on me, one didn’t even have 10 charges thru it. I find out how flawed the circuitry is in the LXT batteries and how prone they are to bricking all of a sudden.(found out all about it on forums and youtube)
So the day before I have an out of state job I plunk down $100 on a new 4.0ah battery, charge it up and load it into the truck. Go to use it next day and it won’t work in my angle grinder and die grinder I need to do the job. I didn’t have time then to see why it didn’t fit as I was mid job that had to be done…….So I was pissed. Later when home I researched the tab and found this info.
Only reason I went back to Makita is I had some 18v NiMH stuff which lasted me close to a decade and a couple of the batteries were that old too.(still worked but lost some capacity) Going off my good service from that set I bought Makita again. I won’t make that mistake again as I am done with Makita due to all the piss poor engineering, unreliable batteries and lack of compatibility. Milwaukee or Dewalt most likely will be my next set.
I’ll also warn others to stay away from Makitas impact bits and etc. They snap off way too easy. Millwaukee and Dewalt stuff actually lasts.
Toolpig
I can understand frustration with this battery situation but you ALL are forgetting the big picture! Makita has updated their batteries to better serve us. You all are complaining that the new batteries don’t fit your old tools. Think about it. Makita has been building LXT tools since 2005. All we have to do is file off a little tab on our OLD but still working Makita tools and we have new life.
This I address to Furious Steven Williams. What would happen if you tried to use a new 5.0 m18 battery on a 10 year old Milwaukee tool? What about a 7 year old Milwaukee tool? NO AMOUNTOF FILING OR CUTTING WILL MAKE IT FIT !!! You know why? Milwaukee abandoned their 18v lineup totally! They completely redesigned their batteries, Chargers and Tools. So who is the one who made us buy all new tools?
What about 10 year old DeWalt lithium ion tools? Oh sorry there are none. Dewalt too pretty much abandoned their early lithium ion platform and completely redesigned them as 20 v max. Go try a 20 v max battery in a Dewalt tool from 6 or 10 years ago. Not gonna happen.
Kudos to Makita for designing a system that just works and has staying power. And Thank You Makita for continuing to lead the way in cordless technology. Thank you Makita for improving your existing battery system. Thank you for building tools that actually work long enough to have easily resolved compatibility issues with the newest batteries.. This is not an issue with other companies because the tools no longer work or the platforms were abandoned.
Ettu
Thanks for your comments Toolpig. I agree, I work with a maintenance shop of about 20 associates where we all have to buy and use our own tools. The company gave up trying to keep up with the replacing and repairing battery powered tools, that everybody abused. Now they give us a yearly stipend, and we each buy what we want and abuse it and lend it to our fellow workers as you wish. Dewalt was the early popular favorite, because of price and paper specs, but they’ve largely fallen by the way side. The recycle battery buckets were getting pretty full there for a while. The newer Milwaukee’s seem to be standing up, but the Makita are slowly taking over. In part because they’re mostly the ones still working, and everybody can see it.
Mike Mckay
Its a bit disingenuous to proudly state that its an “improvement” when in reality its fixing a poorly designed product after the fact and in doing so is making hundreds of pounds/dollars worth of equipment redundant in the process
The protection circuit could just as easily have been built into the batteries themselves for how cheap it is to manufacture
It also rides on the back of makite outright denying there was a design fault with the battery packs for years even though many people were having major issues and losing a lot of money because of it
Absolutely NO other manufacturer I have come across had this issue, not even cheaper brands
LI-ION batteries are by design able to dump all of their energy almost instantly resulting in explosion in severe cases so this isnt an “improved” feature, its a basic requirement that they forgot to include in the first place and have then repeatedly lied about to customers until with the advent of the larger packs they have tried to spin it as an improved model when in fact its just had the basic minimum safety feature included that SHOULD have been there from the start
This is like ford forgetting to install brakes on a car and blaming poor driving for all the accidents it caused and then years later claiming the new improved model has advanced newtonian technology because they have now added some brakes to it rather than just admitting they forgot to put brakes on the previous model
I had been considering switching to another brand after I first heard about the battery fault and makitas denials but my batteries seemed to work ok and none have failed yet so I cooled off over it
But after reading this I wont just be buying a different brand when my current set of tools needs to be upgraded but I will be proactively disuading anyone and everyone in the trade that I know to avoid makita like the plague and will actively go out of my way to highlight this fiasco in feedback on toolsites so that nobody else ends up getting ripped off by this customer fleecing bunch of cowboys
I’ve been a loyal makita customer for over 30 years and recommended the Ni-CD/Ni-MH products to many people. But they have severely dropped the ball in their handling of their Li-ion design error and then compounded it by lie after lie which is not something you want from a company you spend thousands of pounds with on tools and batteries for your livelyhood
Having to use different batteries for different models defeats the whole point of having interchangeable battery packs from the get go.
Just as a heads up for people who have read the BS about the extra terminal.
The 4ah packs plug into the BHP452 LXT drill
But it doesnt have a third terminal, just the same two as on the BHR202
It does have the yellow plate, but no extra terminals at all. So the third terminal is redundant even though the packs plug directly into that model and with auger bits that drill has jammed up far more often than my BHR202 has ever done
Extremely dissapointed with makita yet again
So one more customer at least that they have now lost and I will be doing my utmost to pursuade others to avoid them too
PHILIP JOHN
Lol. Its because makita first built lithium with out any battery safety. A big no no for lithium. Lots of tools over heating and exploding batteries.
Just think of a trigger getting knocked on in a tool bag… it can burn down a house or truck.
So if you file off the plastic on the new battery and continue to use the old tools… you are at risk.
Lincoln krupa
Can a 5,0ah battery be used in 3.0ah and 4.0ah tools
thanks Lincoln krupa
Stuart
No. Makita USA never clarified the matter for us, but other regional sites say that 4.0Ah and 5.0Ah batteries do not fit all Makita tools.
Iain Ketterer
I am using the newer 4.0ah batteries on my original release tools that I got in the USA before they were even available in the UK and they seem to work fine as long as you remove a bit of plastic from the edge of the new batteries.
Dan Enos
I own a set that includes a Makita drill, LXT, and an impact. The drill has the star on the bottom yellow plate, and says LXT on the drill. The impact only has a yellow plate with no star, and doesn’t say LXT on it anywhere. Wondering why a set would come with one LXT and one non-LXT. Biggest question though, and I know they show at the top that these 4.0 batteries work with the yellow plated tools, will they work with my yellow plated impact drill?? I just don’t want to wreck the impact, or the battery! These aren’t cheap.
Ephraim Fithian
Some of my tools work with the new 5.0 Ah battery, some not. Those with the yellow connector and star all work. Some without the star also work, like the impact tool. On the rest I cut off the 3x5mm nub on the bottom left of the tool and now they all work.
Ephraim Fithian
I have a grass trimmer and need the handle so I don’t break my back. There are none in the US, but they are available in Europe, Australia, and Japan. I still need to find a supplier who will ship me one from Europe at reasonable cost. Amazon.de offered to ship me one at a cost of €500. I thought that was a little high for a €50 tool.
Yogesh
List Makita 18 V product that are NOT COMPATIBLE (37 products):-
BDF452HW Drill / Driver
BHP451 Drill / Driver
BDF451 Drill / Driver
BGA452 Angle Grinder
BTP140 Hybrid Impact Hammer Driver Drill
BTD140 Impact Driver
BSS610 Circular Saw
BVR850 Concrete Vibrator
BHR240 Rotary Hammer
BJR181 Reciprocating Saw
BPB180 Portable Band Saw
BVR450 Concrete Vibrator
BTD142 18V Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver
BTW251 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ Impact Wrench
BJV180 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Jig Saw
BSS501 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 5-3/8″ Circular Trim Saw
BCS550 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 5-3/8″ Metal Cutting Saw
BHP452 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill-Driver
BTD141 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver
BTL061 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Angle Impact Driver
BTW450 18V LXT Lithium-Ion 1/2″ Cordless Impact Wrench
BSS611 18V LXT Lithium-Ion 6-1/2″ Circular Saw
BJR182 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Reciprocating Saw
BTW253 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8″ Impact Wrench
BJS130 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 18 Gauge Straight Shear
BDA350 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8″ Angle Drill
BFS450 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Drywall Screwdriver
BHR202 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 7/8″ SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer
BFR750 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Autofeed Screwdriver
BHP454 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Driver-Drill
BDF453 18V 1/2″ Cordless Driver Drill
BTL063 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8″ Angle Impact Wrench
BCS550Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 5-3/8″ Metal Cutting Saw
BGA452Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 4-1/2″ Cut-Off/Angle Grinder
BHR202Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 7/8″ Rotary Hammer
BHR240Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 7/8″ SDS-PLUS Rotary Hammer
BDA350Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8″ Angle Drill
BDF451Z Cordless 1/2″ Driver-Drill
BDF452 Cordless 1/2″ Driver-Drill
BFR750Z Cordless Autofeed Screwdriver
BFS450Z Cordless Drywall Screwdriver
BJR181Z Cordless Recipro Saw
BTW450Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ High Torque Impact Wrench
BVR450Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 4 Ft. Concrete Vibrator
BVR850Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 8 Ft. Concrete Vibrator
BJV180Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Jig Saw
BPB180Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Portable Band Saw
BSS610Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2″ Circular Saw
BSS611Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2″ Circular Saw
BTD141Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver
BHR241 Lithium-Ion Cordless Rotary Hammer
BHR241Z Lithium-Ion Cordless Rotary Hammer
LXDG01 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/4″ Die Grinder
LXDG01Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/4″ Die Grinder
LXNJ01Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 16 Gauge Nibbler Tool Only
XDG01Z 8V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/4″ Die Grinder
XWT01Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion High-Torque Impact Wrench
Mike
I tested my BDF452 (does NOT have the HW suffix listed in incompatible list above) and it came with 1.5ah and does work with the 3.0 and 4.0ah batteries that I have tried.
Blair Groves
Just a few points to clear the air:
1. The “new” style 4AH, 5AH and 6AH batteries are ELECTRICALLY COMPATIBLE with all LXT 18 volt tools.
2. The older tools have a 5mm x 5mm x 3mm tab in the battery receptacle that was originally used by Makita to prevent the 1.5AH battery from being used.
3. The above mentioned tab may be removed, so the “new” style batteries will fit.
4. The “third prong” is present on SOME tools to monitor battery temperature. This is to prevent battery damage due to overheating, where the tool shuts down if the battery temperature rises above the preset threshold. All LXT 18 volt batteries have a corresponding contact for this temperature monitoring prong.
Please share this information with your Makita reps, sales people and other users to help them understand the facts.
bill
the 3rd terminal is connected to the +18V terminal next to it via a thermal device in the battery. It is a dead short between those terminals so the device must be an auto reset thermal cutout. If there is no 3rd terminal on the drill (yellow w/o star) then the drill must be a lower current device that won’t overheat the battery. The lower rating of the battery (3AH) might indicate that the internal resistance is higher and therefore it is somewhat self regulating. But those batteries have the device also – at least the ones I have do.
A 4AH or bigger battery must have a lower internal resistance and therefore may tend to overheat easier. That is MHO and I cannot verify it. But it sounds reasonable from and engineering point of view.
It is all Lithium paranoia for companies, so don’t try to litigate if you cut the tab off.
kai
yes, its likely this arrangement is to protect the 5.0 batteries. the more capacity, the less current draw they can withstand without damage. enter soft start and other ways not to get amp peaks.
i will stay with the 1830s. they are fantastic in their robustness. and now have an attractive price.
Alvin Finlay
If I make a modification to the 4.0 ah battery it does work in the circular saw but will that harm the motor?
Stuart
By modifying the battery you are compromising a safety feature of the battery, tool, or both.
John Seccombe
Will Marita carbon brushes be compatible for a Jellas Belt Sander ?
Stuart
Motor brushes are often sized for specific motors and tools.