Dewalt Batteries 18V Review
So you’re after Dewalt Batteries 18V? Need some more information? Then you landed on the right page. We’re going to discuss what kind of Dewalt battery packs are available, their features, what to do to prolong their life cycle and opinions of other reviewers.
On the other hand if you know what 18V Dewalt battery you need then you might want to visit Amazon by clicking the link below:
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Different Dewalt Batteries 18V Available on the Marketplace
There are several products available in this range. The main difference is a type of a battery and how they’re sold. Let’s have a look of two types of batteries:
- NiCd batteries
- Lithium-Ion batteries
Nickel Cadmium (NiCd or NiCad) batteries are using compounds of nickel and cadmium as electrodes. Cadmium is very toxic and hazardous substance and in Europe there are some legislations prohibiting use of cadmium in batteries and accumulators.
With regards to pros of NiCd batteries the main advantage is that these can be charged with high currents which in simple terms means fast charging. Also these types of battery packs can operate in more extreme environments than Li-Ion batteries (even below 32F/0C) although refer to user instruction for proper guidelines.
NiCd batteries can be stored discharged without any damage and are cheaper than Li-Ion batts but now they’re considered as an “old technology”. They are vulnerable to so called “memory” effect. This effect is among one of numerous situations that can cause reduction of lifespan. It is rarely seen as it’s caused by repetitive light usage of a battery though.
Another drawbacks are weight of the battery and high self-discharge rate. Also those can withstand less charging cycles than Li-Ion batteries.
Below is the short list of Dewalt’s NiCad 18V batteries:
- DC9096 – heavy duty 18V XRP battery
- DC9096-2 – heavy duty 18V XRP combo pack (2 batteries)
Obviously there’s a lot more pros to Lithium Ion batteries: they have longer lifetime, their power-to-weight ratio is great (especially when extended use of a cordless tool is required), don’t have “memory” effect, have high energy density (more watt-hours) and low self-discharge rate.
The main disadvantage is that they cannot be held discharged as this can damage battery cells. So when you buy Lithium Ion battery be sure to check date of manufacture and also whether the battery is charged. If not you might get problems with it in the future.
And here’s the short list of Dewalt’s 18V lithium batteries:
- DC9180 – heavy duty 18V XRP battery
- DC9180C – 1 hour charger and heavy duty 18V XRP battery
- DC9181 – compact 18V battery
Dewalt XRP batteries
XRP stands for eXtended Run and Performance. These batteries are designed for heavy duty and professional usage as opposed to compact batteries. So if you require more reliable battery for extensive use go for XRP series.
Improving Battery Run-Time
There are several steps you might take to improve battery lifetime assuming there’s no permanent damage to batt cells already.
1. Longest life and greatest overall results are obtainable when the battery pack is actually recharged under specific conditions: air temperature should be between 65F and 75F (18C – 24C). Do not attempt to charge battery pack when temperature is less than 40F (4.5C) or more than 105F (40.5C). This is essential and will certainly protect against serious damage to battery cells.
2. Discharge the battery during regular usage. Take out the battery pack as soon as you experience reduced power from the tool. Do not discharge the battery fully as it might damage it!
3. Allow the battery pack to stay away from the battery charger for a minimum of 2 hours up until it reaches room temperature.
4. Position the battery pack inside the charger and let it stay there through the night allowing complete charge on every individual batt cell – at the very least 8 hours.
Final Thoughts & Opinions
Dewalt 18V batteries are interchangeable and compatible with more than 40 tools which is a great feature when you need several cordless tools and you don’t want to pay for additional batteries every single time you purchase a new one. This concept is explained in the below short video.
Opinions and ratings vary from user to user, but after thorough research of different types of batteries (NiCad vs Li-Ion) we found there are several factors discussed above that might affect the lifetime of a battery and therefore change users point of view.
On average product ratings are positive giving them 4 stars. If you keep in mind all the issues we discussed you should have a distinct advantage to keep your batteries – no matter which manufacturer’s – for a long time.
We have seen several negative ratings given by users due to the facts not associated with the product itself, but you should be aware of them. Watch out on batteries that are supposedly new – make sure you check the packaging and look out for scratches etc. as some suppliers send the product labeled as “new” but actually it might be merchandise that was returned to them.
Also be sure to check the manufacture date especially when buying Lithium-Ion batteries as several users reported that batteries were not working (it might indicate that were kept discharged for a long time). So better if you go for a reliable supplier and in the case you’re not happy you can simply get a refund or get the item exchanged.
Below is a handful of opinions about Dewalt Batteries 18V we found:
“Good solid product. I’d buy them again without hesitation.”
“I love this battery and the fact that DeWalt made it compatible with nearly all of their other 18v tools. That alone should earn it a place in the power-tool hall of fame, if there is such a place.” (Lithium-Ion)
“These batteries have a very short life. I have several that have not lasted even one year. I don’t even use them most weeks. They also are bad about going dead over night or in a couple of days when just sitting in their case.” (NiCad)
“dewalt 18 volt xrp battery short life for the price we pay” (NiCad)
“Does exactly what DeWalt says it will do” (Lithium-Ion)
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(links on this page are sponsored affiliate links, the owner is not a bonafide user of this product and receives commission for sales made. The info on this site is the webmasters opinion only)
