replacement Makita 18v batteries

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I have a Makita battery drill which came with one 3Ah battery, model B1830. It's been great, but now and again I could use a second battery so recharging doesn't interrupt play. I don't use it a lot, but when I do, that can be limiting. I'd probably go for a slightly larger capacity, maybe 4 or 5Ah, so the B1840 or B1850 unit.

Amazon has a variety of replacement offers, the Makita ones are around 2-3x the price of the Chinese no-mark brands. Given it's not for heavy or semi-pro use I'd be fairly happy to get one or even two of the cheapies, but the feedback seems to suggest reliability is a bit of a lottery.

Do the assembled pfm luminaries have any Chinese brands they can recommend as being a reasonable bet in this regard?

 

[Rodrat]

Dero zeno, have been using one for a couple of years and seems to be as good as my genuine Makita batteries.

 

[McFloyd]

Reckon it'll be a bit 'hit n miss' as you've already stated. I use genuine only but I rely on them for work.
Given your use I'd say give the above recommendation a try. Worst case scenario, Amazon have an convenient return policy - provided they handle the shipping. Given you already have a 3Ah a 4Ah should keep things rolling nicely

 

[Ian G]

Go genuine Makita, the copies are usually pants.

 

[tiggers]

Go genuine Makita, the copies are usually pants.

This ^^^ The Chinese crap will work OK for a few recharges and then will drop off performance wise. They also degrade if left for long periods between use. Don't worry though as they'll be backed by a full money back guarantee...NOT! False economy to be honest, buy genuine and long term you'll reap the benefit.

 

[Fatmarley]

Amazon reviews are hardly worth reading because the reviews are often for a completely different product. Also, anyone can leave a review, so there's potential for lots of fake reviews.

It's tempting to go for cheap copies, but it's a risk - Buy cheap, buy twice.

 

[McFloyd]

Agreed. Some words of wisdom above, notably 'will work ok for a few, drop off's & degradation'. Or, you could get lucky...
To the OP, if costs are an issue I could dig out my genuine 4Ah Makita battery that's only been used for my radio so no heavy use or dramatic drains for 60% of the new price? No idea what they cost now but I'd be looking at spending extra on a 'new' 5Ah
I've always fancied buying a 5 for the longevity, I just hate it when the music dies!

 

[Sonority]

I have many 18v Mikita tools, and have used them all almost daily for the duration of the entire of lockdown(s)
As has been said, buy cheap, buy twice (in most instances)
Also be aware, that while 5ah may be useful for longevity of use, the are both big and heavy. I have them all, but my favourite of all are the 2 & 3 ah. Small, powerful, adds little to the size of the tool and can be got into tight situations.
Driving 2 - 400 screws a day with a big battery makes the wrist hurt!
Depending on just what the application is then worth a thought.
Heavy use like 6mm screws direct into Oak then bigger batteries may help.
Drilling 13mm holes into RSJ’s likewise.

 

[tonerei]

I have 3 batteries and just added an 18V biscuit jointer to my Makita toys.
Tempted by this ad https://www.wish.com/product/5f5c92...ABEgLIEvD_BwE&hide_login_modal=true&share=web

But I think as others have said best to go original. In the UK you often get good deals from companies that buy a chunk of these batteries. I would suggest doing a search over a couple of weeks till you find the cheapest original available in the UK before the SNP take you out of the union

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Agreed. Some words of wisdom above, notably 'will work ok for a few, drop off's & degradation'. Or, you could get lucky...
To the OP, if costs are an issue I could dig out my genuine 4Ah Makita battery that's only been used for my radio so no heavy use or dramatic drains for 60% of the new price? No idea what they cost now but I'd be looking at spending extra on a 'new' 5Ah
I've always fancied buying a 5 for the longevity, I just hate it when the music dies!

Thanks, that’s a great thought. Costs aren’t an issue, happily, but I wondered if there might be a sweet spot between the (pro-quality) Makita and the pants and pointless Chinese ripoffs. Given my usage is occasional, and domestic, the Makita is the safe but perhaps unnecessary expense if there’s a reasonable alternative. I’m mindful of a battery that dies after a handful of uses, or one that doesn’t hold a charge over a few weeks’ lack of use. Tempted to stick with Makita then, in which case if you’re genuinely thinking of going to the 5ah, I’d be definitely interested, but might look at Dero Zeno if I can find them.

 

[cctaylor]

From a different angle I have decided that it was best to stick with the manufacturers batteries for my cameras. The pattern batteries seem to be a bit hit and miss. You hear tales of batteries swelling and getting stuck in the camera.

 

[Fatmarley]

From a different angle I have decided that it was best to stick with the manufacturers batteries for my cameras. The pattern batteries seem to be a bit hit and miss. You hear tales of batteries swelling and getting stuck in the camera.

I replaced the battery in my sons iphone for a cheapo ebay one, and it swelled and pushed the screen out. I then replaced it with a more expensive one from iphonefix UK, and it lasted a few months longer before doing the same.
I've also bought loads of AA rechargeable batteries that failed very quickly (EBL, Amazon basics, Uniross etc). I only buy genuine Eneloop or Energizer now.

 

[McFloyd]

Thanks, that’s a great thought. Costs aren’t an issue, happily, but I wondered if there might be a sweet spot between the (pro-quality) Makita and the pants and pointless Chinese ripoffs. Given my usage is occasional, and domestic, the Makita is the safe but perhaps unnecessary expense if there’s a reasonable alternative. I’m mindful of a battery that dies after a handful of uses, or one that doesn’t hold a charge over a few weeks’ lack of use. Tempted to stick with Makita then, in which case if you’re genuinely thinking of going to the 5ah, I’d be definitely interested, but might look at Dero Zeno if I can find them.

I'd be up for it, as stated I've considered having the 5ah for a while now. I've had a quick browse on screwfix and toolstation and it seems the 5ah and 4ah cost £100 & £80 respectively. Unless you or anyone else has any suggestions as to where they might be sourced new cheaper but they MUST be genuine, and I'd need to be able to source it locally as I wouldnt want to risk ordering a non genuine item...
If you fancy taking a chance on the Dero Zeno, I'll leave my offer with you for a few weeks. This way if you did run into issues, you'd hopefully be able to return it and I'd have the genuine 4ah here for you...