Dewalt Batteries

The DeWalt Products Company was started in 1924 by Raymond E. DeWalt. Their first office and manufacturing plant was located in Leola, Pennsylvania. Their flagship product is the first radial arm saw which Mr Dewalt perfected in 1922. This machine was known as the DeWalt "Wonder-Worker."

The company quietly grew in size for many years, selling all sorts of power tools from saws to grinders. Then in 1994 they made a big splash by releasing 30 14.4 volt cordless power tools which included drills, screwdrivers, drivers, impact tools, saws, lights and the first drill/driver/hammer drill combo. At the time these 14.4V tools were the most powerful available.

Fast forward to today and Dewalt sells well over 1,000 different electric power tools and accessories in dozens of categories. And the pursuit of bigger and better cordless tools has meant a dramatic switch to battery powered tools.

There are many sizes of cordless power tools available from Dewalt. The range includes 7.2V, 9.6V, 12V, 14.4V, 18V, 28V and the whopping 36V.

But what do these numbers mean exactly?

The V stands for volts or voltage. This is a measure of the batteries energy potential. With higher voltage comes longer battery life and increased power potential.

You will often see batteries rated by their Amp-Hour rating. This measures the amount of work a battery can produce. Higher amp-hours means less frequent recharges needed.

Another battery term is cycle-life. This refers to how many times the battery can be charged before it loses its ability to hold its power. Keep in mind there are no standard tests for battery cycle-life so comparing brand X to Dewalt cycle life is not always the best way to compare. Dewalt uses 'real life' conditions (instead of perfectly designed test labs) to test cycle life so you as a consumer can be sure your tool will live up to the claims on the box.

The power capacity of a cordless power tool is affected by 2 things; voltage and tool design. More voltage means more power. A more efficient tool design also means more power can be produced using the same amount of voltage.

Ok, almost done with the jargon. There are a couple of industry standard battery types. They include NiCd (Ni-Cad) and Lithium Ion (Li Ion). Note: There are other battery chemistries but for Dewalt and other power tool companies, these are all we need to know about.

Now as far as power is concerned, battery type has NO effect on the amount of powered delivered. In other words, a 2.4 Amp NiCd battery will be able to cut as many holes in a piece of wood as a 2.4 Amp Li Ion battery.

There are 2 difference though. The Li Ion batteries are lighter and smaller than NiCd. That can be very important, especially if you are a contractor with a power tool on your belt all day long. Secondly, the Li Ion battery has a much longer cycle life than a NiCad. In fact Dewalt states that the difference is 2000 to 800. In other words, in test conditions with the same powered battery, a NiCd has a cycle life of 800 and the Li Ion has a cycle life of 2,000.

So, for you, that means if you have many projects or you are a contractor the Li Ion battery is a better value. If you are just a do it yourselfer, like me, than the NiCd is the better value (unless the 2 different batteries have similar prices).

Ok, enough battery jargon. On to some very useful battery advice.

Here are some tips for improving the cycle life of your Dewalt batteries.

1. Do not intentionally drain the battery on your Dewalt power tool. Their batteries do NOT develop a 'memory'. Use them until you notice it losing its power and then recharge the battery. Never fully drain the battery and you will help extend its cycle life.

2. Always use your power tools within the temperature range of 40 to 105 degrees F. You can use them outside those temperatures but their performance may be reduced.

3. Batteries do not like heat or humidity. Therefore it is best to store them in a dry cool place in your home or work place.

4. Every so often place your battery in the charger for at least 8 hours. Dewalt charges perform a 3-stage charging which helps maximize battery cell runtime. If you are a light user, do this once every month or two. If you are a heavy user, do this once a week. Also, you are allowed to keep the batteries sitting in the charger until you need to use them. This will not harm the battery in any way.

5. Always recycle your used batteries. You can call 1-800-8-BATTERY or visit www.rbrc.org for a recycle location near you.

When it comes to buying a second or replacement Dewalt battery you might think first to head over to Lowes or Home Depot.

But if you want to save a few dollars then you should consider shopping online. In fact, I have started buying many more products online because of a lot of reasons.

1. No pressure. You can take your time, read, learn and only when you are ready do you make your purchase.

2. No lineups or unfriendly cashiers. It bothers me when I go someplace and am prepared to spend hundreds of dollars only to have to wait in line for 20 minutes. There has to be a better way.

3. I can often get free shipping online in addition to lower costs.

Now, the place where I get a lot of my things is Amazon. I like them for 2 reasons. First I really like to read comments from other people. My wife is amazed at how I can become nothing short of a mini-expert on new items in a matter of minutes, just from reading customer comments. Second, many of Amazon's products have free shipping and lower prices than anywhere in my town.

So, for those reasons, I encourage you to have a look at Amazon. Below is a list of Dewalt batteries and chargers on sale at Amazon right now.