Makita 18v 2.6AH NiMh batteries

About 3 yrs ago I purchased a Makita combi drill with 3 x 18v 2.6AH NiMh batteries. I have been careful to treat the batteries properly, always fully discharging before fully recharging and using each of the 3 batteries in sequence. Within the last 2 weeks all three are now reporting as broken batteries when I try to recharge (lamp on charger flashes red / green continuously). Prior to this all 3 were working well and holding charge. Does anyone else have experience of this and better still know why it should happen. Its as if those nice chaps at Makita had built in something to say stop charging this cell after 3 yrs or so many charges.

Anyone know of a fix or do I have to fork out for a new set of batteries @ £60+ a pop?

check the charger is working

I've no reason to believe that the charger is faulty as after the 1st battery failed the 2nd and 3rd still charged and then the 3rd still charged after 2nd failed.

might buy a MTX with a couple of 2.6AH NiMh batteries + charger (currently offered around £140 + tax at local merchants) that way I'll get a spare drill & charger for little more than a couple of batteries.

WithamWonderer said:

I've no reason to believe that the charger is faulty as after the 1st battery failed the 2nd and 3rd still charged and then the 3rd still charged after 2nd failed.

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if you look at what happening logic dictates you must consider the charger as a possibility because its the only common denominator with all the failures
for example chargers are often temperature sensitive as can be batteries so you have attempted to charge a hot battery or in a hot area
other possibilities is its an intermittent fault with the charger that happens at the whim off the gods

i had a mtx and both batteries died on me within 18mths or so,and those too were drained every time and recharged as per instructions,ive now got a bosch ion drill and i must say its bl00dy good.