I recently picked up a quarter sheet sander and I'm gearing up for some long sanding sessions. I'm looking for some advice on which M18 battery would suit my needs best. I'm considering the 6.0 forged battery but would love to hear more opinions. Would it be better to have multiple 5.0 batteries on hand since I only have the standard charger for now, although I'm planning to get a dual charger soon? I already have a 5.0, which feels a bit heavy, but I think I can manage a bit more weight if necessary. Should I instead go with the HO CP 3.0? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
I’ve got a quarter sheet sander too, and while runtime isn’t something I focus on, I did notice the Milwaukee website claims you get about 40 minutes on the M18 XC5.0 battery. So, if your tool is around 130 watts or draws about 7 amps, estimate roughly 7 minutes of use per amp-hour of battery. If you can charge batteries at your site, I’d guess you could do fine with 3 full batteries and charge during lunch. The 5.0 batteries should give you a good balance and work well with the sander. Just a heads up though, the HO and Forges can get a little cumbersome.
I think I might lean toward getting two 5.0 batteries instead of one 6.0 forge. The 3.0 batteries are decent, but for nonstop work, the extra heft of the 5.0 might be worth it. I’ve got one 5.0 and an 8.0 forge for my vacuum, but I appreciate the feedback!