Hello,
I have several Makita LXT 18V tools, some of which are about 8 yeares
old and their batteries (all 3 Amp) are not holding their
charge as well as they did.
I was thinking of replacing the batteries with the 4 Amp ones but the
Makita site says that only those tools with a star stamped on where
the battery connects are OK for 4 Amp batteries. None of mine, bar a
recent purchase, have said star.

Now its over 50 years since I did A-level physics but I seem to recall
that the load would limit the supplied current to what it required
so why can't I use a 4 Amp battery on my tools?

Anybody care to explain please?

Regards,
Toiler


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wrote:

Anybody care to explain please?

I think the star is about the tool and battery talking to each other
over some extra pins on the connector.

All my LXT tools have the star and I don't have any batteries greater
than 3Ah, so I can't tell you anything about what might happen if you
try an 4Ah or larger battery on a non-star tool ...

On 30/03/17 13:59, wrote:
Hello,
I have several Makita LXT 18V tools, some of which are about 8 yeares
old and their batteries (all 3 Amp) are not holding their
charge as well as they did.
I was thinking of replacing the batteries with the 4 Amp ones but the
Makita site says that only those tools with a star stamped on where
the battery connects are OK for 4 Amp batteries. None of mine, bar a
recent purchase, have said star.

Now its over 50 years since I did A-level physics but I seem to recall
that the load would limit the supplied current to what it required
so why can't I use a 4 Amp battery on my tools?

Anybody care to explain please?

MIGHT be vagaries of the charging circuitry.
But otherwise your understadning is correct.


Regards,
Toiler


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--
The New Left are the people they warned you about.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

MIGHT be vagaries of the charging circuitry.
But otherwise your understadning is correct.

However there are plenty of websites out there that say Makita LXT tools
without either a star or a yellow connector are restricted to 1.5 or
3.0Ah LXT batteries

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/makita-18v-cordless-tools-and-the-batteries-that-power-them-toolstop-university-guide-a1330

On 30/03/17 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

MIGHT be vagaries of the charging circuitry.
But otherwise your understadning is correct.

However there are plenty of websites out there that say Makita LXT tools
without either a star or a yellow connector are restricted to 1.5 or
3.0Ah LXT batteries

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/makita-18v-cordless-tools-and-the-batteries-that-power-them-toolstop-university-guide-a1330


Its an odd thing, but there are very few authoritative sources on the
net. Largely they repeat the same stuff they got elsewhere.


Usually without crediting it.

so a false idea can be supported in millions of sites, all of whom cite
each other for support.

Cf Climate change...


I've used electric motors and batteries extensively, and there is no
logical reason not to put a higher capacity battery in a tool. Unless
there is a charger that cant handle it.

Or of course the more mundane reason, that they want you yto buy a new
tool to take advantage of the better battery.

--
"I guess a rattlesnake ain't risponsible fer bein' a rattlesnake, but ah
puts mah heel on um jess the same if'n I catches him around mah chillun".

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

there are plenty of websites out there that say Makita LXT tools
without either a star or a yellow connector are restricted to 1.5 or
3.0Ah LXT batteries

Its an odd thing, but there are very few authoritative sources on the
net. Largely they repeat the same stuff they got elsewhere.

A lot of that goes on, but there are official makita sites that say what
to look fo r (yellow or star) to ensure tools will work with batteries
larger than 3.0Ah, e.g.

https://www.makita.co.nz/technology/LXT.lsd

So the information seems correct, just that there's no explanation *why*
the change, given the problems that badly treated LiIon batteries can
cause, the probably didn't want to say too much if there was a potential
future liability issue.

I've used electric motors and batteries extensively, and there is no
logical reason not to put a higher capacity battery in a tool. Unless
there is a charger that cant handle it.

But they say don't use it with the tool, rather than don't use it with
the charger, in fact they say any LXT charger can charge any LXT battery.

They've altered a "tab" to prevent the new batteries fitting the old
tools, ok some people talk of filing the tab off so it fits, and it
working.

Given that it's in their long term interest to maintain as wide as
possible compatibility between tools and batteries, rather than make a
quick buck selling a few extra batteries and ****ing-off customers,
there must have been a reason for the change, such as adding or moving
protection circuit between tool and battery?