Having cordless power tools, like Makitas, brings a lot of convenience to our lives. Some of their many uses include drilling holes (both large and small), screw driving, helping sand down and smooth rough wood, removing rust from metal, twisting wires so they are safely bundled together, and creating strong joints for building sturdy furniture. However, as with all power drills, if the battery is not adequately charged, it can lead to frustration.
You can test your Makita battery out in your tools to see if it is working at total capacity. Another way to tell is by looking at the charger while it is charging. Plug the charger into the wall, then place the battery pack into the charger. If the light changes to solid green, then it means that your battery is fully charged.
There is nothing quite like being in the middle of a project and having your Makita shut off or not having enough power to get the job done. If you are prepared and have a properly charged Makita battery, you can avoid a lot of frustration, but how can you tell if your Makita battery is charged? We have the answer for you. Read on to find out more!
What Do All of the Light Indicators for My Makita Battery Charger Mean? Is It Charged?
The charger is a great indicator of a variety of things apart from making sure your battery is charged. Make sure your charger is plugged in properly, place the battery pack in the charger, and look at the lights. In addition to the solid green light, which shows a fully charged battery, there are seven other colored lights that each signify something different. The three main ones are as follows.
- Flashing green light. The flashing green light signifies that the charger is working and is ready for you to put the battery pack in. This light should flash before you ever insert a battery pack.
- Solid red light. If the charger has a solid red light, it means that your battery is below 80% in charge and that it is currently charging.
- Solid red light and solid green light. If both the red and green lights are on, then it means that your battery is still charging but that it is over 80% charged.
The four previous light options mean that your Makita battery is either fully charged or being charged properly. Four other lights may indicate an issue. They are as follows:
- Flashing red light. A flashing red light means that there has been a delay in the charging. This usually indicates that the battery itself is either too hot or too cold. To avoid this, make sure to always store batteries in a room temperature area (between 50-100 degrees Fahrenheit) and wait for a little bit after using the battery for it to cool down before putting it in the charger.
- Flashing red and green light. If your charger is flashing red and green, then it means the battery is defective. However, put another Makita battery in the charger before you throw the battery away. If it is still flashing red and green, then it may be the charger with the issue and not the battery.
- Flashing yellow light. If the charger has a flashing yellow light, this indicates that the battery has a cooling abnormality.
- Solid yellow light. If the charger has a solid yellow light, then that means it is conditioning or assessing what the battery needs to properly charge.
Conclusion
Makita makes many power tools that enable us to do a variety of projects, big or small and detailed. For Makita tools to work properly, the batteries must be fully charged. If you find that your tools have suddenly stopped working or they are lackluster, then it is important to charge them fully. However, sometimes you may not be sure whether a Makita battery is fully charged, and you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
To ascertain whether a battery is fully charged, plug the charger in. As soon as you see the flashing green light, place the battery pack in the charger. If the light turns solid green, then that means the battery is fully charged. If the light is solid red, then that is an indication that the battery is below 80% and is charging. If it is solid red and solid green, then it is above 80% but still charging.