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This guide can help you understand rechargeable batteries and proper handling that will maximize battery life. New Batteries A new rechargeable Makita BL1860B battery comes in a discharged condition and must be charged before use (refer to the manual for specific charging instructions). Upon initial use (or after a prolonged storage period) the battery may require three to four charge/discharge cycles before achieving maximum capacity. It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging. Battery Handling If the battery will not be in use for a month or longer, it is recommended that it be removed from the charger and stored in a cool, dry, clean place. A charged battery will eventually lose its charge if unused. It may therefore be necessary to recharge the battery after a storage period. Actual battery run-time depends upon the power demands made by the equipment it powers. The total run-time of the battery is also heavily dependent upon the design of the equipment. Here are some basic tips for battery handling: Do not short-circuit. A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery or even explosion.
Avoid dropping or impacting rechargeable batteries. This could result in the exposure of the corrosive cell contents.
Avoid exposing the battery to moisture or rain. Most flashlights are sealed against such exposure.
Always battery away from fire or other sources of extreme heat. Never incinerate. Exposure of battery to extreme heat may result in an explosion. Battery Technologies Rechargeable Makita BL1850B drill batteries in portable lighting devices and two-way radios are principally made using Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) or Lithium Ion. (Li-Ion) technologies. Rechargeable flashlight batteries are generally Nickel Cadmium. Each type of rechargeable battery type has unique properties: NiCad and NiMH
The main difference between the two is the fact that NiMH batteries (the newer of the two technologies) offer higher energy densities than NiCads. NiMH delivers approximately twice the capacity of its NiCad counterpart. What this translates into is increased run-time from the battery with no additional bulk to weigh down the device. NiMH also offers another major advantage: NiCad batteries tend to suffer from what is called the "memory effect". NiMH batteries are less prone to develop this affliction and thus require less maintenance and care. NiMH batteries are also more environmentally friendly than their NiCad counterparts since they do not contain heavy metals. Li-Ion
Li-Ion has quickly become the emerging standard for portable power. Li-Ion batteries produce the same energy as NiMH batteries but weigh approximately 35% less. This is crucial in applications such as portable two-way radios or notebook computers where the battery makes up a significant portion of the device's weight. Another reason Li-Ion batteries have become so popular is that they do not suffer from the memory effect. They are also environmentally friendly because they don't contain toxic materials such as Cadmium or Mercury. Memory Effect NiCad batteries, and to a lesser extent NiMH batteries, are prone to what is referred to as the "memory effect". What this means is that if a battery is repeatedly only partially discharged before recharging, the battery "forgets" that it has the capacity to further discharge all the way down. To illustrate: If you, on a regular basis, fully charge your battery and then use only 50% of its capacity before the next recharge, eventually the battery will become unaware of its extra 50% capacity which has remained unused. The battery will remain functional, but only at 50% of its original capacity. The way to avoid the "memory effect" is to fully cycle (fully charge and then fully discharge) the battery at least once every two to three months. Simply leaving the device in the ON position and letting it run can discharge batteries completely. This will help insure your battery remains healthy. Once discharged, recharge the Makita 1822 tool battery completely according to the manufacturer's instructions. Battery Upgrade NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion are all fundamentally different from one another and should not be substituted unless the device has been pre-configured from the factory to accept more than one type of rechargeable battery technology. The difference between them stems from the fact that each type requires a different charging pattern to be properly recharged by Maita DC18RC charger. Therefore, the device's internal charger must be properly configured to handle a given type of rechargeable battery. Refer to the owners manual to find out which rechargeable battery types the particular device supports.
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