Stihl MSA200c battery charging issue after inactivity.

[Fatboy2017]

4 hours ago, Muddy42 said:

Was the battery left outside or very cold by any chance?  Maybe try bringing into the warmth for a while before charging.

Not by me, but I got it second-hand in spring, it worked well for a battery saw, I was pleasantly surprised, 1/4" chain is a fiddle to sharpen. Used it lots for light work, then put it away with battery left about 75% charge, 3 lights, but I left it in the saw, not sure if that's why it discharged? Looks like I'll have to have mess with it as Kram suggested, I have seen some info about kick starting it by connecting another battery to to two outside terminals for a few seconds, but I don't have another 36v battery to use, plenty of 20v! I wonder if Mark at Skyland has a simple practical solution? He is quite close to me, hopefully he'll chime in! Thanks for all the suggestions. I service / repair all my saws, but this electric stuff has a place but initial cost and the cost of batteries limits my use and of course the lack of power versus weight, I much prefer petrol for 90% of jobs.

[Muddy42]

On 10/12/2025 at 12:49, AHPP said:

 

I bought a fairly expensive battery jump pack (fairly large Noco one). Doesn't work. Smart shit is mostly shit.

 

Personally I thing you need two chargers for 12v batteries. 

 

- A small smart charger 1 to 5A to trickle charge and top up relatively healthy batteries.

- For big 12v batteries (tractors etc.) or really depleted batteries you need an old fashioned large capacity non-smart charger. Mine is so old I can't read the label to see what the amperage is anymore, but it really wakes up old batteries. but I try not to leave it on for too long.

 

[Steven P]

There are a few places that will repair batteries. Not sure how comfortable I'd be sending dodgy battery through the post but you might get a local place you can drop it off at. Think my brothers work gets their sent away to be repaired or has someone on site that will do it.

 

Probably cheaper....

[Fatboy2017]

On 10/12/2025 at 12:31, Muddy42 said:

Was the battery left outside or very cold by any chance?  Maybe try bringing into the warmth for a while before charging.

Not by me, but I got it second-hand in spring, it worked well for a battery saw, I was pleasantly surprised, 1/4" chain is a fiddle to sharpen. Used it lots for light work, then put it away with battery left about 75% charge, 3 lights, but I left it in the saw, not sure if that's why it discharged? Looks like I'll have to have mess with it as Kram suggested, I have seen some info about kick starting it by connecting another battery to to two outside terminals for a few seconds, but I don't have another 36v battery to use, plenty of 20v! I wonder if Mark at Skyland has a simple practical solution? He is quite close to me, hopefully he'll chime in! Thanks for all the suggestions. I service / repair all my saws, but this electric stuff has a place but initial cost and the cost of batteries limits my use and of course the lack of power versus weight, I much prefer petrol for 90% of jobs.

[Fatboy2017]

Thanks for all the ideas and info, I'm not so well up on the battery technology and must get over it and see what I can do! I have 3 saws in bits that require assembling and then I'll get the battery apart. I have small smart battery charger that I use on my motorbike battery, 6V old BSA , so hopefully I can use that? I know from the past colleague's in my old job used to charge racing batteries with phone chargers, I have plenty them so if that's a better option please let me know.

 

[kram]

On 10/12/2025 at 16:43, Fatboy2017 said:

I have seen some info about kick starting it by connecting another battery to to two outside terminals for a few seconds,

 

Yes some people do this. It can damage the cells and cause fires, sometimes delayed.

 

The problem is some cells are likely near full, while others near empty. Large currents can flow when you connect two packs together and it can push cells well past there 4.2v limit.

 

The only safe way to do it is with a balance charger as a pack, or by charging individual pairs to the same voltage, they need to all measure the same. It needs to be done at a slow rate, too.

 

If you must, do it outside on a dry day, charge it outside then keep it in a weather proof box, outside for a few days or a week. If it does burn while your asleep, your house, family and tools will be safe.

 

Anyway first thing is get a volt meter on the external tabs to see how much charge it has.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by kram