# M12 too cold to charge



## Hack Work (Dec 29, 2013)

Yeah, a fully charged battery left out in the cold will be dead. And it won't charge either.

The only option in this weather is to take it out of the truck at night.


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

Thankfully i have the company dewalt 20v kit (which are charging fine  so i can get through the day. The batteries that werent dead still work for the milwaukee, just wont charge


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Years back, a canadian contractor posted a picture on the ContractorTalk website of a small metal gangbox in his van he kept his batteries, tubes of caulk, and similar things that shouldn't freeze inside. He had a 100-watt light bulb inside and it was spliced into the pigtail for the block heater. When he plugged the truck in, he was also keeping the inside of that little gangbox warm.


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

Next72969 said:


> Thankfully i have the company dewalt 20v kit (which are charging fine  so i can get through the day. The batteries that werent dead still work for the milwaukee, just wont charge


i have the milwaukee 20v max and they dont charge here in cold climate (they are often at 10-20F in my truck, i have to let them heat about 30 mins same thing for my laptop, it will not charge when computer is very cold


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## Hack Work (Dec 29, 2013)

MDShunk said:


> Years back, a canadian contractor posted a picture on the ContractorTalk website of a small metal gangbox in his van he kept his batteries, tubes of caulk, and similar things that shouldn't freeze inside. He had a 100-watt light bulb inside and it was spliced into the pigtail for the block heater. When he plugged the truck in, he was also keeping the inside of that little gangbox warm.


People used to do the same thing in doghouses, a single 100w would be enough.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

MDShunk said:


> Years back, a canadian contractor posted a picture on the ContractorTalk website of a small metal gangbox in his van he kept his batteries, tubes of caulk, and similar things that shouldn't freeze inside. He had a 100-watt light bulb inside and it was spliced into the pigtail for the block heater. When he plugged the truck in, he was also keeping the inside of that little gangbox warm.


It's more Canadian to hang an extension cord out the window...


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Hack Work said:


> People used to do the same thing in doghouses, a single 100w would be enough.


But the granola eaters have forced us to use CFL's. Frozen dogs...


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

99cents said:


> But the granola eaters have forced us to use CFL's. Frozen dogs...


Now you have to put in two 60W bulbs.. so we're pushing 20W extra.

Eat that granola!


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Hack Work said:


> People used to do the same thing in doghouses, a single 100w would be enough.


The easy bake oven


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Shockdoc said:


> The easy bake oven


Got my granddaughter an easy bake oven. The ones you buy now take forever to bake a cake with a CFL. :laughing:


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Keep all your batteries in a millwauke bag and bring them in at night..


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## Hack Work (Dec 29, 2013)

captkirk said:


> Keep all your batteries in a millwauke bag and bring them in at night..


I think this is the best idea. I got a 2 gallon bucket that would be perfect to put my M12 and Dewalt 18V batteries in. Bring them in every night and charge them.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I left my 20max Dewalts out in the van and they are still fully charged . But I did run into the same problem a week ago where I got a steady fast blink and no charge , my fix was leaving charger and pack in truck with engine running/heat on for a couple hours.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

All I know is never to leave an M18 charger out in the rain. Won't have to worry about that for another six months.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Give em to me, I'll take them home tonight and charge them for you.


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## uconduit (Jun 6, 2012)

I read somewhere that lithium batteries shouldn't be charged below ~32 degrees or above ~112 degrees or the capacity will be permanently diminished.


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## Wpgshocker (Jan 25, 2013)

uconduit said:


> I read somewhere that lithium batteries shouldn't be charged below ~32 degrees or above ~112 degrees or the capacity will be permanently diminished.


 If you read the charger manual, it tells you the errors mean too hot or too cold.


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## Galt (Sep 11, 2013)

Here's my experience M18 and M12 won't charge below about 35 degrees .If M18 is fully charged it will work down to about -10. A M 12 keeps loosing power till about -15 when it's dead. But if you warm them up the charge come back.


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

My M12/M18 tools charge fine in to the teens, but mid single digits I also have problems.

My old Milwaukee V and Dewalt batteries had the same problems in the 30's!


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