Makita Impact Driver dying....

[estley]

As the title says, I've had this 18V driver for 4 years now, and all of the sudden it lost a lot of power. I replaced the brushes, have tried several different batteries, but it's still weak.... any ideas?

 

[Lemwise]

Even if you tried different batteries that would be my first guess. You have to remember Li-Ion batteries have a limited life span, about 3 to 3,5 years from the moment they're produced.

 

[DB10]

I'm mot sure where you get all your information from! But all my Makita batteries have lasted a lot longer than 3 - 3.5 years, try eight years and still going strong, used most days of the week.
The OP should take the impact driver to the nearest Makita store and get them to try a fresh battery to see what difference if any this makes. Bearing in mind that the impact driver is brushed so it's probably not economical to have it fixed, they are less than $100 new.

 

[Peter_C]

Once the batteries are confirmed to be good...

Did you inspect and or clean the commutator when changing the brushes? I would take it apart and do so using scuffy pad, also inspecting everything and possibly using a DVOM to check for continuity. On slow speed does it turn smoothly? Again looking for a possible break in continuity.

If you replace it, do so with a brushless. The added power, efficiency, and power control is worth every penny. Makes it far easier to set screws in drywall for instance. Plus they have battery gauges today on the tool.

 

[estley]

is there a more scientific way to test a battery other than switching it to another tool?

 

[Peter_C]

is there a more scientific way to test a battery other than switching it to another tool?

DVOM, what is the output voltage? This is a 2.0ah batt with around 1/2 charge.
[attachimg=1]

 

[AlexThePalex]

Even if you tried different batteries that would be my first guess. You have to remember Li-Ion batteries have a limited life span, about 3 to 3,5 years from the moment they're produced.

Hm, my Li-ion batteries of 8 years old didn't get that memo - luckily.

 

[estley]

is there a more scientific way to test a battery other than switching it to another tool?

DVOM, what is the output voltage? This is a 2.0ah batt with around 1/2 charge.
[attachimg=1]

Tested 5 batteries, all fully charged, 3* 3ah, 2* 2AH:

3Ah: 18.55, 19.27, 19.84

2Ah: 18.02, 19.75

After inspecting the blades on the Impact driver that make contact with the battery, I found some residue of some sort, wiped it off with alcohol and now I'm back in business. While this whole thing was going on, I did get a brand new brushless form another member here, so now I have two working impact drivers...

Thanks for all the help!!

 

[Lemwise]

Hm, my Li-ion batteries of 8 years old didn't get that memo - luckily.

Assuming normal, every day, professional use, charging the batteries at least once a day and taking into account an average of 260 working days per year would mean your batteries have each been charged 2080 times. That my friend, is simply impossible for Li-Ion cells.

 

[Peter_C]

After inspecting the blades on the Impact driver that make contact with the battery, I found some residue of some sort, wiped it off with alcohol and now I'm back in business.

Well that was an easy repair. Lots of people would have thrown it away...I get or buy broken stuff all the time and fix it. Usually it is an easy fix too.

While this whole thing was going on, I did get a brand new brushless form another member here, so now I have two working impact drivers...

Thanks for all the help!!

New brushless?? You won't be using your other one very often. I have two Makita 18volt brushless impacts and rarely use either. Instead my goto is a Milwaukee M12 brushless impact. LOL

 

[DB10]

Hm, my Li-ion batteries of 8 years old didn't get that memo - luckily.

Assuming normal, every day, professional use, charging the batteries at least once a day and taking into account an average of 260 working days per year would mean your batteries have each been charged 2080 times. That my friend, is simply impossible for Li-Ion cells.

Your tone suggests you know what your talking about, you don't. Two people have said now that their Makita batteries have lasted 8 years, that's twice the time you have stated but you still won't accept it. How long have your actual Makita batteries lasted if you own any? not the virtual ones you keep talking about.

 

[Peter Belisle]

I have a pair of batteries from when Makita first launched the Li-ion system. They work fine and hold a charge like new.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Hm, my Li-ion batteries of 8 years old didn't get that memo - luckily.

Assuming normal, every day, professional use, charging the batteries at least once a day and taking into account an average of 260 working days per year would mean your batteries have each been charged 2080 times. That my friend, is simply impossible for Li-Ion cells.

You assume too much.

Your previous comment, to which I reacted, was about a TIME SPAN, not charge cycles.