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Can Makita Batteries Get Wet?

Using cordless tools in the UK can often involve them getting wet, after all, we are all too aware of how much it rains over here. But this can cause obvious concerns, like can your power tool batteries get wet? Let’s have a look at Makita batteries in particular and see if they can get wet.

Are Makita Batteries Waterproof?

No, standard Makita batteries are not waterproof. The battery is not a sealed unit so water can always get in. There is no rubber gasket or anything like that around the join which would help make the battery waterproof.

So water can get into the battery, this is not a specific Makita issue and is true for any power tool battery I have seen, to be honest.

So Can Makita Batteries Get Wet?

So we know that these cordless drill batteries are not waterproof, so that means they cant get wet? Right?

Well, slow down there a little bit cowboy. Just because the batteries are not fully waterproof does not mean that they cannot get wet.

The Makita battery packs are tightly sealed together, while this is not a fully waterproof seal it will be able to stand up to splashes of water. What this means for you is that you can definitely use Makita cordless tools in the rain.

Unless it is absolutely tipping it down the rain is not going to make its way inside the battery. Well, at least not in any quantity that would damage the battery.

What you do not want to do is fully submerge the battery in water. nor do you want to leave it sitting out in the rain. There are plenty of gaps in the battery housing where water can find its way in if you do this.

One of the worst areas for water ingress is where the battery connects to the tool. For this reason, they are much more water-resistant when plugged into a tool. When in a tool the only area where water can get in is the seal where the two halves of the battery connect together.

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Where the battery connects

You can see in the image above that where the battery slides into the tool there are open areas. This is where water is most likely to get into the tool. This is obviously not a problem when the battery is in the tool but would be if it was left out in the rain on its own.

This is a very tight join and will be hard for water to get in here if the battery is not submerged.

Can You Use A Cordless Drill in the Rain?

Yes, you can and I often have. There will be many times when you are working on-site that you have to use a cordless drill in the rain.

It will not destroy the drill, they are water-resistant and can stand up to a bit of rain. What you never want to do is submerge the drill in water.

And always dry your tools off after they have gotten wet, otherwise, you are just asking for rust to start forming.

The cordless drill batteries will also be fine with a little rain. As long as the battery is in a drill and the top is not exposed to the rain. Drill batteries are slightly water resistant but not waterproof.

What Can Happen if they get wet?

So while I say that these batteries can often get a little wet without issue, there can sometimes be catastrophic results if water does get into the battery pack.

What can happen if the lithium cells get wet is that they short out, this can then lead to a fire. Lithium battery fires can get nasty and cause some serious damage, destroying any tools nearby.

So this is always something to be aware of and to remind you not to leave your batteries out and exposed in the rain, this is where there is the greatest chance of water getting into the battery pack.

Sam Wood

Wood by name, wood by nature. I am a fully qualified, time-served, award-winning joiner with an NVQ Level 3 in Carpentry and Joinery as well as an HNC in Construction. Beyond my joinery qualifications, I have also earned a degree in building surveying. I believe these qualifications make me perfectly positioned to provide expert advice on many different areas of DIY as well as share all of the tips I have picked up in over a decade working on building sites!

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