# Dewalt 18v vs 20v batteries, what is it behind?



## Lannabulls (Apr 15, 2018)

Hi, watching reviews on you tube about dewalt power tools batteries, I found out that between 18v and 20v batteries there is not difference at all. Basically that works for every brands that has adopted "the 20v battery Strategy", I mentioned dewalt just cause its the brand that I use , 20v nominal batteries are practically 18v. Inside the battery, no matter if it is rated 18v or 20v, there are always 5 batteries 3.5v each, ( 3.5x5 =17.5) 18v, exp for "entry level" 1.5 - 2a battery. That explain why in Europe, and Thailand (i am italian living in Thailand) I can not find 20v tools and batteries , only 18v , Lows are different, in USA it is allowed to rate a nominal value "Max 20v", in Europe or here in Thailand only the effective power can be rated, not the nominal one. Cause I am not a born English speaker may I miss understand what youtube reviews are saying therefore please corrrect me if what I just said is wrong. 
If what I just told is correct what about using a dewalt 20v hammer drill as exp (I just bought a dewalt dcd996 in ebay, only new bare tool, no batttery and charger) with 18v battery? Some body out there has never tried it ?
More important, I have a dewalt 10v to 18v charger, what about charging 20v battery with a charger rated maximum 18v ? Have you never tried ? If the youtube reviews are correct it should not be any problem about.
I will love to know what you tink about and be corrected if I did not fully get what that youtube reviews are saying about 18v and 20v batteries that practically are always 18v, the 20v is just a " Strategy market operation" that in some country is allowed in some other dont.
Thanks a lot


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I found considerable difference between the Dewalt 18v and the Dewalt 20v. The 18v NiMh battery with a full charge I could work all day without changing batteries. When it wore out I replaced it with the 20v lithium ion battery. To be able to work all day I have to carry a third battery and two chargers. I end up using four batteries in a day. I can't say the 20v has any more torque. The only thing I can say for the 20v is it's much lighter in weight but I think I would rather have the heavier drill than the aggravation of all the battery changes. 

The main reason I considered the 18v worn out was the batteries. When I first bought the drill it worked great and the batteries lasted for about five years. Then it got to where the batteries wouldn't take a charge so I bought new factory Dewalt batteries and things seem good. Then in less than two years the replacement batteries got to where they wouldn't take a charge. Looking at spending more money for junk batteries I elected to replace the drill.


----------



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I had three employees from Dewalt stop at my home shop a number of years ago when they were in the process of redesigning their 18v impact driver. Two were engineers, one from Germany, other was from Greece. Third person was a production supervisor. They wanted to know what I used my current impact gun for, what fasteners I drive with it, etc. One of the questions that came up was, "what do you think about the lithium batteries?", lithiums being fairly new at the time. I asked them if I get more power from a lithium vs a Nicd. Greek engineer said, nope, 18 volts is 18 volts. I asked him if I get more run time, and he said no. So my obvious question was, what's the advantage to me then? He said you get twice as many charging cycles. My answer was, but they cost twice as much, so why would I want them. They ended up sending me a lithium battery and charger for free. I still have it. I prefer the Nicd's. When they start to wear down, they'd do it gradually. The lithium just shuts down when it starts to wear down. I've had my 18v Dewalt tools since 2005. Most work fine, just have to keep buying a drill kit when they go on Salem to get a couple new batteries for $89. I think I have 6 or 7 drills now and as many chargers.
Mike Hawkins


----------



## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

I use Dewalt tools

I have both 18V pod style battery tools and and 20V slide on battery powered tools. I also have a couple 18V to 20V adapters. I power most with 20V LI batteries. I still have some 18V nicad batteries. I have never used or owned 18V pod style LI batteries.

Being that you are in Thailand, I have no idea how they are advertised or marketed. So lets create the distinction that matters. It is my understanding that 20V USA and 18V European slide on LI batteries are the same. Pod style 18V batteries are different. You can use an adapter to power old style pod tools with a slide on LI batteries.

So, in answer to your question, I am reasonably sure your Thailand 18V LI slide on batteries will power your USA DCD996 that requires a 20V USA slide on battery just fine.

BTW, nice drill.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If you compare apples to apples there is not much difference between the NiMh in 18 v and 20 v. However, if you compare the old technology NiMh with the newer Lithium there is a world of difference. Also the same chargers do not cross over.

George


----------



## Lannabulls (Apr 15, 2018)

subroc said:


> I use Dewalt tools
> 
> I have both 18V pod style battery tools and and 20V slide on battery powered tools. I also have a couple 18V to 20V adapters. I power most with 20V LI batteries. I still have some 18V nicad batteries. I have never used or owned 18V pod style LI batteries.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot, 
my considerations are for the lhitium battery only. I could not undetstand why here in Thailand or Italy 20v poer tools and batteries are not sold, only 18v. I watched review and now I know why, lets call it " the 20v marcket strategy" or "20v max" to be polite.....
Therefore With my new 20v max dewzlt I am going to use 18v battery, what about my second question, I have a couple of original dewalt chargers, both 10v to 18v, have you ever tried to charge a 20v battery with a charger 18v maximum rated?
Thanks a lot for your help.


----------



## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Lannabulls said:


> Thanks a lot,
> my considerations are for the lhitium battery only. I could not undetstand why here in Thailand or Italy 20v poer tools and batteries are not sold, only 18v. I watched review and now I know why, lets call it " the 20v marcket strategy" or "20v max" to be polite.....
> Therefore With my new 20v max dewzlt I am going to use 18v battery, what about my second question, I have a couple of original dewalt chargers, both 10v to 18v, have you ever tried to charge a 20v battery with a charger 18v maximum rated?
> Thanks a lot for your help.


In the US, that LI charger would be a 12V-20V charger.

What is the charger model # and the Battery model #s that you have?


----------



## Lannabulls (Apr 15, 2018)

Thanks, My chargers, 
always the same model: Original Dewalt DCB 107. They were bought with the tool, the charger came with, here in Thailand. Here usually we have plugs like in USA 2 flat pins, the chargers have plugs with round 2 pins like Europe.
My batteries: Original Dewalt XR DCB 125 10.8v 1.3ah nominal, in fact they are 12v 
Original Dewalt XR DCB 184 18v 5ah 
Thanks


----------



## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I have a set of Craftsman C3 tools that come in one large plastic case. They came with 19.2v NiCd batteries. 

I hate NiCd batteries. They are always discharged when you need them. They have a short useable life. They don't have to be very old before they start running low on battery capacity and become useless. They are "cheap" only in comparison with other battery types. They still cost a lot, and do not last very long before they decline rapidly. 

For the typical home repairman, who uses the tools infrequently, NiCd batteries suck. They may save on costs for a professional who uses them all day. For someone who pulls a tool out every other weekend and uses it sporadically for an hour or two, NiCd batteries in power tools are a very poor choice for casual home repair and casual woodworking. That is true, despite all of my efforts to follow the best guidelines for getting the most out of NiCd batteries. 

I was fed up and ready to replace my entire Craftsman C3 toolset, rather than buy another set of expensive NiCd batteries, when Sears/Craftsman did an amazing thing. They came out with Lithium Ion batteries and chargers, fully compatible with my old C3 toolset. They significantly extended the lifetime of my C3 toolset. 

I love the new C3 Lithium Ion batteries. They are lightweight, and hold plenty of power for my casual home repair and woodworking needs. Those lithium ion batteries continue to hold a charge and are always ready when I need them. They have lasted many years. I have yet to replace them. Lithium ion batteries are ideal for my usage patterns. Sears/Craftsman did a great service to those who match my needs and usage, by making and supporting lithium ion replacements for the old NiCd batteries.


----------



## Mycrossover (May 18, 2018)

As has been mentioned, fresh off the charger lithium cells are reading about 4 volts. With 5 cells that adds up to 20 volts. The problem is that all rechargables go above their nominal voltage coming off the charger. That bleeds off after a few seconds of use. The nominal voltage for lithium batteries is 3.6 volts. A 3 cell battery advertised as 12 volts is really 10.8 volts and a 5 cell battery, often advertised as 20 volts will almost immediatly drop to 18 volts. My old Bosch tools came with 10.8 volt batteries but the same batteries are now sold as 12 volts in the US. Stricter advertising laws prohibit this BS in other countries. This never went on with NiCds or NiMH batteries. The nominal voltage after brief use is 1.2 volts per cell and that is how they are rated. There seems to be some confusion about amp hour capacity and voltage. Good NiCds are available at 2 -2.2 Ah., max. NIMh are available with as much as 3.5 Ah. They are both 1.2 volts per cell. For various reasons, NiMh was rarely used by power tool manufacturers, Mikita is the one exception thst I know of. Unlike the older batteries, the lithium battery packs are often not just batteries in series but 2 or 3 batteries in parallel that are then wired in series. That means that that an 18 volt battery could have 10 or 15 cells in the pack rather than just 5. This supplies higher Ah and thus longer run time. A last word on NiCd memory; after early production issues were solved, that problem was gone. What does happen with NiCds is batteries left on trickle chargers or any charger that trickles after full charge will damage the battery and reduce capacity if they are left for long periods in that state. Any battery loses capacity with use. They are all good for just so many charge/ recharge cycles. I think it is around 500 for the lithiums.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


----------

