Dewalt 18v tools / batteries

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  • os1kne
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2003
    • 901
    • Atlanta, GA
    • BT3100

    Dewalt 18v tools / batteries

    I thought that I'd post about this here, as I suspect that others have also had this problem.

    I have 5 or 6 Dewalt 18v tools (NiCd batteries), most for 8+ years, and have been happy with them. I've had a couple of batteries crap out, which wasn't unexpected - due to their age.

    I discovered that Dewalt makes 18v Lithium-ion batteries that are compatible with the tools, but need a new charger. Has anyone used these? If so, what's your experience?

    I'm debating the old new batteries vs new tool set dilemma. I may end up just getting replacement NiCd batteries, but want to evaluate my options.

    Thanks.
    Bill
  • TB Roye
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2004
    • 2969
    • Sacramento, CA, USA.
    • BT3100

    #2
    From what I have found with cordless tools the batteries are the big expense. If you tools are still good go with the Lithium-ion batteries the last longer between charges and the seem to have a longer life expectancy. I have a slowing changed over from Ryobi to Dewalt Cordless with both the NiCd and Lithium Batteries I tend to use the Lithium batteries more and the NiCd sit. I think it depend on how often and how do you use that at a time. if you use occasionally NiCd would be more economical.

    Tom

    Comment

    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      Bill, could this be what you have discovered to make Dewalt lie batteries compatible? If it is, then it's not another battery but an adapter that allows your 18 v tools to be powered by their later date batteries. A proper adapter would make this battery compatibility mess into something workable. One of my next tasks on my to-do list is to build an adapter to use my ridgid batteries on my older 14v Dewalt tools.
      capncarl

      Comment

      • LCHIEN
        Internet Fact Checker
        • Dec 2002
        • 20914
        • Katy, TX, USA.
        • BT3000 vintage 1999

        #4
        its not Dewalt but I have Craftsman 19.2V C3 series tools. Drill, impact driver flashlight and right angle drill.
        They came with NiCad batteries but they later sold lithium ion batteries that fit at the same voltage. I converted to Lithium cells which really just means I got the new packs and They sell a mutli-chemistry charger that will detect and charge either packs types. SO I still have compatibility.
        I find the Lithium ion cells are lighter, they have a half-sized pack witht he same capacity I think. And the don't go flat on the shelf for extended periods - like NiCads and NiMH to a lesser extent. I think they are less prone to failure problems.
        So overall I am much happier and didn't have to change the tools. THis experience should translate to the DeWalt tools as well, I would think.
        Loring in Katy, TX USA
        If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
        BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

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        • capncarl
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 3564
          • Leesburg Georgia USA
          • SawStop CTS

          #5
          All the different voltages! A few years ago I gutted an extra 14.4 volt dewalt charger and used it by plugging in a 14.4 volt dewalt battery and connected it to my 12 volt electric fish fillet knife. It worked fine, I couldn't tell any difference in speed compared to a 12 volt battery. Shortly after than we did the same thing with a 18 volt dewalt charger and battery to run a fish finder on a boat, I tried it on the same 12 volt fillet knife with the same results. I believe that most of these battery tools are using the same motor and you could probably operate them on a 36 volt battery.

          Comment

          • leehljp
            Just me
            • Dec 2002
            • 8429
            • Tunica, MS
            • BT3000/3100

            #6
            It is good to read these experiences and also read into it the transition or paradigm shift that we are now in the middle of: Cord Cutting.

            I got frustrated with Makita batteries in their old 9.6?v drills (early/mid 1990's). That was the first "cordless" that I used and loved using it, but the batteries lasted about 2 years at best. The tools have a long life, the nicads/nimh just didn't last like the tools did. On a car, batteries have to be changed every 3 to 5 years on average, but the vehicle/battery cost ratio is negligible compared to battery/tools ratio. It just rubs me the wrong way. (Kind of like getting a printer for almost free and paying through the nose for ink.)

            The lithium batteries are giving me hope that battery technology has hit upon a good medium and it will only get better, IMO. HAVING said that, I have begun looking at cordless blowers at 40v to 56v. If they were NiCads/NiMh, no way. But the combination of power and life span makes lithium powered worth the look. I began last year using my gas powered blower to clean out the gutters on my house. Works FANTASTIC. This past fall, I almost stumbled once when trying to crank the gas powered blower while on the roof. Scared me. So I started looking at battery powered ones. I was surprised to see 40V and 56v lithium powered ones online, and from what I read, they are fairly powerful.

            I bought LOML a Hoover Cordless LINX (Lithium battery) stick Vacuum two years ago. She uses it 10 times more than the older corded vac. VERY handy. Pick up and clean up messes instantly. The hoover is both light weight and powerful in its suction for a battery powered vac and has a strong motor powered brush. She gets about 20 - 25 minutes of full operation before it cuts down. More than enough for a single room and about 20 to 25 spills of flour, crumbs, dirt etc one time clean ups. The only down side is that the charger does not have the circuitry that allows you to leave the battery in the charger constantly. Some people report that their batteries deteriorate if left in the charger when not in use. I bring that up because Ryobi battery charger technology supposedly allows "left in" batteries to be detected and voltage adjusted . . in other words, my understanding is it does not hurt the lithium batteries in Ryobi chargers - if forgotten and left in for two or three days.

            I have two of Ryobi's 18v nailers. I don't use them often, but just to pick them up and shoot a few, or a lot, is nice. Not having to hook up an air compressor or find an extension cord is somewhat liberating. The nailer is powerful enough to shoot 2 1/2 inch (16 gauge) brads into pine and oak without a problem. So does the brad gun. I am very surprised at the power. IN reading "reports and reviews" by bloggers and tool review companies, there were some strong reservations and doubts - with the "conclusions" on the negative side. However, for me and some personal reviewers on Amazon and HD, the Ryobi 18v (Lithium) was / is surprisingly powerful and pounded brads and staples in with power to spare.

            I have been looking at other cordless tools including larger battery powered nailers.

            I am not ready for a battery powered lawn more yet (and they are out there), but my daughter in Springfield MO has looked at the battery powered snow blowers. She doesn't need Minnesota type of blowers, but just enough for 3 to 4 snows (4 to 8 inches avg) a year for her pathway and car port / short drive way to the street. She is not powerful enough to start a big gas powered snow blower in 15° weather. A 40V or 56v lithium with a 10 - 12 inch cut would be ideal.
            Last edited by leehljp; 01-14-2016, 08:17 AM.
            Hank Lee

            Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

            Comment

            • Relative
              Established Member
              • Mar 2007
              • 109
              • Garden Grove, CA
              • Ridgid R4512

              #7
              Info on the adapter for their new batteries to work on the older nicad tools:

              Just a few short years ago the Dewalt 18V cordless battery platform was by far and away the market share leader in the power tool industry. Some estimates we saw put the yellow team above 50% of the total cordless market with Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, etc all well behind. With the technology shift from NiCd to lithium Ion however many ...
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              Veterans are people who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America, for an amount up to and including their life.

              Comment

              • os1kne
                Senior Member
                • Jan 2003
                • 901
                • Atlanta, GA
                • BT3100

                #8
                Thanks for all the opinions. I did stumble across the 20v Li to 18v tool adapter. It's an interesting idea, but looks "clunky" to me. Could be good for someone that has tools/batteries of both styles. I'd prefer the same battery format, with a charger that can charge both lithium and NiCd.

                I may explore the possibility of having my dead batteries rebuilt with lithium cells - any recommendations?
                Bill

                Comment

                • capncarl
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jan 2007
                  • 3564
                  • Leesburg Georgia USA
                  • SawStop CTS

                  #9
                  It looks like Dewalt really missed the boat on the design on their 20/18 volt battery adapter. Seems that they just built a dummy 18v battery and grafted a 20v tool slide on the bottom. It could be a lot less bulky with a few minutes of research and development. This thread has got me motivated in building my 18v Ridgid / 14.4 Dewalt adapter.
                  capncarl

                  Comment

                  • os1kne
                    Senior Member
                    • Jan 2003
                    • 901
                    • Atlanta, GA
                    • BT3100

                    #10
                    I suspect that I'll end up wading into the litihum-ion by going piecemeal, but the kits are tempting.

                    An 18v Li battery is $100
                    An 18v Li battery with charger is $140

                    So 2 batteries with a charger would be $240.

                    A kit with two 18v Li batteries, a drill + impact driver with charger is $300. The "bundles" are tempting.
                    Bill

                    Comment

                    • capncarl
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 3564
                      • Leesburg Georgia USA
                      • SawStop CTS

                      #11
                      The bad thing about the bundles is the batteries are usually the whimpiest ones they make. Like buying a new printer, the ink cartridges they come with are smaller than the ones they sell!

                      Comment

                      • TCAS
                        Forum Newbie
                        • Feb 2006
                        • 27

                        #12
                        Originally posted by os1kne
                        I discovered that Dewalt makes 18v Lithium-ion batteries that are compatible with the tools, but need a new charger. Has anyone used these? If so, what's your experience?

                        Thanks.
                        I swapped out my NiCd 18v Dewalt batteries for the new LiIon batteries and yellow charger about a year ago. I haven't looked back. I have 3 batteries that I rotate through while on my project. Battery A is in the tool, Battery B is standing by, ready to go, and Battery C is on the charger. When project is over I swap batteries with the standby battery put into the tool. I always have a good battery ready to go and never have run out of a charged battery.

                        Take a look at the AMAZON reviews... DEWALT DC9182 18V XRP Lithium Ion Battery

                        Comment

                        • os1kne
                          Senior Member
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 901
                          • Atlanta, GA
                          • BT3100

                          #13
                          Yes, I'm about ready to take the plunge. Kinda stinks that the Dewalt 18v LiIon batteries are ~ $100/each, but the 20v are ~ $120 for a 2 pack.

                          Bill

                          Comment

                          • os1kne
                            Senior Member
                            • Jan 2003
                            • 901
                            • Atlanta, GA
                            • BT3100

                            #14
                            It's almost 18 months later, and my 3 remaining NiCd 18v Dewalt batteries are still going, so I haven't had a compelling reason to do anything for the Dewalt tools.

                            However, I also had a few 18v Ryobi tools, which I've typically used less-frequently (corner cat sander, right angle drill, flashlight, dustbuster-type vac) and their NiCd batteries no longer did much. I've been needing to get a hedge trimmer and saw that Ryobi had an 18" model that had good reviews. (I previously used an old, corded B&D hedge trimmer, and I hated toting an extension cord with it.) So, I upgraded to LiOn for Ryobi and am very impressed so far. Batteries are much lighter, and seem to hold a charge longer. It looks like Ryobi has added several interesting 18v tools also, and it's nice that they're available "tool only". This wasn't meant to be an ad for Ryobi, just commenting that I've been pleasantly surprised with the improvements.
                            Last edited by os1kne; 06-07-2017, 03:10 PM.
                            Bill

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