Identifying Counterfeit Power Tool Batteries In Your Garage

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Do you have an eye for identifying whether or not a popular rechargeable power tool battery is counterfeit? Here’s what to look for when inspecting these look-alike counterfeit Makita, Dewalt, and Milwaukee power tool batteries for working on your car.

In previous articles we’ve learned that there is a serious problem when it comes to working on your car when you discover either a new part does not work or breaks down not long after installing it. Worse yet is when that new part causes additional damage to your car.

Why Are Car Parts and Tools So Bad Today?

One of the problems why replacing a broken part with a new part in your car is that it is often due to poor quality parts being sold from questionable sources such as factories in China that have a thriving business in selling online cheaply made discounted non-OEM parts.

Worse yet, however, is the fact that some companies not only manufacture a poor quality product that may or may not work, but also focus on creating counterfeit look-alikes in style and packaging identical to the real thing. This is especially true with some tool brands as well.

Counterfeit Power Tool Batteries

A good example of this problem has extended to counterfeit power tool batteries that are fake versions of branded batteries sold at lower prices but claim to offer the same performance as the original products. While wasting money on poorly performing batteries is bad enough, it can be worse as these counterfeit batteries cause safety risks and other problems.

Risks of Counterfeit Power Tool Batteries

Some of these risks include:

Safety Hazards: Overheating, short-circuiting, and even fires or explosions can and do occur with counterfeit rechargeable power tool batteries. Imagine leaving the garage while a faulty battery is recharging and what could happen.

Poor Performance: Non-OEM counterfeit power tool batteries (when they do work) offer lower capacity and shorter life spans compared to genuine batteries, leading to frequent replacements and reduced tool efficiency.

Damage to Tools: Counterfeit batteries can also damage the power tools themselves by not providing the correct current which can lead to wear and tear on the motor and other components.

Warranty Issues: Should a counterfeit battery damage your power tool you will find the power tool warranty is voided.

Identifying Counterfeit Batteries

To help viewers avoid falling for a counterfeit power tool battery that mimics the popular tool brands of Makita, Dewalt, and Milwaukee, the host of the Project Farm YouTube channel offers these tips for how to identify the fakes from the real thing.

Watch this informative video as the host covers key features to look in the product and the packaging that includes:

  • Tests which show how dangerous fake power tool batteries can be.
  • Performance comparisons between the real thing and the fake battery.
  • Slight differences in appearance between the real thing and the faked batteries.
  • Why a Phillips end screwdriver and a postal weight scale is the simplest way to see if a battery is fake.
  • Why you should never trust the online information about cheaper power tool batteries.
  • The most common feature of a faked battery.
  • Why even if a faked battery provides 20% lower performance at half the price tag, you really do not want one of these counterfeit batteries in your garage or near your car.

Relate article: Fake Mitutoyo Tool Warning

Have You Been Scammed with a Counterfeit Tool Battery?

For additional articles about counterfeit-related products for your car repairs and garage, here are a few for your consideration:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites  and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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