New Milwaukee Rover RedLithium USB LED Personal Worklight

12/3/2018 New Milwaukee Rover RedLithium USB LED Personal Worklight
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New Milwaukee Rover RedLithium USB LED

Personal Worklight
 AUG 28, 2017  STUART  36 COMMENTS
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One of the most exciting new tools from Milwaukee’s 2017 new tool media event was
their Rover rechargeable RedLithium USB LED worklight.
We posted about the Milwaukee M12 and M18 Rover LED worklights before. This one is
also a Rover, but it’s quite a bit different, as it works with a new RedLithium USB
rechargeable battery pack.
I keep wondering about what other tools Milwaukee might design around their
RedLithium USB battery, or whether it will be a limited-scope platform, similar to their
M4 screwdriver.
But unlike the M4 battery pack, you don’t need a special charger in order to use the new
Rover LED oodlight, it charges via USB. There is a special Milwaukee RedLithium USB
charger, however, but it’s an optional accessory.
Email Newsletter Signup Link
The Rover LED personal worklight, which I’m going to simply write out as Rover LED for
simplicity, has magnets on the bottom and back, and they’re pretty strong, too.
Marketing bullet points include:
All Day runtime (dependent on mode selection and based on a 10 hour work day)
2 light output modes for max brightness or extended runtime
Over 2,000 recharges
3X FASTER charge time (compared to…?)
3X faster charge time delivers 80% charge in under 1 hour
The Rover LED doesn’t need a whole lot of contact with a steel xture in order to be
securely mounted. The magnet is located in the pocket clip.
Update: The pocket clip magnet on my production sample will not securely mount the
Rover LED to coated steel surfaces, such as a sheet metal tool box. The
rear/perpendicular magnet is as good as on the ones demoed at NPS17.
It’s quite stable when mounted perpendicularly, too.
It throws a wide and reasonably uniform beam that seems well suited for close-up work.
It delivers up to 445 lumens of light, and so it’s quite bright too.
The controls are simple – there’s a push button for power and brightness control.
And a dual-purpose power-on indicator that ashes during the charging cycle. It changes
colors when charging, from red to orange to green, to indicate the charge level.
On my production sample, the light itself ashed on and off to indicate that the battery
had nearly no charge. Usually power tool battery packs ship with ~40% maintenance
charge, these ship completely or nearly completely drained.
A rubbery ap lifts up to reveal the USB Charging port.
The RedLithium USB battery pack is removable, in case you want to charge it out of the
tool and need to swap in a fresh battery.
The Milwaukee RedLithium USB battery is proprietary. It must be charged in a

RedLithium USB ashlight, such as this Rover, or using the optional charger.
The optional charger ($40) comes with the charging dock, an AC adapter, Milwaukee-
branded braided USB cable (also included with the Rover LED), and a spare battery.
Rover LED Specs and Features

445 lumens TrueView output (what’s TrueView?)
2 brightness settings – 445 lumens, 100 lumens
Runtime of 2 hrs on high, 11 hrs on low
IP54 water and dust resistant
2ft braided micro USB charging cable

Built-in fuel gauge
Charges to 80% in under 1 hour when using 2.1A wall plug
Price: $60
Buy Now (via Home Depot)
Buy Now (via Ohio Power Tool)
See Also (Charger via Home Depot)
First Thoughts
I was extremely excited about the Rover LED personal worklight, and am still excited, but
its weaker-than-anticipated magnet has me a little disappointed.
The perpendicular magnet is reasonably strong, but barely. The pocket clip magnet is too
weak to be practical. I tried attaching it to a powder-coated tool cabinet, and then a
powder coated Ikea Raskog utility cart.
I don’t recall the last time I had an issue with magnetic LED worklights from mounting to
tool boxes or rollaway cabinets. This one needs a stronger magnet.
But on the bright side, there are multiple mounting options, some working better than
others, the worklight is very bright, it has a great form factor, and its user interface is
simple and useful.
This seems to be a great personal worklight, with just 1 aw exaggerated by my very high
expectations and anticipation.
Perhaps my production sample has a defect? Maybe the wrong magnets are being
embedded in the pocket clips? Maybe they were spec’ed to work with bare steel surfaces
instead of smooth powder coated or pained steel surfaces.
A weak magnet is potentially xable.
Ignoring that one aw that has me feeling a little stung, I only have good things to say
about the Rover LED worklight. I need to use and test it more before I can recommend it
con dently, but I don’t think there will be any more surprises.
Thank you to Milwaukee for providing the test sample.
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36 Comments
VladFineCraft says
Aug 28, 2017 at 11:07 am
My favorite part about HD is that it’s not sold in stores, but….! Express delivery
from store available for $79 ….. wtf ????
REPLY
TJ says
Aug 28, 2017 at 11:10 am
Any idea on release date?

REPLY
Stuart (post author) says

Aug 28, 2017 at 11:34 am
I have a production model, so it should be hitting stores soon. Maybe

September?
REPLY
mikedt says
Aug 28, 2017 at 11:22 am
Oh goody, another battery form factor. I see no reason to buy this over any
quality ashlight that uses standard sized batteries.
REPLY
Garrick says
Aug 28, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Yeah, I have enough battery platforms already. Hundreds of ashlights

available that won’t get one stuck with another proprietary battery.
REPLY
Jim Felt says

Aug 28, 2017 at 11:29 am
Cool. (Except for yet another battery protocol).

And the price point per lumen just keeps dropping.
As an friend of mine at an LED manufacturer told me, more then once, “we” ain’t
seen nothin’ yet”…
A true Bachman Turner Overdrive kinda quote.
REPLY

Aug 28, 2017 at 11:40 am
At least it charges via USB.

REPLY
Adam says
Aug 28, 2017 at 1:20 pm
Typically the complaint of a new battery form factor is needing another

charger, which is not the case here, unless you want a dedicated
charger. I guess my complaint would be that they should have added a
USB port on the rapid charger.
Stuart, does it look like the battery look like it is a newer 20700 (?) or
typical 18500? Just curious, I’ll get one either way
REPLY
Paul says
Aug 28, 2017 at 11:31 am
I see it as a $60 Milwaukee branded phone charger cable that comes with a free
ashlight; count me in! #CutMeAndIBleedRed
REPLY
Pete says
Aug 28, 2017 at 11:51 am
Glad you dont bleed yellow or blue or teal or green. You’d be an alien freak!
REPLY
Paul says
Aug 28, 2017 at 12:27 pm
Actually it just means that all those DeWalt or Makita “fans” are all
turncoats when it really matters haha
REPLY
Wayne says
Aug 28, 2017 at 12:00 pm
I can easily see many ways I could put a light like this to use, using the magnet
&/or a clip. But if the magnet’s too weak, I’m not going to bother.
If the magnet’s too weak, I could always use a clamp, but that’d be voiding this
thing’s size & shape.
Good accessories would be a clip or two & one with a gooseneck, suitably
rugged yet small. Maybe a sleeve with a manly magnet…
REPLY
John S says
Aug 28, 2017 at 12:46 pm
What would have been amazing is if these batteries also charged other USB
devices. I think it was a big miss to not include that as an extra functionality and
selling point of a new battery platform in this way. Like those mini battery packs
for phones.
REPLY
Mason says
Aug 28, 2017 at 1:22 pm
I completely agree with you. They should have at least made the charger a
power bank capable of charging other devices. If the magnets are that weak
what’s the point of having them?
REPLY
VladFineCraft says
Aug 28, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Who sad magnets are weak????

REPLY
VladFineCraft says
Aug 28, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Shouldn’t we all rst really try it before jumping to conclusion? Same

story was with Milwaukee cordless nailguns and after all they working
just great…
REPLY
928'er says
Aug 28, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Hmmm….
I suppose it would be too much to ask that the batteries be interchangeable with
the Ryobi Tek4 4 volters..?
REPLY
RC WARD says
Aug 28, 2017 at 1:14 pm
The weak magnet is a killer for a light like this that would be a hard sell at 60
bucks anyway.
REPLY
The yeti says

Aug 28, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Why not run it on AA batteries . Have it be a recharger so u could run

rechargeable batteries if u so desired . Keep the usb port. Just ditch the
proprietary battery
REPLY

Aug 28, 2017 at 3:34 pm
AA batteries don’t do well under high current drain, at least not basic
alkaline cells.
REPLY
Brian A says
Aug 28, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Whats the voltage and amps of the new USB redlithium? I would guess its 3.6v
and 1.5a. Ypu can use it as a power bank with the optional charger thing.
Wonder if the 3 new usb lights; rover, headlamp, ashlight, will be sold as bare
tool. They should make a combo kit with all 3…
Thought the headlamp supposedly isnt designed for non hardhat. Though they
have a bare head 3xAAA model plus a 2xAAA pen light coming out also.
I think Milwaukee has more lights then all the majors combined. Liking that the
new M18 rover is only $99.
REPLY
Michael Quinlan says

Aug 28, 2017 at 2:03 pm
I’m not seeing the advantage of this over a $10 CAT COB light that uses AAA
batteries that are interchangeable with my other small ashlights and walkie
talkies.
REPLY
fred says
Aug 28, 2017 at 2:31 pm
I agree – I bought a batch of ones from EZ-Red (PCLED6) last year as

stocking stuffers – cost me less than $8 each (spreading the shipping cost
out). This Milwaukee looks nicer – but not at their price point.
REPLY
Koko the Talking Ape says

Aug 28, 2017 at 2:14 pm
Agree with the others about a proprietary battery format.
That clip also looks nearly unusable as a clip. Why not eliminate it, so that there
is space for a deeper magnet? Or just use a neodymium magnet, maybe mounted
in a steel cup to intensify the magnetic eld. I am sure a tiny one would be
suf cient.
I also wonder if they couldn’t add a high-friction coating to the magnet surface,
so the magnet would not need to be as strong. I am sure even weak magnets can
support the weight; the problem is that here, the weight exerts a shear force,
which has to be countered by the magnetic force multiplied by the coef cient of
friction. Increase the friction, decrease the magnetic force required.
REPLY

Aug 28, 2017 at 3:44 pm
It’s not just a friction issue – the ashlight cannot mount to the bottom of a
steel surface horizontally, only vertically.
I considered everything, even that the front of the ashlight might provide a
lever-like force that reduces the magnetic hold.
It really just comes down to magnet strength as the most signi cant factor.
REPLY

Aug 28, 2017 at 10:23 pm
Not quite following you here:
“… the ashlight cannot mount to the bottom of a steel surface

horizontally, only vertically.” You mean it can’t mount to a horizontal
steel surface? Why not? Is it because the clip is off center, so the weight
of the light peels itself off?
And there is no shear force if the ashlight is stuck to the underside of

a horizontal steel surface. If it is stuck to a vertical surface, there is. If
the light is jutting out horizontally from the vertical steel surface, there
is shear AND rotational force, but there is still shear.
In any case, why wouldn’t it help if the clip itself were also slightly
tacky? With weak refrigerator magnets, they don’t usually fall off the
door, they just slide down the door. So friction would help, it seems. Lee
Valley sells special high-friction pads to cover magnets when oriented

vertically, so whatever they are sticking to doesn’t slide away as easily.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?
p=32066&cat=1,42363,42348&ap=2
REPLY

Aug 29, 2017 at 10:30 am
Yes, that’s exactly what happens – one part of the ashlight is

pulled down and then the gap grows until the ashlight falls. This
all happens very quickly.
Adding anything over the magnet will weaken it further. If it’s not
strong enough to secure the ashlight to powder coated steel,
adding anything else will make the situation worse.
I’ve had strong-enough magnets slide down a surface. That’s not

the case here, although the smooth plastic clip on a smooth coated
steel surface certainly doesn’t help the situation.
REPLY

Aug 29, 2017 at 1:00 pm
I see what you are saying. Thanks!
So the magnet is not strong enough to even support the

weight of the thing even when stuck to a at horizontal
surface. That seems like a pretty big aw.
Yeah, I thought about the thickness of the high-friction

material, but the Lee Valley stuff seems pretty thin.
TJ says
Aug 28, 2017 at 4:34 pm
There’s another review group who did a video on the new USB lighting family
and they didn’t mention any holding issues with theirs. Maybe evidence that you
got a bad unit?
Also, they said September release.

REPLY
Brian says
Aug 29, 2017 at 10:13 am
I can understand why they made the cell proprietary, so you don’t use those
cheap chinese cells from Amazon and then complain about performance. The
cost of the charger and cell though…a wee bit overpriced. Also, they should have
just made a pull out or removable belt clip.
This is the rst I’ve heard of the magnets being in question. I don’t think I’d buy
this, the Craftsman lights I have are good enough for me and I bought them on
sale for $3 with $3 back in points. I’d have no problem cutting off the belt clip
and gluing some magnets on the back.
REPLY
Nathan says
Aug 29, 2017 at 3:05 pm
please whatever you do compare it to those cheapo Harbor frieight give a way
lights.
Why – it’s one of the few things I’ll get from HF when I have those coupons. I
started doing this when I notice other mechanics in the hangar using them.
usually free with some other purchase (even for disposable gloves etc) and it’s a
row of LED’s in a puck with a magnet. I don’t even know if the batteries are
replaceable. but they work and when they die you can get another.
Otherwise for me it’s probably a pass. Aside from being milwaukee, and the
battery platform thing – seems too costly.
REPLY
fred says
Aug 30, 2017 at 7:12 am
I buy chip brushes and nitrile gloves at HF. Use the 20% off coupon on them
and get a free ashlight or pucklight with another coupon. I give the lights
away as stocking stuffers. I think the recipients are starting to have a pile of
them – so the novelty is over – but the other “free” items like screwdriver
sets and tape measures would be even less appreciated.
REPLY
joe says
Sep 14, 2017 at 7:47 pm
Does the battery have a USB type A output so you can charge your cell phone
from the battery?
REPLY

Sep 15, 2017 at 9:34 am
No.
REPLY
DanFromMass says
Jan 8, 2018 at 5:15 pm
Stuart,
I know this is an old post, but I havent seen any discussions about what type of
battery is behind the “red lithium usb”.
Is Milwaukee using stardard 18650 cells for these, or are they quietly dipping
their toes into the 21700 cells that you’ve written about in previous posts?
I only have one of these batteries for my headlamp, and I’m too chicken to break
open the battery to see what cell is inside.
REPLY

Jan 8, 2018 at 5:40 pm
I believe it’s a standard 18650 in a special package.

REPLY
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Marketing bullet points include:

It’s quite stable when mounted perpendicularly, too.

A rubbery ap lifts up to reveal the USB Charging port.

The Milwaukee RedLithium USB battery is proprietary. It must be charged in a

Rover LED Specs and Features

2ft braided micro USB charging cable

Buy Now (via Home Depot)

Buy Now (via Ohio Power Tool)

See Also (Charger via Home Depot)

A weak magnet is potentially xable.

Thank you to Milwaukee for providing the test sample.

New Milwaukee New Milwaukee New Milwaukee Milwaukee

 SECTIONS: CORDLESS, FLASHLIGHTS & WORKLIGHTS, NEW TOOLS, TOOL REVIEWS

Any idea on release date?

Stuart (post author) says

I have a production model, so it should be hitting stores soon. Maybe

Yeah, I have enough battery platforms already. Hundreds of ashlights

Jim Felt says

Cool. (Except for yet another battery protocol).

Stuart (post author) says

At least it charges via USB.

Typically the complaint of a new battery form factor is needing another

Who sad magnets are weak????

Shouldn’t we all rst really try it before jumping to conclusion? Same

The yeti says

Why not run it on AA batteries . Have it be a recharger so u could run

Stuart (post author) says

Michael Quinlan says

I agree – I bought a batch of ones from EZ-Red (PCLED6) last year as

Koko the Talking Ape says

Agree with the others about a proprietary battery format.

Stuart (post author) says

Koko the Talking Ape says

Not quite following you here:

“… the ashlight cannot mount to the bottom of a steel surface

And there is no shear force if the ashlight is stuck to the underside of

Valley sells special high-friction pads to cover magnets when oriented

Stuart (post author) says

Yes, that’s exactly what happens – one part of the ashlight is

I’ve had strong-enough magnets slide down a surface. That’s not

Koko the Talking Ape says

I see what you are saying. Thanks!

So the magnet is not strong enough to even support the

Yeah, I thought about the thickness of the high-friction

Also, they said September release.

Stuart (post author) says

Stuart (post author) says

I believe it’s a standard 18650 in a special package.

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