Are Milwaukee Battery Chargers Supposed To Make Noise?

For people who love the Milwaukee product line with its fancy Packout storage system and never-ending list of power tools, you probably have a battery charger lying around your garage. Well, when it comes to chargers, Milwaukee offers different options such as the Rapid Charger, which can almost cut the charging time for some battery models in half. While there are third-party Milwaukee charger units out there, they're seldom worth the risk and the marginal savings, especially as they introduce hazards that won't just damage your legitimate Milwaukee products, but can also outright injure you. Previously, we've mentioned how you'd be better off buying used, original charging units that are at least tested for optimal compatibility and effectiveness. But, what happens when your authentic charger is acting a little weird, like making some noises?

In some cases, Milwaukee shares that chirping sounds or audible noise coming from the charger just means the pack has low voltage. Additionally, it mentions that Lithium-ion batteries can also have this problem when "deeply discharged." Typically, Milwaukee mentions that this doesn't necessarily mean there's damage, as it could just be a temporary issue. When the charger flashes red/green colors, Milwaukee says that this is the device warning you that the battery may need to be reinserted for it to start charging again. Although the power tool company cautions that if the battery still doesn't charge as expected after repeated removal and insertion, there's a chance that it may be a cause for concern or damage.

Similar to your power tools, making an effort to take care of your Milwaukee charger can mean more years with it working optimally. Not to mention, it's an important step to avoid hurting your batteries and power tools, as well as hurting whoever will use it. In its operational manual (PDF), one of the first things Milwaukee recommends is making sure you only use official batteries, as well as compatible models, to avoid damage. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell whether a battery is authentic or not simply by appearance, so the least you can do is avoid buying them from unauthorized sellers on Amazon and go straight to official listed retailers.

If you're sure that your batteries are legitimate, the next thing Milwaukee recommends is not charging your batteries near open flame, smoke, and in places with poor ventilation. In addition, it cautions blocking charger vents, which can inhibit airflow and cause explosions. Apart from not exposing it to extreme temperatures and wet environments, the power tool brand also mentions avoiding the usual things, like dropping, crushing, disassembling, or using the wrong voltage. And of course, one thing that people tend to forget when using chargers for power tools is that it's actually not recommended to avoid using extension cords. While Milwaukee does mention instances wherein this might be okay, you need to really make sure it's the right kind of extension cord that meets electrical requirements.