Found out some information about Milwaukee batteries not taking a charge on a Yahoo forum a while back. I have several 18v and 14.4v Milwaukee tools and 7 batteries. If the batteries drop below 3v the charger will not charge the battery so the battery will appear dead. Take a regular 9 volt battery, stick the positive post to the single post on the Milwaukee battery and the negative to the double post on the Milwaukee battery. Hold for about 30-40 seconds and the battery will charge now. I had one 14.4v and two 18v batteries that would not charge on the charger. Now they work fine like nothing was ever wrong.

And to think I was getting ready to spend a considerable amount of money to have them rebuilt. Try this before you purchase replacement batteries or pay to have them rebuilt.

 

I'll have to remember that. I haven't had any problems with mine yet. All I have is an 18 volt drill. I am looking to get one of there electric impact guns in the near future.

 

I have four 19.2 volt sears batterys that will not charge. Will that work on them also?

 

Tewferford, Very possible that it would work. You need to know which is positive and negative on the battery pack. You could also do the same thing with a good 19.2v battery pack. Couple of pieces of speaker wire and a helping hand could accomplish that if the batteries have the side terminals like some do. All you are trying to do is get enough voltage in the battery for the charger to realize the battery is there.

Letting the batteries totally discharge is the main culpret. Having more tools in the same voltage is probably the best way to keep batteries going the longest. With me I have a 14.4v drill and light, 18v sawzall and impact. Considering swapping out for a 18v drill and light to keep batteries more in use.

JCG, I have the 18v impact and it is top notch tool. Removes axle nuts that are torqued to 160-180 lbs with no problem. Mine is old and had been dropped about 10-feet to concrete at work. General foreman gave it to me because it had broken the backside of the battery foot of exsposing wires. OSHA regulation thing, few minutes of my time and a little silcone caulking and it hasn't missed a lick since. Probably three or more years old and been threw the wringer.

 

All my cordless tools are 19.2v. I had many different ones before. Too many chargers. Sold everything and went to one style. I also found when Sears runs their combo sales.It is worth it to buy them just for the extra batteries. I think my batteries got zapped from the cold. I think mine have three terminals. What would the third one be for?

 

Thats good to here bratman. I want one just for the sake of I am not always around a air impact gun. And it could save me some time making fixes.

 

Tewferford, Two should be negative and a third one should be the positive. That is how they are on Milwaukee batteries. If you have a good battery and a OHM meter that should tell you which is which. Cold doesn't bother batteries as much as heat, if they have been idle to long that would be the main culpret. I had also read somehwere about storing them in a cool place such as a refrigerator, wife wouldn't let me though.

JCG82 sometimes they are on Ebay as just the tool with no case batteries or charger, might be the route you want to take.

 

Thanks bratman2. Good info. Happy holidays to ya.

 

Geez I never thought about looking on ebay. Thanks for the tip bratman.

 

The third terminal might be for a temperature sensor, so the charger knows to shut down when the battery pack starts getting hot.

 

I looked at it yesterday. The battery has four terminals. It turns out two are for charging and two are for the tool itself.

 

Thanks for the tip. Tried it today on my 18 volt milwaukee and it REALLY worked. Thought I was going to trash the battery. Thanks again. Saved 70 bucks. Just one question. Any idea on removing batteries from tools? Mine come off Really hard. Very dissatisfied with battery removal. Thanks, Tim

 

> had also read somehwere about storing them in a cool place such as a refrigerator

When Consumer Reports did their battery reports (AA, AAA, etc.) they debunked that myth.