Water Pump for 18v Battery

[Size: forMakita 18V battery]
This review is for a small water pump designed to work with an 18 Volt Makita style power tool battery. When I ordered this pump, I planned to use it to empty our hot tub. Unfortunately, after it arrived I discovered that this unit has a maximum water temperature of 90°F. Hot tub water runs at 104°F. So I really don't have a specific need for this pump.When I first opened the package I noticed a strong very unpleasant chemical smell. I suspect it's from some type of manufacturing oil still inside the pump or perhaps it is there to keep the pump from deteriorating during shipping and pre-sale storage. After handling the pump to examine it, I had to wash my hands several times using strong grease cutting soap to get rid of that smell. Whatever it is does not wash away easily! Consequently, I am reluctant to use this pump because I am concerned that it will contaminate the water I pump through it. I decided I will not actually run water through this pump unless I find a pressing need. I would probably only use this for waste water removal. I would definitely not use this pump for potable water, to wash a dog or on a garden.This pump does appear to be well made and has a nice screw on screen on the intake. The body of the pump is a solid hard plastic and the wiring looks and feels good. It has a 5 meter long immersible power cable, with the switch located near the battery connection. When I briefly ran the pump dry, the motor sounded good. I did notice the listing makes conflicting claims about how high it can lift water. The text says 9.8 feet, while a photo shows 2 meters or 6.5 feet. If it is 9.8 feet, that translates to about 4.25 PSI. That's not much pressure!The specifications in the manual say this pump has a maximum current draw of 7A. That means a power tool battery with an actual capacity of 7Ah should run for about one hour. Unless you have high capacity batteries in good condition, the runtime for this pump will be quite limited. Also, bear in mind that running a power tool battery too low is very hard on the battery. Set your expectations accordingly.

[Size: forMakita 18V battery, Size: forMakita 18V battery]
The pump itself actually seems fairly strong for its size. It’s compact, lightweight, and I like that it runs off Makita 18V batteries since I already use those for other tools. The cordless design makes it very convenient for off-grid use, and the flow rate seems more than adequate for transferring water.Unfortunately, the unit I received has a pretty strong diesel or fuel smell to it. My first impression was that it may have previously been used to pump diesel or some type of petroleum product before packaging. I tried soaking it in soap and water for a couple of days hoping the smell would disappear, but the odor is still there.Because of that, I personally won’t feel comfortable using it for pumping water due to possible contamination.That’s disappointing because otherwise the pump itself appears to work well and feels reasonably powerful for a portable battery-operated unit.