Milwaukee m18 bad cells replaced FULL INSTRUCTIONS 

After watching your repair, I braved doing mine. My battery is a newer M18 5.0 encased in plastic and each cell pair needed to be pushed out of the plastic housing. 8 of the 10 LG cells decided to go dead 0v. One pair was still going strong. I tried to kick start dead cells but it wouldn't hold a charge. Thankfully I had kept the cells from a broken (plastics) Hoover cordless vacuum which used Samsung cells. Battery was in great condition and I kept the cells charged with an 18650 charger. I swapped the cells in and bam its back to life. I needed to plug it into a charger to wake up the electronics. I don't have a spot welder, I only have a resistance soldering iron, I just soldered the tabs in. With a resistance soldering it heats up the joint quickly and then with my foot switch take the heat off and cool it down quickly. Not ideal but it works. I'll keep it around for light duty work. Fan, portable vacuum, etc.

The lithium batteries tend to die in most power tools because the manufacturer purposely gives incorrect battery care instructions so we damage them and buy new ones. I have been using the lithium ion battery care instructions I got from basic battery care online instead of the info from manufacturer's as they tell you to store them either fully charged or discharged witch is not good for them at all. The proper storage method is around 50% charge not to high and not to low. My batteries are still going strong with zero issues. I highly recommend it.

Nice video mate! Was quite surprised when I realized that's actually my battery, thought I'd give it a go myself this time!

I needed this. Thank you, very simple and great video. I can't wait to see the old M18 repair.

Would love if you could post the video for the older style Milwaukee batteries as you mentioned. But great video and appreciate the walkthrough!

Great video! This is the best way to get good batteries for a reasonable price. Most generic batteries are poor quality; some only being 5s1p and the other 5 full of sand. Also a lot of the 18650s used in generics are not rated for the current/under capacity/used/etc

I don't have a charger but I've changed the cells of my milwaukee battery and the lights don't turn on😂😂 Luckily to find this video

I enjoyed your detailed step-by-step video. Thanks mate.

Thanks for the vid. Learned a few new techniques

could you post links to websites for the tools and supplies?

Awesome video. You made it look easy.

Subbed to ya for this vid. Ive got a couple these. Whether they old or new they look a lil different. Im gonna try to repair them, thanks for the good vid on em.

Hi, i watched your video, very good work. One question for you, I could not make out what you did with the heat temp sensor. Did you re use it, or skipped it? Thanks!

Thank you very much

Great video, only thing, you were making adjustments to the welder, realize this was for different number of layers, would be helpful if you gave the settings, not all welders perform the same but it would give a tip to the percentage increase/decrease required.

Real nice work!

GREAT! Question: Since you have opened the battery don`t u think it would be a good idea to clean the Circut Board.. I ask it because, as it looks, they accumulate a lot of dirt and dust that could affect them.

Good video. Could you show how to rebuild the newer M18 batteries? Thanks

Awesome video, thanks.

Is there an alternative to using that spot welder or whatever it is you have? I have a butane soldering gun (I dont solder with it, just use the torch for my weed) that I could try, but would just wrapping it in electrical tape to keep it in contact be sufficient enough? Or any other methods?

Can you please post the link to the video for the older style batteries . Thanks

This video was great, got an ETA on when youll upload the video for the other battery type? Im just starting to try to fix these batteries myself and the ones I have are all the other type. Is there really much difference in how you have to repack the other ones?

Hi, great video, what size nickel strips are you using?, and are you reducing the welding current when connecting strip to strip?

Good video. Please inform your viewer the number of the new battery.

Throw some 25s in there and get a big upgrade both in A out and capacity. Imagine they would play ok with the onboard BMS. Cheers.

Hey, good video, dod you end up uploading the video for the older style fof battery? Couldnt find it on your channel list

Hi mate can you post a link to the other video of you doing the older type milwaukee battery cheer

Fun fact Walmart sells those 18 650 batteries for their solar lights and at the end of the season they're often on clearance and I got a pack of four for $5.

Awesome video. I have question about 18650 battery brands. Does it have to be exact brand and model or just 18650 with same specs? What you recommend?

What spot welder are you using? Where are you sourcing material?

What would happen if you kept the spot welder set to 45 for the main strip (from circuit board)? You mentioned you dropped it down to 20. Would it just create a deeper spot weld if you kept the setting at 45?

New subscriber here. I am trying out a M18 impact driver to see if I want to migrate from Ryobi to Milwaukee.

That was 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm nickel strip?

Great tutorial. Now were do you get the batteries from?

Hi, could you tell me settings on the spot welder, when you change Between 18650 and on the main Nickel Strip. And what Kind of car battery, Amps and CC

I've never even opened up one of these batteries before, mate, so please bear with me. At about 26:04 into your video, you adjust the welder setting. I can't understand what you're saying at that point - or see the display on the welder - so would you kindly clarify what the exact welder setting is at that point? In fact, it would be very helpful to know which welder settings you use for double-welding the two nickel strips for the batteries on the end of the pack. In addition, I'd like to know if you somehow reattached that copper braid "ribbon" that seems to be dangling freely at about 30:17 into your video? I've both liked and subscribed to your YT channel, so please keep on making the useful and informative videos. 👍

I heard milwaukee boards have protection if they completely lose power they won’t power on anymore please confirm

Interesting, but im a bit confused as to why the insulation is needed. It seems to me you are insulating 2 bits of metal from each other, then connecting them together??? a6 26:53 for example

You know I am curious to see how the discharge rates 10a (20a total) for the 18650BD compares to the 20a (40a total) discharge from the 25r and the 30q with the 15a discharge (30a total) in real tool usage with performance. With driving 4" lags into wood you've got me inspired to try the combos out. As I have 4 pack out of warranty I fixed 1x 4.0 by rebalancing. the others 1x 4.0 and 2x 5.0 have spot welds that came off the cells i may experiment with the 4.0 not sure yet though lol

Everyone knows that it's backwards...the one rebuilt is the old style. The one without the bridge over the PCB is the new style..

Great vid! Question: I was under the impression from reading other vid posts that Milwaukee has a counter built into their circuit board that allows them to tell how many times a battery has been charged if and when they were to ever come in for service or warranty work?. If so how to overcome this if it happens to put restriction's like possibly not allow it to be charged after reaching this limit?

very good video

What did the cardboard pieces insulating cards do? Do I need to install them?

Do you know how to balance charge the individual cells within the Milwaukee battery? I’m interested in doing this but not sure how. Ideally I want to end up building an adapter so that the cells can be balanced using an after market charger.

is it o.k to replace samsung 20r with 25 r in a m18 xc4.0 battery

Very nice 👌🏻

Is the spot welder anything special or did you just get a generic one off of Ebay?

I have a M18 5.0 Milwaukee battery pack that I replaced the cells just as you did in your video, spot welded and the whole nine yards. I replaced the cells with the same brand and part number (Samsung INR18650-25R) that I purchased from 18650 Battery store but the pack will only charge to ¾%. Any suggestions?

Hey were can I buy the battery for m18 battery please can u send me a link or anything that will help me find battery cells for m18 5.0

Sooo.. big question.. each cell is 3.7v but what amp hour? And I'm assuming depending on the pack amp hour.. rather it's a 2ah or the big boy 12amp hour. That the 18650's have various amp hours.. for example.. a milwaukee m18 3amp battery.. are the 18650's 3.7v 1.5amp? But how would this work for the 5amp hour?.. and with 10 batteries I'm assuming 5 are series other 5 are series.. then parrellel together.. but how the heck does the 9 and 12amp hour work? 15 batteries?

Hi! Nice work! What is model of the spot welding device?

Great video! Can this also be made with protected batteries? Thanks

I have a couple of 12ah batteries that need this kind of replacement, do you know what cells they use? Also where can I pick up the spot welder?

Anyone know where to buy a replacement shell for an m18b4 battery? 4.0ah 10x 18650. I have a cracked outer housing i'm looking to replace - thanks

What is the name of that spot welder and where do you get one?

Question. Can you replace the 18650's with 21700's or is the board specifically designed for 18650?

Would you do this replacement for the customers here in the U.S. ?

Here in the US where I would take the dead or almost dead cells they won’t take them unless they are in the battery case. Where can I take them now? Anyone??

Did not see heat sensor being replaced

Can you tell me please what kind of cell Milwaukee 12ah uses and how much mah are.thank you

Hi, do you have any vids on overhauling m28 batteries?

Ahhh you can't buy batteries on eBay anymore unless the come with flash light, what website did you buy those Panasonic 18650 bd mate? Cheers

hi, just replaced the cells on an m12 6ah battery and charged it. but when I putt it in my impact the voltage meter flashes two leds at a time and doesn't work.... any clue what's wrong?

Hello my friend, greetings from Puerto Rico. Thanks for the video, it's very professional. I would like to know how and where I can buy the batteries, since I searched on eBay and Amazon and did not find them. If you could send me a link where to buy them I would appreciate it. Thank you very much. Pedro

Does anyone know what size batteries are in the 12 ah packs?

Is there some way we can talk I have a 5.0 that went out in me they told me the cells were dead so I wanna rebuild it

Assuming these are 1.8v cells as there are 10. ?

How much would you charge to fix one of my milwaukee 9 amp battery ? And one of my 12 amp battery, ?

not worth repairing unless you have extra batteries laying around. the cost of putting all new cells is not worth it.

I'll just buy a battery thank u

Nickel strip size please

What type of spot welder your using

Where do you buy your replacement cells

the spot welder is a? available where? thanks!

Where are you bay the replace the battery

Greetings. can I send you my battery for repair?

What battery cells needed to replace 2Ah pack?

Hey can you rebuild one for me

Buy your nickel plating strips

where do you get your 18650 cells and strips from

One you are swapping cells are old old style the other one is all they use now for North America.

What name brand original Cell milwaukee ?

Do you have business of replace cells?

the replacement small batteries will cost you more than the new original one from the store, but, the price it is a big scam, it cost dewalt or Milwaukee 5-6 dollars per battery and they sell them for $58. So when your battery dies down, buy a new one swap the internals and return to home depot, free batteries for life. beat them at their own game

Everywhere I look these Samsung batteries are expensive, so it’s cheaper to buy the whole thing, unless you can tell us where to buy them cheaper

It hurts to see you using a screwdriver and not an impact driver

So , there is no anti tamper circuitry in a Milwaukee BMS ? No locking of the BMS when the cells are removed ? Great welds BTW.

What size nickel plate are you using ?