In this article, we’ll take a look at Makita batteries and whether they can be used with other brands’ cordless power tools. You may be curious about this problem, is there a solution to it? this article will tell you the answer.
Who Are the Owners of Makita?
Some of the most common questions about this brand are ‘Is Makita owned by Milwaukee?’ and ‘Is Makita the same as DeWalt?’. The truth is that Makita tools are owned by Makita, a Japanese company, and they are completely different from Milwaukee or DeWalt.
Makita Corporation was founded in 1915 by Masaburo Makita and is a Japanese company based there in the city of Anjo. It manufactures the Makita line of power tools and has manufacturing plants all over the world, including the United States. It’s worth noting that Makita’s dedication to quality and performance has contributed to its status today, as one of the companies with the best work tools.
Cordless Power Tool Batteries
With the promise of more power, extended run times and longer overall battery life, the advances in power tool batteries have increased significantly in the last few years. For example, in the past, it was the nickel-cadmium battery that powered cordless tools. However, in recent years, lithium-ion battery technology has replaced all brands of power tools.
These types of lithium-ion batteries are easily rechargeable and are composed of power cells of various voltage ratings from 1.2V to 3.6V, and these cells are then combined in a battery pack that can range all the way up to 48 volts. The math is pretty easy: 5 cells @ 3.6V each will give you a combined voltage rating of 18V.
The slots on the batteries and the chargers from every manufacturer are compatible, and they fit so snugly. And that's not all! The battery packs are designed to communicate with the motors in your tools to optimize their efficiency.
How can all these manufacturers ensure battery compatibility in today's world? That is to make the batteries, chargers and tools of each product line compatible with each other. In the case of Makita, its LXT 18V battery is fully compatible with the entire line of Makita LXT power tools and includes more than 150 of them in the Makita product list.
Power Tool Battery Compatibility
As power tool batteries evolve, using the wrong type of battery can cause problems if placed in the wrong tool. As we said, Makita makes its own battery packs and battery chargers, and its 18V tools will run on the Makita 18V lithium-ion battery packs. But what about using those Makita battery packs on another brand’s cordless power tools?
Before we answer that question, let’s look at another member of the power tool industry: Stanley Black & Decker. This parent company is one of the world’s largest power tool manufacturers. It holds a 19%+ market share among all of the brands it owns. Besides the obvious Stanley brand of tools and the Black & Decker line, those brands also include Black & Decker, Bostitch, Craftsman, DeWalt, Irwin Tools, Lenox, Porter Cable, And many others. There is the fact that Each of those brands makes its own line of power tools and its own battery packs and chargers.
Why is there no standardized lithium-ion battery configuration? The answer is money. Lithium-ion batteries will have a lifespan of from 3 – 5 years if properly used and stored. Another reason is that since each of the manufacturing brands was making their own batteries before the brands were acquired by Stanley Black & Decker, and tools were made to be compatible with those batteries within the brand product line, it simply makes economic sense to continue.
Can I Use Makita Batteries on Other Brands’ Tools?
As we said, Makita 18V lithium-ion batteries are only compatible with the entire Makita line of 18V power tools. However, as you have no doubt guessed, they are not compatible with other power tool brands, and for the reasons we identified.
But we can make use of an adapter that could help bridge the configuration issue so that Makita batteries could be used with other tools. This workaround does come into play with a number of batteries of one brand being used on another brand’s power tools.
We understand the desire to save money. Some battery brands are less expensive than others, and it would be great to be able to mix and match less expensive batteries with more expensive power tools.
Where to Buy Makita Battery Adapter Online?
What do you do if there’s a tool you really need, but your brand of choice doesn’t offer its own version of it? Rather than having to buy into a whole new tool ecosystem, you might be able to design your own battery adapter or buy a battery adapter directly as needed.
There are many Makita battery adapters available in our online store, and we have an extensive online power tool battery adapter catalog offering all possible tools. Explore the whole range of cordless tool battery adapters on Powuse.com.
Conclusion
Look, I know that you’re searching for a more affordable way to get tools in your hands. If you really want to be cheap, do it with a Less than $40 battery adapter, not new batteries and chargers that at some point you paid good money for. Time is money and we want our tools to work every time—letting us get as much work done as possible. From now on, save money by buying a power tool battery adapter!
You can also read more guides about cordless power tool battery adapters:
- Cordless Power Tool Battery Adapter Buying Guide
- How to Use Any Brand Battery With Any Power Tool
- How to Use New Makita Batteries on Old Makita Tools
- How to Build a Power Tool Battery Adapter
- Bocsh Battery PBA Vs. GBA
FAQs
1. Why are Makita batteries different?
Makita offers a selection of cordless tools and a range of batteries to power them. Compared with previous Ni-MH batteries, Makita batteries are 40% lighter and they lose very little charge during storage. In a shed or garage, this brand's batteries can be stored for up to six months before being reused with the same charge.
Makita batteries are not all the same: larger batteries are intended for the LXT range and offer more power than the CXT range. The G-Series offers the same power as the LXT range but is not as efficient. All the batteries are designed differently to help ensure you don’t put the wrong one in your tool and damage it.
2. What is the difference between Makita CXT and LXT?
The main difference between Makita CXT and LXT is power and size. The CXT range emphasizes compact products. The batteries are much smaller, although the connection points are similar. These offer 12V of power and come in a range of sizes, from 1.5Ah to 6Ah. In contrast, the LXT range uses 18V of power and occasionally 36V. These batteries include fuel gauges that show how much energy is left in each battery.
3. What is better Makita LXT or G- series?
Products in the Makita LXT range and the G-Series are of excellent quality. However, if you’re a professional you’ll probably choose the LXT range. These new G series 18V power tools are therefore a step down from their professional LXT range but a significant improvement over the present DIY entry-level 18V tools. Their new G-Series tools fall into the middle 18V power tool category.
4. What is the highest Ah battery for Makita tools?
The highest Ah battery for Makita is 6Ah. The Ah of a battery dictates the length of time the battery will last. Ah simply means Amperage House. If you have a 1Ah battery and the tool needs 1amp to run, the battery will last one hour. Similarly, if the tool needs 2Ah to run, the battery will last only 30 minutes. Consequently, a 4Ah will last longer than a 3Ah.
5. What is the lifespan of a Makita battery?
Makita batteries are built to last up to three years. In fact, The brand offers a three-year warranty on all new batteries. To extend the life of Makita batteries, it is helpful to know a couple of tips to take care of them. For instance, if you notice that a power tool starts to drain, stop working and recharge the battery. Excessive heat can burn the fuel cells of a Makita battery and make them unusable.
6. What does the star mean on Makita batteries?
It means that the battery is part of the Star Protection system. It allows the tool and the battery to talk to each other, providing vital protection against overloading, overheating, and other potentially fatal issues.
7. Are Makita batteries interchangeable?
The short answer is no, Makita batteries are not interchangeable. If you’re wondering whether DeWalt and Makita batteries are interchangeable because they both use 18V then the main reason the answer is no, due to the connection arrangement. In theory, the DeWalt batteries could be used in the brand's range but you would need to modify the connections. That’s dangerous and will invalidate your Makita warranty. The same goes with Ryobi products.
However, if you’re buying a new Makita tool and still have old ones, you’ll find that the new batteries can generally be used in the old tools. You will need to verify that the voltage is the same and see if the battery slides in properly.
8. Will this adapter allow a Makita battery to be charged via other brands' charger?
No, although you can get away with the adaptors for powering tools, do NOT attempt to use an adaptor for CHARGING. This is because the adaptors can not translate the digital communication between charger and battery of different brands, and can not adapt the air cooling flow used by the rapid chargers.
