Millfakee battery

[Wildefalcon]

I have signed up to the Milwaukee cult. But I've some dead parkside batteries.

So, AliExpress sold me a M12 case for a few quid.

And so, I bodged a millfakee battery together.

Not straightforward, as there's no instructions, so a bit of fun making it all work. Tolerances are so tight that the wires onto the PCB can only protrude a mm.

 

[julianf]

Are those cells soft soldered?

Ive got all the bits for a m18, but couldn't get a working spot welder, and wasnt courageous enough to soft solder.

...but it seems you survived?

 

[Seadog]

I've soft-soldered a few. No bangs so far.

 

[Wildefalcon]

I'm alive! I sanded the cells and tinned them first, ditto the tabs, then melted the solders together. Working so far.

I've two dead 20v 8ah batteries (low use) so I'll try a M18 next.

 

[frank horton]

I just got the Millwauke batt adaptor ao I can use Parkside 20v batts.....adaptor was 23euros.....
20v x 4ah Parkside batts are on special this week at 24 euros....
my reason for using them.....
A 5ah genuine 18v Fuel battery works out to over 200 euros here.....
I did write to the factory to say how disgusted I am about their pricing months ago but heard nothing.....
Milwauke tools are anything like 100-200% over the price in/of UK/Germany.....
I get my stuff from Germany of Poland....no real price diff....it's just who'll deliver to Crete....

not used it in anger yet but the 1/2 nut driver works ok.....

 

[Erie Fred]

Aliexpress will also sell you a genuine battery cell spot welder machine......just sayin'

 

[johnakay]

makita batteries are £60 which is well over priced especially when they are made in China.
cheapy are considerably light even though the amp/volts are the same but they don't stay charged for long.
recharging is also quicker.

 

[500e]

A dab of plumbers flux and a good iron is the answer, clean flux off after, tins faster with less heat transfer

 

[500e]

makita batteries are £60 which is well over priced especially when they are made in China.
cheapy are considerably light even though the amp/volts are the same but they don't stay charged for long.
recharging is also quicker.

As you say proper Makita replacement batteries are poor by their original standard

 

[arther dailey]

I'm alive! I sanded the cells and tinned them first, ditto the tabs, then melted the solders together. Working so far.

I've two dead 20v 8ah batteries (low use) so I'll try a M18 next.

I did a drill battery few years back (replace one cell) found best to pack each end tight with insulation so no movement available for joint to come off.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Exactly. The case cost £2. And I had the cells spare. I tested them. I'd rather the genuine batteries, but I had the dead parkside unit. I'll still buy genuine; they're very good. But I've also a lot of parkside kit, so I've the parkside to Milwaukee adapter so I can use the Milwaukee batteries in parkside stuff.

I had to relieve the webs in the black casing for the thing to close up. The batteries appear to be longer than standard, couple of mm? It's nice and tight.

I'll keep an eye and I wouldn't be surprised if it fails soon. But I see no reason why it should fail.

 

[julianf]

Aliexpress will also sell you a genuine battery cell spot welder machine......just sayin'

I purchased one - the magic smoke came out instantly.

I read a bit about powering them from a high amp source, and figured that was the issue, so purchased another.

...which let out the magic smoke instantly.

At that point, i gave up.

 

[sako243]

Don't buy batteries on their own. Far more cost effective to buy a new kit

 

[Erie Fred]

I purchased one - the magic smoke came out instantly.

I read a bit about powering them from a high amp source, and figured that was the issue, so purchased another.

...which let out the magic smoke instantly.

At that point, i gave up.

Please don't tell me you bought one marked "VeVor".....

 

[Turbo]

I have one of the cheap spot welders and I've used it to rebuild several batteries and it's still working fine. Mind you I did do a few well documented modifications before I used it to improve reliability and I use a 60ah car battery to ensure a good weld.

 

[Wildefalcon]

This is the donor for the next attempt.
21*70 batteries this time. 21700s.

I've two of these, so two cases are currently being made in a slave factory in China for me.