Modern cordless tools

[Steve Rozmiarek]

As mentioned upthread I too bought that adapter kit to run (among other 18volt tools) a 16 gauge finish nailer. No dice, the adapter has some sort of electronic issue with the nailers and isn't compatible.

I was really bummed, had it worked I probably would have been steered back to an all Dewalt kit!

I use one on an 18 volt sawzall. Putting a 20 volt on it results in noticeably more power than what the 18 volt batteries provide. Possibly there is enough extra in a 20 volt that it'd harm the nailer? I modified my adapter so it'd accept the FlexVolts, just needed a plastic wing thing removed. I bet someone has figured out a way to use one on your nailer.

[Jeff Bartley]

I use one on an 18 volt sawzall. Putting a 20 volt on it results in noticeably more power than what the 18 volt batteries provide. Possibly there is enough extra in a 20 volt that it'd harm the nailer? I modified my adapter so it'd accept the FlexVolts, just needed a plastic wing thing removed. I bet someone has figured out a way to use one on your nailer.

I researched a little and everything I read said there was something in the electronics that disables it after the first nail fire. But I'm sure there's a way to do it!

Honestly, the replacement batteries were something like $20/each and even though they're NiCad they work great. It would be cool to run the sawzall on a 20 volt!

[Ronald Blue]

Interesting reading. I have no complaint with Dewalt. My cordless 18 volt drill is 18 years old. It doesn't get used heavily but when it does it is worked hard. However when it comes to cordless 3/8" and 1/2" drive impacts. It's not even a horse race. The Milwaukee impacts are the hands down champions. The 3/8" is a hundred foot lbs better that the Dewalt and the 1/2" is even worse. 700 ft lbs versus 330 ft lbs. That's a major difference in performance. In my job it makes all the difference between dragging an air line in and running pneumatic assuming you can get a service truck close enough for that luxury or getting the appropriate hand tools to do the job. We use what works well for us. In my job there is only one choice at this time. In the construction trades it sounds different. I will say that Milwaukee was replacing bad batteries back around 2010 because I think they were warrantied for 5 years. I know if you contacted them directly they did at least. Carry on.

[Mike Henderson]

Most all of my cordless tools are Dewalt and they have all worked flawlessly. I have one Bosch cordless. I don't use it much but I've had no problems with it.

Mosts of mine are DeWalt (20 volt), also, and no problems. Of course, I don't use them as hard as the OP probably does.

Mike

[The reason I went to the 20V tools was weight. The 18V tools with the old batteries were just getting too heavy.]

[Ron Selzer]

DeWalt has had Lithium Ion batteries for 18 volt, no adaptor needed for at least 8 years. All I use at work
At home I use NiMh bought off of ebay, definitely better than the NiCad's
Would like to find 14.4 Lithium Ion DeWalt batteries, however than would have to buy a new charger.
Originally had the Skill Boar Gun as that was the best on the ,market back then. Makita had a circuit breaker that tripped as soon as you loaded them down

[Darcy Warner]

I am a makita user, but only use a couple drills, impact driver and two 3/8" impact wrenches.

[Joel Wesseling]

I have the EGO 56V cordless string trimmer and chainsaw. They are both amazing, high torque and about 30 minutes of weed trimming before a charge is needed.. I did a lot of research before I took the plunge to purchase them. I'm now thinking about buying the EGO lawnmower, this will supply me with two extra batteries.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Interesting reading. I have no complaint with Dewalt. My cordless 18 volt drill is 18 years old. It doesn't get used heavily but when it does it is worked hard. However when it comes to cordless 3/8" and 1/2" drive impacts. It's not even a horse race. The Milwaukee impacts are the hands down champions. The 3/8" is a hundred foot lbs better that the Dewalt and the 1/2" is even worse. 700 ft lbs versus 330 ft lbs. That's a major difference in performance. In my job it makes all the difference between dragging an air line in and running pneumatic assuming you can get a service truck close enough for that luxury or getting the appropriate hand tools to do the job. We use what works well for us. In my job there is only one choice at this time. In the construction trades it sounds different. I will say that Milwaukee was replacing bad batteries back around 2010 because I think they were warrantied for 5 years. I know if you contacted them directly they did at least. Carry on.

I just used my 1/2" Dewalt 18 volt to change a tire, you are right, it could use some more ompf. Took some rattling and time but it got the job done eventually. I'm going to put a 20 volt adapter on it one of these days and see if it preforms the same horsepower upgrade that it did for the sawzall I mentioned.

[Greg R Bradley]

I just used my 1/2" Dewalt 18 volt to change a tire, you are right, it could use some more ompf. Took some rattling and time but it got the job done eventually. I'm going to put a 20 volt adapter on it one of these days and see if it preforms the same horsepower upgrade that it did for the sawzall I mentioned.

18V Dewalt and 20v DeWalt are both 18v. 20v is basically a marketing term as 5 Lithium cells is 18v: 5 x 3.6v = 18v. They are calling them 20v "max". Just like the 12v Lithium tools are really 10.8v as 3 x 3.6v = 10.8v.

Dewalt is calling a 5 cells in series tool 20v max while Makita, Milwaukee, etc. are calling them correctly as 18v.

It is possible that the 20v Max may be able to supply more current to the tool so does provide more actual power. New batteries might help a bit too.

The main point is to not assume that a 20v Dewalt tool is providing more power due to a higher voltage than the others.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

18V Dewalt and 20v DeWalt are both 18v. 20v is basically a marketing term as 5 Lithium cells is 18v: 5 x 3.6v = 18v. They are calling them 20v "max". Just like the 12v Lithium tools are really 10.8v as 3 x 3.6v = 10.8v.

Dewalt is calling a 5 cells in series tool 20v max while Makita, Milwaukee, etc. are calling them correctly as 18v.

It is possible that the 20v Max may be able to supply more current to the tool so does provide more actual power. New batteries might help a bit too.

The main point is to not assume that a 20v Dewalt tool is providing more power due to a higher voltage than the others.

I'm sure you're right Greg, I'm just comparing real world results with the tools I use the adapter on. They run with noticable power increase. Could definitely just be better battery tech.

[Greg R Bradley]

I'm sure you're right Greg, I'm just comparing real world results with the tools I use the adapter on. They run with noticable power increase. Could definitely just be better battery tech.

I have a bunch of different cordless tools in various businesses and personal. There are some interesting quirks.
Makita pretty much was the first to market 18v Lithium tools. All the early tools were 3ah. Then they came up with the 1.5ah compacts and had an extra tab so that you could use a 3ah on a 1.5 tool for extra run time, but not the other way around so that big tools couldn't end up with too small a battery. Later they came out with 4,5, and now 6ah batteries.
Some of the early 3ah tools will go faster with the bigger batteries. They are supposed to all have an interlock so that you can't hook up a big battery on a tool that shouldn't have it. Many 3ah tools are completely fine with the 6ah batteries. Hook a 5ah onto the early blower that was really just for blowing off workbenches, and you could use it for a yard blower. I have to believe it would last about an hour if you actually tried to do that. It screams loud enough you need ear protection. Somehow, they didn't get the interlock completely right.

[Steve Demuth]

My Dewalt 18v stuff has been bulletproof, it works so well despite being old that I bought the adapter to use 20v batteries and have kept using the old drill and impact. One of the drills got left outside for a year seeing all kinds of weather inadvertently behind the barn and after a kinks the first use is back to working perfectly.

Same here, although I do have issues with the newer 20V packs that I bought to extend the life of my 18V tools being rather more fussy about charging in low temps. Seems like anything below 50F and they check out on the charger.

[Jim Dwight]

I got rid of my DeWalt tools after getting some Ryobis. I see no need to go back. For "big", 18V tools (and some yard tools) I will stick with 18V Ryobi. But I will probably add more Bosch 12V. Their little jig saw is tempting. I like by corded Bosch, I think they are the go-to brand for jig saws. I also think my Bosch 1250DEVS is good enough I need no Festool sander (but it is corded, not the subject of this thread). Anyway, I plan to stay Ryobi/Bosch. (I also have one 40V Ryobi yard tool) I have 6 of the Ryobi 18V lithium ion batteries. Those batteries make it harder to switch and the tools work fine.

[Robert Hazelwood]

I bought the Makita 18v brushless "subcompact" drill and impact driver last year and really like it. They are powerful but very compact, perfect for getting in tight spaces inside a cabinet for example. Battery life has been excellent. I was somewhat skeptical about the brushless and lithium ion craze but these have been a clear improvement over my old 18v NiMH set.

[Lars Sternberg]

I wanted to get away from gas mowers and researched my way into an EGO purchase. You will never look back if you get one! My mower cuts like a six horse gas mower and is so quiet I would regularly mow with my infant daughter sleeping in a chest carrier. I have since gotten the trimmer and smaller leaf blower, both excellent. Batteries are spendy but after three years of use none have weakened.

As for cordless shop tools I have always had great experiences with my dewalt tools. On one project I used one drill motor for the sole purpose of drilling hundreds of holes in 1/4" steel everyday for 2 years straight. Not one battery failure and the drill still works just as well 15 years later!