Milwaukee V28 Cordless 28 Volt Power Tool Questions and Answers

Q: WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THE NEW MILWAUKEE V28 BATTERY?

A: Milwaukee’s new V28 Lithium-Ion battery delivers twice the energy of today’s best 18V NiCd batteries on a per-weight basis. This allows for unbelievably long run-times and more powerful tools without adding any extra weight.

Q: HOW DID MILWAUKEE ACHIEVE THIS BREAKTHROUGH IN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY?

A: For the last nine years, Milwaukee has been actively searching for a breakthrough battery technology which would provide a quantum leap in cordless tool performance. Four years ago we recognized a battery cell from a manufacturer that had taken an innovative approach with their Lithium-Ion batteries. These batteries had a different form factor and some unique chemical properties that we recognized as having greater potential than others on the market. Working closely with this cell manufacturer we were able to optimize this battery for high-current power tool applications.

Q: IS MILWAUKEE’S V28 LITHIUM-ION BATTERY ANY DIFFERENT THAN THOSE FOUND IN CELL PHONES OR LAPTOPS?

A: Yes. Laptop, Cell Phone, and Video Camera batteries can only deliver energy at low amp levels, typically 2 to 4 amps. Trying to use a laptop battery to drive a Circular Saw, which draws 10x-20x more current, will toast that Laptop battery. Milwaukee’s V28 Lithium-Ion Battery has been specifically designed to be a high-current-output battery for power tools.

Q: ARE Li-ion BATTERIES RECYCLABLE?

A: Li-ion batteries are more ecologically friendly than NiCd batteries because they contain no cadmium and do not have to be recycled in many states. Milwaukee recommends that batteries of all types be recycled. End-users and distributors should contact the RBRC (Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation) or their local recycling agency for recycling locations in their area.

Q: WHAT CHARGE LEVELS DO THE FUEL GAUGE LIGHTS CORRESPOND TO AND HOW ACCURATE IS THE FUEL GAUGE?

A: The fuel gage has 4 LEDS that indicate the approximate state of charge of the pack. For example, 4 LEDS indicate 100%- 78% charge, 3 LEDS indicate 77%-56% charge, 2 LEDS indicate 55%- 34% charge, 1 LED indicates 33%-10% charge and 1 Single Flashing LED will indicate when the pack has a charge of below 10%. The fuel gauge is accurate throughout the life of the pack and does not need recalibration. The fuel gauge is intended for use when the tool is off and the battery is at rest. The fuel gauge is the most accurate when the pack has not been used for 1 minute to allow the pack voltage to recover fully after use.

Q: WHY DID WE SELECT 28 VOLTS?

A: Our marketing research showed us that 18V end-users want additional power and run time but they don't want more weight. As a result, competitive 24V NiCd based tool systems have not met with much success, they're too heavy. Milwaukee's V28 Lithium-Ion technology solves this problem since it is produces a battery with more power and twice the run-time of today's 18V NiCd & NiMH packs. The reason we selected 28 volts is that this is the highest voltage and power Milwaukee could obtain and still be just under the weight of an 18V NiCd pack.

Q: WHAT ABOUT OTHER LITHIUM-ION VOLTAGES IN THE FUTURE?

A: Milwaukee is currently researching other voltage platforms and looking for areas where our special V28 Lithium-Ion technology can greatly enhance tool performance. In the near term, the V28 platform will be expanded with even more products. The added power and run-time in V28 allows a whole new family of tools to be made cordless that were not practical before with NiCd or NiMH.

Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO NiCd BASED BATTERIES?

A: NiCd batteries will remain in the market for many years to come. Milwaukee will continue to invest in our 18V, 14.4V and 12V line of tools.

Q: HOW DOES OUR V28 Li-ion BATTERY LIFE COMPARE VS. 18V NiCd LIFE?

A: Based on output (i.e. holes drilled, 2x10’s cut) over the battery’s life, an end-user can expect the V28 pack to last about 2-1/2 times longer than an 18V NiCd battery. On a per charge basis, V28 has similar cycle life to NiCd packs when used in medium duty conditions as with the Hammer Drill. In our most abusive Cycle Life test using a Circular Saw, V28 achieves up to 3x the cycle life of a typical NiCd pack. Note that “cycle life” or number of charge cycles isn't the best measure for a battery pack's life. For an example, if Milwaukee has two different batteries both used on the same tool and application. One battery can drill 100 auger bit holes on a single battery and be charged 1000 times, overall drilling 100,000 (100x1000) holes over its life. The other battery can drill 200 of the same auger bit holes on a single battery and be charged 750 times, overall drilling 150,000 (200x750) holes over its life. Which battery do milwaukee pick? You’d pick the battery that can be charged 750 times but drill 150,000 holes (50% more holes). This is why in the future we need to concentrate on lifetime work output of a battery pack and not just the cycle life alone.

Q: HOW DURABLE IS THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY IN THE BATTERY?

A: The battery is designed to withstand a fall of 10' to concrete. Every element of the battery, including the electronics, strapping, welding, has been built to survive job site conditions.

Q: WHAT IS THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MILWAUKEE’S Li-ion, AND COMPARABLE NiCd & NiMH BATTERIES?

A: The main physical difference between Lithium-Ion and current technologies (NiCd & NiMH) is that Li-ion can hold more energy in a smaller & lighter battery cell than NiCd or NiMH. Lithium-Ion offers compact power without the weight trade-off. The main performance difference of V28 Li-ion is that it offers consistent power all the way through the battery discharge cycle. No longer will milwaukeer tool lose “juice” as the battery gets towards the end of its charge.

Q: HOW LONG HAVE Li-ion BATTERY PACKS AND TOOLS BEEN FIELD TESTED?

A: Prototype tools and batteries have been field tested for over 1-1/2 years. We have selected end-users from across the county to get a mix of trades and weather conditions. The successful results of our field and internal tests gave us the confidence to increase the battery warranty to 2 years for our V28 Li-ion batteries.

Q: CAN MILWAUKEE’S 18V NiCd BATTERIES BE USED ON V28 TOOLS?

A: No, due to the different voltages of the motor and the battery, V28 tools would not be productive to use under 18 volt power. It would be like trying to run milwaukeer 120V corded tools on 80 Volts. To avoid any confusion, our 18V batteries have been purposely blocked out from being used on the V28 tools.

Q: I HAVE HEARD ABOUT RECALLS INVOLVING LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR CELL PHONES. COULD THIS BE A POTENTIAL ISSUE FOR THE V28 BATTERIES?

A: Recalls involving Lithium-Ion batteries have been due to the following situations:

1. Cells containing compounds that may become thermally unstable if not controlled properly,
2. Cells being used improperly for the wrong application, or
3. Cells having been poorly manufactured.

Milwaukee’s V28 Li-ion batteries use components that are very thermally stable, and have been designed and extensively tested for the application, and are manufactured under a very high-quality process. Batteries cells using similar compounds found in our V28 packs, have been successfully manufactured and have proven their reliability and durability in military and other mobile applications for over 10 years.

CHARGER

Q: HOW IS THE V28 CHARGER SAME/DIFFERENT THAN THE MULTI-BAY CHARGER?

A: Similarities:

• Encapsulated Electronics for Extreme Durability
• Pass-Through Plug saves outlet space
• High Visibility LED’s – for across the room notification

Differences:

• Broken Battery Indicator Light– the V28 Charger is able to detect if something is wrong with the Battery. The charger will flash alternating Red/Green LED’s if it detects something is wrong with the battery. Currently, as with most power tool brands, when a battery will not charge milwaukee don’t know if milwaukee have a broken battery or a broken charger. Now an end-user is able to diagnosis this problem quickly in the unlikely event that the battery will not charge.
• No Top-Off Mode – Li-ion batteries with our Performance Optimization Circuit prevent the likelihood of battery cells getting out of balance and as a result do not need Top-Off Mode. Conversely, NiCd batteries without Performance Optimizing Circuit benefit from our Top-Off Mode. While in use, NiCd cells can be too deeply discharged which eventually leads to cell imbalance.
• The V28 Charger only charges Milwaukee’s Li-ion batteries. It doesn’t charge NiCd or NiMH batteries but we are investigating adding this functionality into future charger production.

V28 TOOL LINE

Q: WHY THESE TOOLS FIRST?

A: These tools were selected first because of end-user requests for more power and run-time for these tools. Other tools will be following to support this tool platform including a Rotary Hammer in Q1 2006.

Q: HOW ARE THESE NEW TOOLS DIFFERENT FROM THE EXISTING 18V PRODUCT LINE?

A: Each of the new V28 tools has been designed from the ground up to take advantage of the additional power and run time that the V28 battery offers. In general each tool has a newly designed 28 volt Milwaukee Motor, gearbox and switch. Each component contributes to the extended power and run time advantage of the battery. Additionally the tools all have a family appearance to separate them from our other voltage platforms.

HAMMER-DRILL

Q: HOW IS THIS CHUCK DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE CURRENTLY ON THE 18V & 14.4V LOK-TOR MODELS?

A: The new chuck has all the great features and durability of the current chuck but is about 1/10th of a pound lighter than the one currently used on Lok-Tor drills. Additional machining of the internal components and a plastic back plate allowed us to reduce its weight. The nose piece of this chuck is also slightly different. It has a tapered nose verses the Lok-Tor™ chuck with the round over nose.

Q: WHY WAS THE SPEED SELECTOR CHANGED FROM FRONT/BACK TO A SIDE-TO-SIDE OPERATION?

A: Under heavy loads the previous front/back style shifter could occasionally shift out of a speed position. The new side-to-side speed selector has a cam-operated locking mechanism which keeps the drill in the desired speed position under all types of drilling conditions.

Q: WHAT IS THE DROP HEIGHT DURABILITY OF THIS DRILL?

A: This drill is designed to withstand a 10' fall to concrete. This height was selected based on end-user research. Ladder drops are the most common reason for drill falls. A typical situation is in which an end-user leaves the drill on top of a ladder and moves the ladder causing the drill to fall. Designing the drill to withstand a fall greater than 10' had diminishing end-user satisfaction since it requires a thicker handle and falls of greater than 10' are very uncommon.

SAWZALL® RECIP SAW

Q: HOW DOES THIS V28 CORDLESS SAWZALL® RECIP SAW COMPARE TO OUR AC VERSIONS?

A: The 0719-20 V28 Sawzall® Recip Saw is based off of the 6519 platform. One key difference is that the speed has been enhanced on the cordless version (3000 SPM). You can expect the same great Milwaukee durability within this unit as it has our patented gear protecting clutch that no other cordless reciprocating saw has, our same Quik-Lok™ blade clamp, and our same keyless shoe adjustment. This tool, along with the cordless band saw, performs more like their corded counterparts than any other.

Q: WHY WAS THE HANDLE DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY AND POSITIONED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN OUR OTHER SAWZALL® RECIP SAWS?

A: We designed this unit with plunge cutting capabilities in mind. With the 6515 the battery sticks down too low and thus makes the blade “free floating” when trying to plunge cut. The lines on the 0719-20 were designed to strike a line that allows the battery and gear case to sit on the work surface while providing an optimal leverage and control during plunge cut. The feel of the handle was not compromised while achieving this.

PORTABLE BAND SAW

Q: HOW DOES THIS V28 CORDLESS BAND SAW COMPARE TO THE CORDED VERSIONS?

A: The 0729-20 V28 band saw is based off of the 6230 platform. The speed is the same (350SFPM). You can expect the same great Milwaukee durability within this unit as it still has the worm gear and belt drive system, just like our corded versions. Contractors can expect enhanced productivity with the deep cut capacity, but without having to string 100' of cord. This tool, along with the V28 Sawzall® Recip Saw, performs more like their corded counterparts than any other.

Q: IS THE BALANCE AFFECTED WITH THE ADDED WEIGHT AND POSITIONING OF THE BATTERY?

A: Not to any detectable degree. We took great time and study to evaluate, test, and garner feedback from end users to get the proper orientation for the battery that would not adversely effect the line of sight, balance, or cutting performance.

CIRCULAR SAW

Q: HOW MANY 2X4'S CAN THE V28 CUT COMPARED TO COMPETITOR’S SAWS?

A: The V28 has cut from 55% to 84% more 2" x 4" than the DeWalt 24V tool. The V28 cut close to 100% more than the Bosch 24V and well over 130% more than the Makita 24V.

Q: WHAT IS THE V28 WEIGHT COMPARED TO THE MILWAUKEE 18V TOOL?

A: The weight of both tools with battery and blade, are identical, at 9.37 lbs.

Q: ARE THE ACCESSORIES FOR THE 18V MILWAUKEE CIRCULAR SAW INTERCHANGEABLE WITH THE NEW V28 SAW?

A: Yes, the new V28 Circular Saw uses the same rip fence, 6-1/2" carbide blades and new carrying case as the 18V model.

Q: WHY DIDN’T WE DESIGN THIS CIRCULAR SAW AROUND A 7-1/4" BLADE VS. 6-1/2"?

A: With the entire V28 program, we wanted all the tools to have corded tool performance. A V28 powered 7-1/4" Circular Saw would have had similar performance to an 18V 6-1/2" Saw which many end-users believe isn’t powerful enough for continuous cutting. Keeping the blade size at 6-1/2" allowed us to take the V28 Circular Saw to a new cordless performance level.

IMPACT WRENCH

Q: WILL THE BULL RING BE ATTACHED TO THE IMPACT WRENCH?

A: No, the Bull Ring will not be attached to the Impact Wrench but it is included in the kit. Instructions are included in the manual and can be attached with a flat screwdriver.

Q: WHY DO WE HAVE A SQUARE NOSE PIN AND A ROUND NOSE PIN WITH THIS KIT?

A: The square nose pin is installed in the 1/2" anvil and the round nose pin (with extra spring) is included in the kit. The square pin is more secure and best to be use when one socket is typically left on the tool. When different sockets are often used, customers will typical install the round nose pin.