how to mod the makita DC18RA https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034730/ht...

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http://folk.uio.no/rickyh/DC18RA/ Go JUN APR JUN
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27 Jun 2009 - 19 Aug 2018 2009 2012 2013 ▾ About this capture

How to mod your Makita DC18RA from 110v to 220v.

*Disclaimer: I don't take any

responsibility if the content of this page
might lead to your charger blowing up, it
shouldn't, buy hey you never know.
Anyways this is just a description of how
I did it, and it worked for me.
NOTICE* I've been made aware
(28.09.09) that the MOSFET (2SK3683)
might overheat, so you might want to
change that too.

1. The charger.
I bought the Makita set 18V LXT601 from maxtool.com which included the named charger, the problem is that due to some safety regulations in the US the
chargers comes without a swicht for 220v. So some moding is required to make the charger work for 220v. So no! Under no circunstancies plug the
unmodified charger  on a 220v current outlet, otherwise you will blow up the condensator/capasitator inside, and it will problaby take with it some other
components. So for the charger to work on 220v you have to remove three components, which are the fuse, a condensator and a varistor.
NOTICE* You should also check if your MOSFET is of the 2SK3683 if so you might want to change it as in some cases the MOSFET has overheated.

2. Opening the box. 

The first step is to remove the screws on the back, easy enough.

3. The components.

So as said, the two components you need to change are a varistor and a
condensator, as they are place on the board as you see in the picture, it should be
easy enough. The varistor could be tricky but in this case is easy as it is the one
with the plastic capsule on it.

A varistor is also known as Voltage Dependent Resistor or VDR and are often used
to protect circuits against excessive transient voltages by incorporating them into
the circuit in such a way that, when triggered, they will shunt the current created
by the high voltage away from the sensitive components.

So the varistor (and not varisator, that's a typo) that has to be changed is the
140-150 volts which is way to low for us. What we need is to change it for one that
can take 250 volts.

The condensator is the big one you see in the picture, this also has to be removed
for one that can take more than 350v, the value about 180-400uF, but you don't
have to be so exact about it apparently.

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▾ About this capture
I got my fuse, condensator and varistor from an old power supply, as you can see
in the picture, I removed the old condensator, the new condensator takes 450v
and value of 140uF but it worked ok for me.

Apparantly there seems to be sligth modifications among some makita's circuit

boards, but anyways the varistor that has to be change is the is the one that runs
parallel on the current after the fuse, in my case it was easy to find as it was the
one with the plastic hood on it.

In other words, it is the first one as it is the one that will be triggered if you plug
the carger on a 220v net and shunt the current created by the high voltage away
from the sensitive components.

4. Soldering the new components into place.

The fuse, varistor and the condensator are soldered into place, just be
carefully with the polarity of the condensator. Use wikipedia if you are
unsure about the polarities.

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24 captures 02 f🐦
27 Jun 2009 - 19 Aug 2018 2009 2012 2013 ▾ About this capture

So  while you are it, why not also remove the old 110v contact and use
the European standard contact for 220v.

5. The final test, the charging.

So as you can see the charger works like a charm, so happy charging. I zipped all the pictures I took, if
you want them you can find them here.

I will finally like to thank

mxlars from the
byggebolig.no forum in
which this "how to" is based
on.

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