Upgrade to 18v or buy more 14v batteries?

[Patrick Irish]

I have my dads hand me down dewalt 14v set. Got everything; 3-4 drills, circular saw, sawzall, flash light, several chargers. Only have 3 orig batteries and 2 Amazon reproduction. The amazon ones are lighter and don’t last long. Orig batteries also seem to fade. I’m currently ‘renewing’ them with a charger I have that has that yellow button. We’ll see.

I was at HD today and saw a Ridgid octane brushless drill and impact driver set for $190 with 2 batteries and charger. I think their 18v saw was also on sale. I was debating the upgrade and slowly adding more to the 18v line. They or just buy more batteries for my dewalt set. I’m just a hobbyist but flooring my attic during the corona and the battery issue is killing me.

I did recently buy a Bosch 12v drive and impact and was hesitant to use that drilling 3” screws into studs.

[Charles Lent]

I bought off brand batteries for my 14 volt DeWalt tools and couldn't be happier with them. They are all black with no yellow. I bought them from Amazon and got 2 for less than a DeWalt 14 volt battery cost. They have been in use for over a year now.

https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-DeWalt-14-4V-Battery-Replacement/dp/B00L1RT8BI A pretty good deal at $41 plus shipping.

Charley

[Jim Becker]

I have one of the DeWalt 14.4 drill/drivers from way back. I did the "rebuild" thing a couple of times which wasn't all that great, but about a year ago, my local HD had a couple of them on the bargain table for an "attractive price" so I bought them. I like using this drill for certain heavy work outside where if I blow it up, I'll not be saying as many bad words as I would with my Festool tools. If I replaced it, it would be with a tool similar to what you mention...something 18v. I do like Ridgid as a general brand, so it would be on the list.

[Derek Cohen]

Patrick, there are many issues to consider before you “upgrade”. Especially since you have a system of tools which may need to be replaced, all for the sake of a couple of batteries.

- it seems that some brands measure/rate the voltage of their batteries differently. For example, the Festool C12 drill is rated 10.8v in Australia (and Europe?) and 12v in the USA. What is the difference between 14.4v and 18v? They may be the same voltage, or too close to matter.

- battery type can count. It depends on how often you use the tool/battery. I have a 25 year old Panasonic 12v drill and replaced the batteries about a year ago for metal types (NiMh) It gets intermittent use, and these hold the charge so much better than NiCd. The replacement batteries are all made in China, probably from the same factory, and available very cheaply now. I love this old Panasonic drill, and want to keep it running.

- Is the tool/drill for use around the workshop and furniture building, or for odd jobs around the house. Or is it for the work site, where heavy demands may be placed on it through the day? My primary use is in building furniture in the workshop, so I want the lightest tool, rather than one where the battery lasts all day with heavy loads. The latter applies to the building site. My go-to drill is the C12, and the battery is small. Overall weight of the drill is less than the Panasonic, which is more powerful, but the lower weight is welcomed when all one wants to do is drive screws. I recently picked up a like-new, used Festool DRC 18/4 for its amazing power. I see many who own this drill, and the basic 18v version, opting for 5.2 or 6.2 Ah batteries. These will last all day, but are large and heavy. I opted for two 3.1 Ah batteries, which bring the weight down. In fact, I began searching out Centrotec bits to reduce the weight even more. This way, the overall mass of the 18/4 is less than the Panasonic.

- I’ve mentioned drills above mainly because I do not own a “system” of tools. If I was to go down that route, I would still question whether the tool is what I want to continue using, or whether it is time to upgrade the tool. Having a million different chargers is what we are trying to avoid. That is inevitably going to create a compromise in the quality if the individual tools if you stick to one maker. If I had to do this (and I am not inclined to do so), I’d look at Makita or Milwaukee for their reputations. I’ve used Makita for 30 years or more.

I hope some of my rambles help you focus on what is important for you.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[kent wardecke]

A Few years ago I gave my 18v Dewalt set to my brother and upgraded to the 20v Li-ion. They aren't perfect but they can put out the work. You aren't driving your high school car. I'll bet you don't have a big huge tube TV. Tools come and tools go. And we change with them unless you're one of those Neanderthals. Even hand tools have evolved wood planes to metal planes buck saws to handsaws.

[Jeff Body]

Personally if they aren't Li-ion batteries I wouldn't waste my time with them.
Check you local stores for this deal. People are still finding them hidden up high in the rafters down the isles.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-6-Tool-24-Volt-Max-Brushless-Power-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-Soft-Case-Charger-Included-and-2-Batteries-Included/1001045264

[Ron Selzer]

Patrick
check out these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z7TSKTJ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07Z7TSKTJ&pd_rd_w=I1jlT&pf_rd_p=48d372c1-f7e1-4b8b-9d02-4bd86f5158c5&pd_rd_wg=Zl4Du&pf_rd_r=XRQTNJWBQP2FSCG7NW9S&pd_rd_r=bc72f7b7-0983-428b-abb7-9d491fb7c064&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVzhCRFBLVkMxWExBJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDkwOTg4MkM1RjQwQUxaUDdUWCZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjc4OTcwM09SMlZPOTlCMUMyRiZ3aWRnZ XROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZ kb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
less money over twice the power and hold charge longer

I would not add to the 14.4 line nor would I dispose of them just upgrade batteries.
I have 4 DeWalt 14.4 drills, a right angle drill and a hammer drill all in the basement along with DeWalt 18 v impact driver and vacumn.
I had the DeWalt circular saw, recp saw, two drills and two lights and gave those to a friend over 12 years ago so I could buy 18v DeWalt for myself
Now have 2 18v drills, 1 18v impact, band saw, circular saw, jig saw, grinder, 1/2" impact driver,vacuum and 2 lights all upgraded to NiMh batteries in the garage.
At work I started out with the DeWalt 18 v LiOn hammer Drill and driver set, added LiOn batteries along with band saw, grinder, wood circular saw, metal circular saw, right angle drill, hammer drill. light, vacuum. Added a 20v DeWalt Hammer Drill and Impact Driver, light, grease gun and 1/2" impact driver with 20/60 LiOn batteries and fast charger last year.

Whole lot of difference in run time and power from 14.4 to 18v NiCad then nice upgrade to NiMh, 18 LiOn another nice step up. 20 v with brushless motors is a big step up in power and weight reduction actually weigh less and smaller size than the 14.4. Thru all this since 1995 with the first 14.4 drill which I still have, have only burned up one wire inside that drill using a 1" auger bit in double 2x4 wall and a whole lot of batteries ruined by the 14.4 saws, all the original and replacement NiCads are bad. Only use NiMh at home now and LiOn at work.
Far cry from the first Skill 1.8v to Black and Decker 3.6v to Skil Boar Guns 9 v to DeWalt 12v, etc to now.

[Charlie Jones]

I have my dads hand me down dewalt 14v set. Got everything; 3-4 drills, circular saw, sawzall, flash light, several chargers. Only have 3 orig batteries and 2 Amazon reproduction. The amazon ones are lighter and don’t last long. Orig batteries also seem to fade. I’m currently ‘renewing’ them with a charger I have that has that yellow button. We’ll see.

I was at HD today and saw a Ridgid octane brushless drill and impact driver set for $190 with 2 batteries and charger. I think their 18v saw was also on sale. I was debating the upgrade and slowly adding more to the 18v line. They or just buy more batteries for my dewalt set. I’m just a hobbyist but flooring my attic during the corona and the battery issue is killing me.

I did recently buy a Bosch 12v drive and impact and was hesitant to use that drilling 3” screws into studs.


I think you will find the Bosch 12v Max to be more than adequate for 3” screws. I am still using my 12V Max impact driver after four years. That includes building a deck. I recently used it to drive 4” Timberlocks. Keep the Dewalt until the batteries go, then just use your Bosch.

[Rich Aldrich]

I buy batteries off ebay. You can get the name brand for a lot less than many places. . I would try one new battery and decide from there. If you know of anyone nearby with newer cordless, especially Li-ion, maybe you could try them. Li-ion are a much better battery. And the brushless tools are impressive with power and run time between charges.

[Doug Dawson]

I have my dads hand me down dewalt 14v set. Got everything; 3-4 drills, circular saw, sawzall, flash light, several chargers. Only have 3 orig batteries and 2 Amazon reproduction. The amazon ones are lighter and don’t last long. Orig batteries also seem to fade. I’m currently ‘renewing’ them with a charger I have that has that yellow button. We’ll see.

I was at HD today and saw a Ridgid octane brushless drill and impact driver set for $190 with 2 batteries and charger. I think their 18v saw was also on sale. I was debating the upgrade and slowly adding more to the 18v line. They or just buy more batteries for my dewalt set. I’m just a hobbyist but flooring my attic during the corona and the battery issue is killing me.

I did recently buy a Bosch 12v drive and impact and was hesitant to use that drilling 3” screws into studs.

The DeWalt 20v and Milwaukee 18v tools are the way to go. I have both. You can get some killer deals right now on sets of either at acmetools.com (it's worth being on their mailing list) and some others. They really want your business. The Milwaukee work lights, in particular, are sensational. You can light up an entire attic with a battery, using the 18v Rocket tower.

Otherwise you're just putting money into a dying system. We've come a long way.

I gave all my old 12v and 14v stuff to Goodwill a couple of years ago (but the newer Milwaukee Fuel 12v stuff is still good if you want something super light.)

[Jim Dwight]

I think you have too many tools to switch based upon batteries. I don't think you'll see much difference 14V versus 18V but the newer brushless motors do provide more power and longer battery life and lithim ion batteries are the only way to go. I bought a bunch of my Ryobi cordless tools with Ni Cd batteries and the drills were useful but the saws were not. Lithium ion batteries transformed those tools.

In addition to the Ryobi tools, I have one 12V Bosch (click drill), a Milwaukee 12V drill/dirver, a 18V Skill saw and hammer drill, and a bunch of Ryobi 40V yard tools. They all work. I used to have a DeWalt drill but got rid of it due to battery prices.

If it was a tool or too, I'd switch to a brushless 18V. But with set, I'd find some off brand batteries that are pretty good and get some work done.

[John K Jordan]

I think you have too many tools to switch based upon batteries. ...

Patrick, I think Jim makes an excellent point - it would be a big investment to replace all of those tools. I'm in a similar situation with Dewalt 18v with a bunch of tools, all those you mention plus impact drivers and angle grinders, and have had repeated failure of Dewalt batteries over the years and I've bought a bunch of replacement batteries. The things are so expensive I would sometimes find kits with a new Dewalt tool and two batteries for less money than a pair of batteries.

Although I do get much better life on other brands, for example the LithiumIon batteries with Hitachi that simply refuse to deteriorate, I can't see spending a couple of thousand $$ of new tools to replace the Dewalt. I've slowly started replacing Dewalt 18v batteries with much cheaper compatible batteries bought from Amazon. If I had the 14v I'd look for some less expensive substitutes.

[kent borcherding]

I buy my Bosch tools from CPOtools - many Bosch tools. CPO has a 120 day return on their reconditioned tools - most of the reconditioned tools were used to demonstrate at tools shows . Have purchased at least 25-30 of the 18 volt drills from CPO never a problem .
Had a problem with an impact driver once , no problem returning it. All companies want to sell you tools - you soon learn best companies to do business with when you have problem with a tool.

[Ole Anderson]

My first battery drill was a Makita with a 9 volt stick in the handle. Then I got a 14.4 volt Dewalt XPS, a pro drill at the time. Still have it, on my third round of batteries. It is now my backup drill. I did get a 14.4 volt Ryobi drill dedicated for my RV. Next was my Porter Cable 18 volt Lion combo set. Still my go-to, on my second set of batteries. Recently I added a 20 volt PC recip saw, grinder and a jigsaw, batteries not compatible with the PC 18 volt ones, I'm a little miffed at that. I have given up on getting new batteries for the Makita, so I finally tossed them.

[Mark Daily]

Ridgid tools bought at Home Depot usually come with a lifetime warranty that includes free parts for life- that includes batteries.

I bought a 12V drill back when that was the highest voltage available and have replaced both batteries 4 times for free. I thought the drill would have given up by now but it’s still going strong and does everything I need in my home shop.

[Doug Dawson]

Patrick, I think Jim makes an excellent point - it would be a big investment to replace all of those tools. I'm in a similar situation with Dewalt 18v with a bunch of tools, all those you mention plus impact drivers and angle grinders, and have had repeated failure of Dewalt batteries over the years and I've bought a bunch of replacement batteries. The things are so expensive I would sometimes find kits with a new Dewalt tool and two batteries for less money than a pair of batteries.

Although I do get much better life on other brands, for example the LithiumIon batteries with Hitachi that simply refuse to deteriorate, I can't see spending a couple of thousand $$ of new tools to replace the Dewalt. I've slowly started replacing Dewalt 18v batteries with much cheaper compatible batteries bought from Amazon. If I had the 14v I'd look for some less expensive substitutes.

Last week you could have picked up (from acmetools.com) a DeWalt 20v set of drill, impact driver, circular saw, recip, grinder, flashlight, 2Ah batteries (and a radio, FWIW,) for US$399. Nice kit. You'd probably want to pick up some more 5Ah batteries.

As of this writing, that deal is still on.

DeWalt 12v and 14v is 1990's technology.

BTW, I haven't had any problems with the DeWalt 20v batteries, of which I have a bunch, and they get a lot of use. Some people have reported issues with the Milwaukee 18v 9ah battery, but I have a couple and they've been fine. I use them for my string trimmer, edger, pole chain saw, etc.

[johnny means]

Personally, if I were younger than 95 years old, I'd update. Why throw money at outdated, inferior equipment, when you could put yourself on the road to lighter, more powerful, and more ergonomic set-up for the next 20 years?

[Eric Schmid]

John, there is an adapter that Dewalt makes for 18v to 20v conversion. I have one old style 18v tool left that I bought the adapter for. The tool, a rotary laser, uses so little power that I’ve not tried the adapter yet, but it sounded good in theory since I’ve got a bunch of their 20v batteries.

Unfortunately, I don’t see anything for the 14.4v system that the OP has.

The benefits of improved performance, lighter weight and smaller form need to be weighed against the cost of new tools. Might make sense in the short term to just buy batteries, which are ultimately a consumable item anyway. Actually, so are most job site tools. Eventually, the manufacturers stop making parts and the tool becomes obsolete. This is true for corded tools as well.

[Jim Becker]

Ridgid tools bought at Home Depot usually come with a lifetime warranty that includes free parts for life- that includes batteries.
...as long as you register them...they require that for the lifetime deal.

[michael dilday]

I have the DEWALT 20v and th y are great!

[Mark Daily]

...as long as you register them...they require that for the lifetime deal.
Yep- but easy to do online!

[Jim Becker]

Yea...as long as one remembers to do it... DAMHIKT!

[Pete Costa]

I got the 18v to 20v adapter Eric mentions a few years back. Works great with a noticeable improvement in performance. Minor issue is changing the adapter from one tool to another is a bit tricky ( I have two adapters and three tools). Consider getting one for the every older tool you have. Also, it seems that the battery drains if I leave it in the "adapted" tool for a day or so. Easy enough to just pull them out when done using them.

Unfortunately I'm not aware of anything that would help you keep the 14v tools.

[John K Jordan]

John, there is an adapter that Dewalt makes for 18v to 20v conversion. I have one old style 18v tool left that I bought the adapter for. The tool, a rotary laser, uses so little power that I’ve not tried the adapter yet, but it sounded good in theory since I’ve got a bunch of their 20v batteries.
...
The benefits of improved performance, lighter weight and smaller form need to be weighed against the cost of new tools. Might make sense in the short term to just buy batteries, which are ultimately a consumable item anyway. Actually, so are most job site tools. Eventually, the manufacturers stop making parts and the tool becomes obsolete. This is true for corded tools as well.

I have that Dewalt adapter and two 20v Lithium Ion batteries. I use it on mostly on an impact driver and a couple of other tools as needed.

It worked great for a while and considered getting a second one. Now, less than two years old the two 20v batteries won't take a full charge according to the charge indicator LEDs.

The adapter+battery is smaller and lighter weight than the big 18v nickel batteries. I wish these consumables didn't start getting consumed that quickly. Or maybe my charger is faulty.

429090 429091

I do have the problem unlatching the adapter from the tools. I may file on the hook latches a bit.

JKJ

[Frank Pratt]

Back in the day, I used NiCad Dewalts & they had horrible battery life. It seemed like about 2 years was all I could expect. I have a Dewalt 20V hedge trimmer & weed whacker & the battery is 3 or 4 years old & seems as good as ever. 2 years on LI batteries seems really short. I'd call Dewalt about that

I've been in the Milwaukee M18 system for at least 10 years & have not lost a battery yet. I'm sure the older ones have reduced capacity by now, but not that I notice.

[John K Jordan]

I've been in the Milwaukee M18 system for at least 10 years & have not lost a battery yet. I'm sure the older ones have reduced capacity by now, but not that I notice.

I've heard similar comments from others so I'm considering making Milwaukee my new standard as I replace tools. Some months ago I bought my first LI Milwaukee tool (a grease gun) and so far I'm well pleased.

[Jim Becker]

When it comes to cordless "systems" of tools, Milwaukee seems to get a lot of kudos.

[Frank Pratt]

I have at least a dozen Milwaukee M18 tools & probably 18 of the batteries. The only 'failure' has been where some narrow pieces of rubber trim that are on the sides of the drill bodies have separated from the drill case. It doesn't affect tool performance, but is annoying to me to see those rubber bits flopping around. There are worse problems to have.

Oh, the metal cutting circular saw did have a gear fail after 4 years, but the repair was covered under the 5 year warranty.