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Thread: Urgent- need to charge M12 and M18 w/car

  1. #1
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    Urgent- need to charge M12 and M18 w/car

    Keep it short and sweet. Hard to pull up net. Generators breaking and running out of fuel. I need to charge Milwaukee M18 and M12 batts with a car. I could figure this out but risk damaging a precious battery and no time- storm coming. Everyone asking how to help. Here is a simple way without having to send something. Figure out how to charge my M12 and M18 batts with 12v car.

  2. #2
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    Malcom

    I know that you're working this on the fly, in a bad situation. The quickest way is to find a DC-AC converter. Any RV, or large caravan, will have one somewhere on board.
    Connect the converter to the the car battery and get AC out.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  3. #3
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    You need an inverter that you can plug your chargers into...not really any way to do it "direct" to the vehicle.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
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    you are in a critical situation.
    if you run out of ideas, we used to quick charge batteries for rc cars between heats by attaching them directly to 12 volt car batteries, pos to pos; neg to neg.
    The milwaukee bats will get hot, so keep an eye on them, disconnect, then cool a bit, then reconnect.
    I would suggest bringing the car battery into shelter with you, then you can cycle at your leisure, so to speak.
    Stay safe, we are pulling for you.
    Mike
    Last edited by mike holden; 09-09-2017 at 1:38 PM.
    From the workshop under the staircase, Clinton Township, MI
    Semper Audere!

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by mike holden View Post
    you are in a critical situation.
    if you run out of ideas, we used to quick charge batteries for rc cars between heats by attaching them directly to 12 volt car batteries, pos to pos; neg to neg.
    The milwaukee bats will get hot, so keep an eye on them, disconnect, then cool a bit, then reconnect.
    I would suggest bringing the car battery into shelter with you, then you can cycle at your leisure, so to speak.
    Stay safe, we are pulling for you.
    Mike
    FIRE HAZZARD! Take care if you try this! Your 18 volt batteries are lot bigger than those rc car batteries. They'll get a lot hotter a lot faster.

    As a boat person you probably already know about inverters; Then, when you've found one and hooked it up to the 12 vdc, plug in your AC charger. Much safer. Just have find a working inverter. I keep a small one with a "cigar lighter plug" in my chart table for times when I don't want or need to fire up the gen set.
    Last edited by James Waldron; 09-09-2017 at 2:45 PM.
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  6. #6
    One thing to remember is that dc chargers will run at a drastically derated rate when run on inexpensive inverters that produce square wave AC. If you can find an inexpensive inverter in your situation it will likely take hours and hours to charge a battery that will charge in an hour plugged I to AC. A step up is a modified square wave inverter but even those will give poor performance. A true sine wave inverter is the only thing that will allow you to charge at the same rate or faster than AC.
    The other option that I'm sure isn't available to you in your situation is a dedicated vehicle charger for your brand of tools. All manufacturers have them. That said I'd say your in a pickle unless you can track down a sine wave genset or inverter.

  7. #7
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    You wouldn't be able to charge an 18v battery past 12-ish volts off a car battery directly unfortunately. And the packs have electronics in them that may prevent charging without the proper charger.


  8. #8
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    Thanks all- everything said is what I was contemplating. No inverters were available- all boats sank and nothing to salvage. I finally got a converter.

    Take my advice- buy tons of batteries for your cordless tools and always keep them
    charged.

    Surviving and in good spirits amidst the devastation. Net is difficult. I will not post further on this.

  9. #9
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    "All boats sank"

    Wow. It looks like Jose is turning just a bit to the north so that's good.

    I know it won't help Malcolm but for purposes of getting answers into this thread for possible future reference, What size inverter would be needed to charge 18v tool batteries off a car battery using the correct charger for that tool? How many watts would be needed?

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Zellers View Post
    "All boats sank"

    Wow. It looks like Jose is turning just a bit to the north so that's good.

    I know it won't help Malcolm but for purposes of getting answers into this thread for possible future reference, What size inverter would be needed to charge 18v tool batteries off a car battery using the correct charger for that tool? How many watts would be needed?
    Any size will get the job done. It's just a matter of how much time it will take. More power is faster, up to the rating of the charger. And, yes, square wave inverters will be slower than full sine wave inverters, but if that's what you've got, it'll have to do. We're talking survival mode here. Following the flawless advice of Gunny Highway, "Improvise, adapt, overcome."

    Chilling words from Malcolm: "All the boats sank." Makes my heart hurt.
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by James Waldron View Post
    Makes my heart hurt.
    It sure does. But the fact that we are even able to communicate with him is an amazing accomplishment of the 21st century.

    I know this will sound critical but the process of hunkering down for a hit like this should include collecting anything and everything from trucks, RV's, boats, planes, whatever that can help in the aftermath.

    Batteries, Batteries, Batteries! Given our insanely fabulous satellite connective ability today, this should be a major focus.

    And to the point of Malcolm's plea, the ability to re-charge cordless tools, is essential. The power grid will be down for who knows how long- it literally could be months. An army of 18v cordless tools, recharged via solar powered local panels, is the quickest path toward clean up and then reconstruction.

    There are lessons to be learned here. The next time this happens, the day after the storm passes, solar collectors connected to batteries need to start popping up EVERYWHERE. It will allow the people to get back into the streets, clearing paths for the government (military) to come in quickly and do their thing.

    We have the technology already.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Meiser View Post
    You wouldn't be able to charge an 18v battery past 12-ish volts off a car battery directly unfortunately. And the packs have electronics in them that may prevent charging without the proper charger.
    All manufacturers have vehicle charger options even for 18v tools that incorporate transformers for voltages higher than 12 but for sure a direct wired work around to charge wouldn't get to beyond 12.

  13. #13
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    Right, I was just referring to basically trying to 'jump start" it.

    I suspect the same issue that prevents them from charging well off an inverter would apply to inexpensive generators too so the vehicle charger is probably a good investment for emergencies. Especially if you have a good light that goes with your cordless system.


  14. #14
    No doubt. I would have one of the small Honda inverter style 2000 watt gensets if in were in a disaster prone area. They are almost silent and produce very clean power that will satisfy most electronics.

    Living off grid for a long time is the only reason I've learned how poorly, if at all, a lot of modern electronics will perform on square wave power.

  15. #15
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    Hmmm,,,,,,

    Marcolm's problem has me thinking that having a brace with a set of bits, and a yankee screwdriver, around might not be a bad idea. No batteries required.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

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