18 Volt Lithium Battery Warnings from Milwaukee

A general warning that as batteries get bigger, so do the unintended consequences of using them like a dope. So, don't be a dope, read.

Milwaukee sent out a news release detailing specific warnings in regard to the Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 AH battery. Before we dive too far into this, it’s important to note a couple of things.

First, this is not a recall and there is nothing wrong with the packs. In fact, there is not a situation or incident to report on at all. Milwaukee is just taking a proactive approach to educating their user base.

Second, we expect just about everyone in the industry to address this at some point as batteries grow more powerful and have greater capacity.

And finally, what Milwaukee is asking users to consider is not unique to only the Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 Battery, nor are they different from the warnings you will find on every lithium-ion battery pack.

They are simply being more specific.

Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 AH Battery Warnings

Essentially, the news release is just a reminder that highly conductive and corrosive liquids can have disastrous consequences on your battery. Liquids like bleach, salt water, and a plethora of other chemicals can create a connection between the cells and cause a battery failure. In its most spectacular form, that can cause the battery to smoke or catch fire.

With hoverboards and smartphones making the news for their actual battery failures, it’s a good reminder of how reactive these packs can be if they are mishandled or poorly constructed. There is nothing wrong with the construction of Milwaukee's battery pack, but there can be serious consequences if you are not conscientious of your usage.

Check out these reviews that include the Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 AH Battery

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Do Not Try This at Home

At Pro Tool Reviews, we love to test tools and sometimes we push them to the limits. But we are Pros and we take a ton of safety precautions behind the scenes that do not make it into the reviews. Even with our desire to bring you the latest information to keep you educated, we are not touching this one with a 10-foot pole, fire suit, or blast doors. It’s just not worth it.

What’s more is that the failure of a lithium-ion battery is not necessarily instantaneous. It can happen hours or even days later. And if you are like most of our Pros, you do not have eyes on where your battery storage 24/7 to do anything if a fire does start.

So if you are really curious, just do a YouTube search. But please, do not try it at home.

Why is the Warning Attached to the Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 AH Battery?

When we spoke to the gurus at Milwaukee, they used a rather simple, but intelligent word picture to help us understand why this is just now becoming an education focus for them.

Take two ladders — one with a 3-foot working height and the other with a 10-foot working height. Which does more damage if you fall off it?

The taller ladder, of course. It’s a similar idea with the Milwaukee M18 High Demand 9.0 AH Battery. The increase in overall energy storage is much greater and the failure potentially more dangerous. So like when you are working at higher elevations, more precaution is in order.

But like I said, the warnings are the same for all lithium-ion batteries, there is just a greater point of emphasis to educate end users as they get more powerful. It’s always a good idea to avoid getting any liquid inside your battery packs, but some liquids are worse than others.

—This article, written by Kenny Koehler originally appeared on ProToolReviews.com and shows up here because they are an awesome bunch of folks.