This is the same button you press to remove the battery from a tool. The 20 volt MAX battery differs from regular 18 volt batteries in that although it produces the same amount of volts, it is built better and more sophisticatedly than 18 volt batteries.As seen in the picture, there is a yellow and black button on the battery (color will vary depending on battery). However, you can if you purchase the 20 volt MAX battery from Dewalt. Normally, you cannot use higher voltage batteries, including a 20 volt battery, in an 18 volt Dewalt drill. Sometimes, batteries are even designed so it is impossible to insert them into the incorrect voltage drill. Otherwise, you risk damaging your drill’s integrity. Your drill battery should match the voltage of your drill. Similarly, when you use a lower voltage battery in your 18 volt Dewalt drill, you can cause your drill to work harder and exert more effort, eventually overcharging the battery. This can not only damage the battery, but can also shorten your drill’s lifespan. You risk overcharging if you use a battery with a higher voltage than 18 in your 18V drill. Can You Use Higher Voltage Batteries in a Dewalt Drill?ĭewalt drills are not designed to work with batteries that have higher voltages than the drills themselves. However, when inserted into a drill, it outputs 18 volts, its nominal voltage. The Dewalt/Craftsman line of 20 volt MAX batteries all advertise the battery’s voltage without load, meaning that it produces 20 volts when not plugged into a power tool. Nominal voltage is the actual voltage produced by a battery. Without load voltage simply describes the maximum amount of volts the battery can safely output without self-destructing or causing harm. These two measurements are quite different from one another. On the other hand, the nominal voltage of a battery is the exact voltage output. Nominal voltages are the most accurate voltage measurements you can get from a battery, whereas without load voltage measurements are the least accurate.īasically, the maximum, or without load, voltage is the measured voltage of a battery when it’s not connected to anything it would usually power, such as: What is the Difference Between Nominal and Without Load Voltages? The 20 volts Dewalt advertises actually refers to the without load voltage, or the maximum voltage it measures when it’s not connected to a power tool. Interestingly, Dewalt/Craftsman 20 volt MAX batteries and their 18 volt counterparts both output the same amount of volts when tested, even though one is advertised as a 20 volt battery. Some include the features mentioned earlier, such as improved cells, electronics, and motors. There are some slight differences between the Dewalt/Craftsman line of 20 volt MAX batteries and traditional 18 volt batteries. What is the Difference Between 20V MAX Batteries and 18V Batteries? But, you can if you opt for the Dewalt/Craftsman 20 volt MAX battery. Normally, you cannot use 20 volt batteries in your 18 volt Dewalt drill. These batteries output 18 volts, but are built better with improved electronics, cells, and motors than traditional 18V batteries.Įven though these batteries are advertised as 20V, they put out the same voltage as an 18V battery. This is because 20V batteries can overcharge your drill, causing it to eventually smoke out and damage the motor.Īlthough it is highly discouraged to use 20 volt batteries in your 18 volt drill, there are special cases in which it is perfectly safe to do so.ĭewalt and Craftsman have produced a 20 volt MAXline of batteries.

Under normal circumstances, you cannot use 20 volt batteries in an 18 volt drill. Keep reading to learn more! Can You Use 20 Volt Batteries in an 18 Volt Dewalt Drill?

You cannot use traditional 20 volt batteries in an 18 volt drill.īelow, we’ll discuss more information on using 20V batteries in an 18V Dewalt drill. This is because these batteries actually emit the same voltage as 18 volt batteries. The only 20 volt battery you can use in an 18 volt Dewalt drill is from the 20V MAX Dewalt/Craftsman battery line. Can you use a 20 volt battery in your 18 volt drill? But, some people have questions about the batteries these drills take. An 18 volt Dewalt drill is a great investment for any handyperson who’s interested in completing their own DIY tasks or repair work.

Used dewalt 20v battery