Makita Charger (DC18RA) 22 or 45 minutes?

[DaKid]

I can't seem to work out whether the DC18RA is the 22 or 45 minute charger from Makita, when charging 3.0Ah Li-Ion batteries.

These sites suggest 22 minutes: Makita AU, World of Power, Makita UK

... but these, 45 minutes: Toolstop, Amazon

I was intending to purchase from FFX tools, who also say 45 minutes. Am I safe to do so, because it's in fact 22 minutes, or am I missing some hidden code somewhere that determines which is which??

 

[big-all]

i personally avoid fast chargers as in my opinion will shorten the battery life

this google link seems to clear it up
http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...a=X&ei=P7fwTsftIcSVswbkh_zkDw&ved=0CHYQ8wIwAA

 

[Deleted member 174758]

As a daily user I can verify that it is 22 minutes. If the battery is quite warm it may take an additional 5 minutes or so to cool the battery before charging commences, although this is a rare occurrence in my experience. Unlike NiCd and NiMH batteries it is also possible to remove the battery after only a partial charge without damaging it.

i personally avoid fast chargers as in my opinion will shorten the battery life

Whilst that may have been the case with older technologies and poorly designed batteries/chargers (e.g. deWalt XRP-compatible Li-Ion, cheap Li-Ion batteries, etc) it isn't the case with branded Li-Ion batteries. These all seem to come with smart chargers which sense the battery pack temperature and charge level, run through a cooling stage first (if necessary - the all have built-in fans for the purpose), then continue to cool the fan whilst fast charging, the principle being that the charger constantly monitors the charge state and temperature and adjusts the cycle accordingly (the biggest killer of Li-Ion battery packs is overheating). My oldest Makita 18 volt Li-Ion battery is now 3-1/2 years old, so they must be doing something right

 

[DaKid]

Thanks guys ... the sites are pretty confusing, but glad to hear from someone who does have one what it is!