How to care for cordless tools
- Thread starter Sugarfryz
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chrisnazzy
Well-known member
You know it's actually a good question. I have about 10 Milwaukee M18/M12 tools and I haven't really done anything to maintain them per say. It will be interesting to see what others have to say though. I live in a warm dry climate so I just wipe 'em down when I get them dirty but maybe someone in a colder, wetter climate will have some recs for you. I think Kctyphoon lives on the east coast and he puts his Milwaukee lineup through their paces out in the field......
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My experience with electrical motors is to grease with high speed grease the ball bearing a after few thousand hours. Maybe once a year or every two yeqrs: better search online.
These bearings might be sealed for life but you can still grease them it is just not so easy.
Now for the gearbox you would need to use a different grease with properties for pressure /impact such as lithium based with Molybdenum Sulfide (the second needs to be confirmed as it depends on the speed).
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These bearings might be sealed for life but you can still grease them it is just not so easy.
Now for the gearbox you would need to use a different grease with properties for pressure /impact such as lithium based with Molybdenum Sulfide (the second needs to be confirmed as it depends on the speed).
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HMCFab9
Well-known member
Batteries don't like freezing, from what I've been told.
Besides that....keep them clean & use 'em.
Besides that....keep them clean & use 'em.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
Don't overcharge the batteries, even if the chargers claim to have overcharge protection. Not using them is one of the worst things for them.
Weird Tolkienish Figure
Well-known member
Yeah one of the reasons why I'm glad I didn't go with an expensive tool brand. I use cordless tools so infrequently I don't think it would be worth in monetarily, regarding battery life.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
I use cordless tools a few times a week. It's probably not enough for most people to justify buying the 20v Dewalt stuff I have, but I'm glad I did and basically just had to accept the fact that the batteries won't last forever. The good thing is the 3.0 ah batteries are now much cheaper because of the 4.0 & 5.0 ah batteries and can be had new for around $35-40 on eBay. I store all but two of my Ridgid batteries uncharged in hopes of them lasting longer. I should really sell some of them, but....
Other than cordless tools, I buy disposable battery items vs chargeable. Items like flashlights for instance because if power goes out and your flashlight is dead, well you're really screwed now. On the other hand, if the AA batteries are dead, its quick and easy to change them out.
Other than making sure the externals are free of grime or grit I've gotten over ten years on most of my cordless power tools. The batteries will usually fail first then the decision will need to be made upgrade for the latest or replace batteries.
crewchief888
Well-known member
I try to keep my li-ion batteries "warm" I don't leave them in my service truck once the overnight temps fall below 40 F.
My Milwaukee stuff don't like being wet, either rain or snow.
My Milwaukee stuff don't like being wet, either rain or snow.
hoston23
Well-known member
i usually just blow them out with air to make sure my brushes are free of dirt and debris. keeps them for heating up as bad too. my grinders and polishers have screens on them that i keep clean also.
can i spray them down with electrical contact cleaner?
can i spray them down with electrical contact cleaner?
sberry
Banned
Ign
Well-known member
This. I do nothing. I leave them in my shop year round. Winter temps teens, single digits sometimes, below zero maybe 10 days or so. Summer highs high 90's, a few days of over 100. I leave my charging wall loaded up with batteries. I make no effort to rotate, just grab whatever off the chargers.
I do nothing to the tools themselves.
L5wolvesf
Well-known member
FWIW, I've had my cordless Ryobi tools/batteries for over 7 years now. They are kept in the shop (unheated) and it does get below freezing - no problems that I am aware of. Of course now that I say that . . .
ihateminimumwage
Well-known member
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- Jan 26, 2012
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I just work mine, rotate batteries, and occasionally blow and dirt or dust (brush dust for the non-fuel) out of the vents with compressed air.
bcradio
Well-known member
Negative on that. They like to be stored at half charge.
DFB
Well-known member
I have a few Milwaukee cordless 
Normally I just wipe them down after garage work and/or blow out accumulated dust after some of my construction jobs. Haven't re-greased one yet but I probably should consider it especially for the 2655B as it has seen the most hard use.
Of course the Milwaukee operators manual does recommend a qualified service at 6-12months depending on usage.
They also have the recommended grease type "J" available for purchase in several sizes... 2oz, 6oz, or 1lb
You didn't specify what 1/2 model it was but I assume it was the High Torque as it seems to be the most popular
Here is a link to the internals on a 2763
http://www.ereplacementparts.com/mi...th-friction-ring-parts-c-131_5120_417848.html
Most of my tools have the reg torq head screws, T20 for the big guy and T10 for all the rest of them. Strangely my 2654 impact driver has several tamper proof style screws installed. Why...dunno? Maybe just a fluke. Anybody else?
Getting water in the Milwaukee's has been known to create problems for some users most notably when cutting open plumbing with the hackzall tool. One my drills got rained on but it didn't use it until I let it dry some, I also blew it out with compressed air too.
I once had the 2763 fall from bench height onto the concrete floor nothing broke but the battery did get banged up some. It's suffered more cosmetic abuse removing a truck bumper. In retrospect the protective boots are good idea especially if you want to keep them looking pretty.
Spilled a beer on a M18 combo charger once too. Thought it gave it up lights were flashing but I took it apart and dried it out good and all is well again
The Milwaukee battery's are designed to work in below freezing temps but it is recommended they be stored at room temp. If a battery is too cold it may not take a charge right away and the charger will flash. (Same effect if its been worked and may be too hot). They say they don't take memory either so they can also be charged at any time too. All that info is in those silly manuals that normally come with the tools right?
Normally I just wipe them down after garage work and/or blow out accumulated dust after some of my construction jobs. Haven't re-greased one yet but I probably should consider it especially for the 2655B as it has seen the most hard use.
Of course the Milwaukee operators manual does recommend a qualified service at 6-12months depending on usage.
They also have the recommended grease type "J" available for purchase in several sizes... 2oz, 6oz, or 1lb
You didn't specify what 1/2 model it was but I assume it was the High Torque as it seems to be the most popular
Here is a link to the internals on a 2763
http://www.ereplacementparts.com/mi...th-friction-ring-parts-c-131_5120_417848.html
Most of my tools have the reg torq head screws, T20 for the big guy and T10 for all the rest of them. Strangely my 2654 impact driver has several tamper proof style screws installed. Why...dunno? Maybe just a fluke. Anybody else?
Getting water in the Milwaukee's has been known to create problems for some users most notably when cutting open plumbing with the hackzall tool. One my drills got rained on but it didn't use it until I let it dry some, I also blew it out with compressed air too.
I once had the 2763 fall from bench height onto the concrete floor nothing broke but the battery did get banged up some. It's suffered more cosmetic abuse removing a truck bumper. In retrospect the protective boots are good idea especially if you want to keep them looking pretty.
Spilled a beer on a M18 combo charger once too. Thought it gave it up lights were flashing but I took it apart and dried it out good and all is well again
The Milwaukee battery's are designed to work in below freezing temps but it is recommended they be stored at room temp. If a battery is too cold it may not take a charge right away and the charger will flash. (Same effect if its been worked and may be too hot). They say they don't take memory either so they can also be charged at any time too. All that info is in those silly manuals that normally come with the tools right?
Weird Tolkienish Figure
Well-known member
CutterFarms
Well-known member
I have the Ingersoll rand 1/2 and 3/8 they recommend taking off the nose where the anvil is and keeping it greased. Bought the new snap on for service truck for farm and I dis the same. Went to court days and a guy had a new Milwaukee fuel brushless 1/2 driver in case with two batteries and charger for 60.00 its pretty nice about like the Ingersoll rand 1/2. I really love snap on tools but their 1/2 doesn't compare to the other two and I wouldn't believe it if I didn't have all 3.
bcradio
Well-known member
L5wolvesf
Well-known member
How can you tell they are at whatever % without constantly checking them?
Derek420
Banned
I've got both lithium and Nicad and I've noticed that with my Nicad batteries even if I store them at full charge that if I let them sit to long that they won't charge to full charge the first time I charge it but if you charge cycle them about 5 times or so they snap back into it. You also can just unplug and plug back in repeatedly the charger with battery on it and make the batteries snap back into life again if it sat to long or you think batteries are **** try that first learned from YouTube and gotbazed when I tried it. Also you can rebuild Nicads easily all you need is a decent soldering gun, what I do is buy one of those cheap Harbor Freight $10 18v batteries and gut them for the sub c batteries in them it's the cheapest way or it cost 4 bucks a battery multiply that by 15 it's way to much. heat is the number one killer of batteries other than not using it. But I bought a B&D 85th anniversary all aluminium 14.4 nicad drill NOS made in 2002 this year it had never been charged in 14 years and it charged up perfectly after a couple charge cycles. In the Manuel it said it may take up to 5 charge cycles to reach optimum charge capacity is how I learned that. I got Snap on nicads from 04-06 that hold charge just like day they we're new. You can also rebuild lithium batteries you cab use old lap top batteries but might not be as much MAH as your old ones depending on which ones you got but it doesn't matter it's same volts..you can even upgrade to more mah if you want. The HF nicads we're a little less may than my old but I have 1 factory battery and 1 rebuilt for my 1/2 impact and don'tnnotice a difference to how long they last but HF rebuilt one weighs alot less I take it as a good thing because works awesome.
buening
Well-known member
I 2nd the notion to use compressed air to blow out dust and debris from the case. I hit both the intake and exhaust vents on the tools every once in awhile. Its amazing how much **** they can **** in, and the more debris in there the more it traps heat in and ruins the motors.
Ign
Well-known member
Also I wonder if the myth of half charge storage is becoming a myth. Milwaukees used to always come new at 2 of 4 bars but the last 3.0 M12s, 6.0 M12s and 9.0 M18 I purchased came fully charged out of the package.
wafrederick
Well-known member
The NiCad powered cordless tools,don't leave in the tool when not in use.Take them out and they last longer.There are people that tape the trigger down on the NiCad powered cordless tools to drain the battery down.Don't do this,this reverses the battery cells and kills them.I read about this in a magazine I used to get,Handy since I am a master life member of the Handyman Club of America.The Milwaukee fuel line,it is not advised not to put the batteries in the charger every time after use.Milwaukee will not warranty the batteries if the batteries if put in the charger after use.
niferous
Well-known member
I got one of my Milwaukee impacts re-cased by Milwaukee a year before the warranty ran out. The case was cracking (mostly from being dropped) and I felt like it didn't have the power it used to. They took it in, put a nice new red case on it, a new trigger, and new brushes. All for free. So if you've got a Milwaukee with a case that is cracking and it's in warranty take it on in. The guy at the Milwaukee store said that they'll most always clean it out and put new brushes on it as long as it's there for service and they have it apart. Great customer service from Milwaukee!
Thank you all. I'm a mechanic and love my new impacts, just kinda nervous they won't hold up like my air tools. I bought them bc were sort of remodeling the store and stuff is laying everywhere. Air hoses kept getting stuck. Gotta say my air tools rarely act up, I understand these usually don't last as long. But hey I figured what the heck, if I take them home and use them to make some real money it'll pay off.
sberry
Banned
Does any of this stuff come with an owners manual? But these tools are not meant to be saved, They pay for themselves from convenience, are not an "investment" but are depreciated.
I just spent a grand on batteries, we almost had a couple accidents from fooling with other stuff due to the batteries getting lame and using corded again. Its worth the couple hundred a year in expense to me not to have to fool with cords.
I just spent a grand on batteries, we almost had a couple accidents from fooling with other stuff due to the batteries getting lame and using corded again. Its worth the couple hundred a year in expense to me not to have to fool with cords.
Ign
Well-known member
I call BS. Do you have written proof of this from Milwaukee?
Your statement of batteries for "the Milwaukee Fuel line" furthers my skepticism as Fuel has absolutely nothing to do with batteries. At all. In any way.
You MIGHT be thinking of charge cycles. Batteries are warrantied for three years or 1000 charge cycles. If you put it on the charger at 3 of 4 bars it will re-charge and tick off a charge cycle. Even so it's difficult for most users to do 1000 charges in 3 years.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
How does one know when 1000 charge cycles are achieved?
Ign
Well-known member
YOU don't but the battery does. If you send it in for warranty and that limit has been reached MILWAUKEE WILL TELL YOU.
Ign
Well-known member
According to Stu on Toolguyd the tools also record all batteries used in them (presumably by serial #). If you use a no-name eBay copy battery you void your warranty.
Point is there's a lot going on behind the scenes you can't access.
Point is there's a lot going on behind the scenes you can't access.
Ign
Well-known member
For easy math you'd have to charge the same battery about once a day every day for three years, right? 333*3= ~1000.
365 days in a year.
Now I guess if you pulled it off, used for an hour, back to the charger, then pulled it off, used for 1/2 hour then put it back on, etc.....you could burn up 3 or more charge cycles in a day. Thus that 3 years could become a year if you did this EVERY DAY. This is the only thing I can think of wafrederick was referring to.
365 days in a year.
Now I guess if you pulled it off, used for an hour, back to the charger, then pulled it off, used for 1/2 hour then put it back on, etc.....you could burn up 3 or more charge cycles in a day. Thus that 3 years could become a year if you did this EVERY DAY. This is the only thing I can think of wafrederick was referring to.
Ign
Well-known member
This is my charging wall in the house for heated gear and M28 shop vac (at wood stove).
The M12/18 combo chargers (TOP) know if you put a fully charged battery on them and immediately show green. Even if you use the battery in, say, a light for a very short time. I ASSUME this is not counting as a charge cycle (I don't know this)
The single M12 chargers (MIDDLE) will show red for several minutes before switching to green even if you put a fully charged battery on them. I ASSUME this is counting as a charge cycle as it tries to "top off" the battery (I also don't know this for certain).
unrelated: I like how the 3.0 compact M12's (far upper left) have a different stripe allowing for easy identification
The M12/18 combo chargers (TOP) know if you put a fully charged battery on them and immediately show green. Even if you use the battery in, say, a light for a very short time. I ASSUME this is not counting as a charge cycle (I don't know this)
The single M12 chargers (MIDDLE) will show red for several minutes before switching to green even if you put a fully charged battery on them. I ASSUME this is counting as a charge cycle as it tries to "top off" the battery (I also don't know this for certain).
unrelated: I like how the 3.0 compact M12's (far upper left) have a different stripe allowing for easy identification
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DFB
Well-known member
L5wolvesf
Well-known member
sberry
Banned
I used them in bitter winter and would charge them at lunch time every day.