I have a Dewalt 18V drill with an 18V, 1.5Ah battery. Recently I needed to buy a Makita impact driver. So I could research about it. Can you believe what I found there? There is a way to use Dewalt 18V battery in the Makita 18V impact wrench. So I don’t need to buy an additional Makita battery. I can use the same battery in the Makita tool also. I could interchange the drill batteries. I could find many things when I researched them. So let’s see what those are in detail?
Generally, different brand 18V and 20V drill batteries can be interchanged using the adaptor. You are not allowed to use interchange directly, but you can use a socket adaptor for this task. It will cost about $10 – $25. Before you interchange, make sure the voltage of the tool and battery, are equal.
After I found the adaptor, I could find many details about this. There are things that I had to consider for the tool and battery safety. So I have lined up all in detail below.
You should know the voltage, capacity, technology, and many things before using it. Don’t worry I will explain to you all in detail about drill battery interchangeable. Let’s keep reading on!
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How Can you Use Drill Battey Interchange?
Drill batteries are very important as a cordless power source for the drills and drivers. It is manufactured by many companies. Manufactured drill batteries are identical for the specific brand. So it can’t use for another brand if you need it. If you use different brands’ tools, you have to buy batteries from every brand. This was the past. But now, you can use a drill battery by interchanging it if voltage and capacity are compatible with the tool. So let’s see how you can do it.
Why Can’t You Use Directly Interchange?
Normally a company is love for the profit and expand the brand. So each one has produced according to their guidelines and conditions. This is the same for all.
In the past, most drills come as a package of drills and batteries. But currently, most drills are available single. We have to buy a drill battery for that. Each drill battery can be used in specific brand tools. This means you can use Makita 18V battery in any Makita tool. But you can’t use the Makita battery in Dewalt tools. According to this if you wish to buy a set of tools, you have to buy them from the same brand although there is good options due to specific battery.
There is both good and bad effect. Considering the battery and tool, there is a special design in the mounting area. Although voltage and capacity are the same, there is a difference in the mounting unit. It has been designed identical to the brand. This is a really bad thing for the user.
Read More About – Can I Use an 18V Battery in a 20V Drill? – Interchange Guide
What you Should Use for Interchange the Drill Battery?
Although there is a difference in the mounting socket, we can use another brand drill battery with using an adaptor. It has designed two sides according to the face of the adaptor and connects them together. Only having the adaptor you can’t use is interchanging because there are many factors to be considered when you use it.
Most adaptors are available for the 18V and 20V drill batteries. Because those are the most used power source and there is no high difference between 18V and 20V batteries. So take a look in detail about drill battery interchanging.
What you Should Know Before Interchange Drill Batteries?
In this topic, I will explain to you all in detail about factors you should consider before using batteries with interchanging.
Voltage
Each and every tool is designed for a special voltage. Voltage is the electrical potential difference in the battery terminals. Voltage can accelerate the electrons. It can speed up the tool. That is why the 18V tool has more performance than the 12V. The drill has an inside motor. Inside motor has designed with special voltage and current. If the recommended voltage is exceeded, the tool can be burnout.
If you use battery interchange, first check the tool voltage and battery voltage whether they are equal. If there is no high difference, you can use them. You can use a low voltage battery in a high voltage tool, but it will not gain expected performance. Never use a high voltage battery in a low voltage tool. It will burn the tool.
Remember – Adaptor will not change the voltage.
Capacity (Amph)
Capacity is the storage of the battery. It will tell us how much current it can provide per hour. If the battery is with 4.5Ah, it can provide current as below.
- 1 A current can provide 4.5 Hrs
- 3 A current can provide 1 Hrs and 30 Mins
- 4.5 Current can provide 1 Hrs
- 9 current can provide 30 mins etc.
So you should know what the capacity of the battery is. Actually, you do not need to worry about the capacity of the battery. It will not burn your tool. Ampere Hour is the capacity of the battery. It will tell you how much time you can use the tool. Normally higher capacity batteries are better than lower capacity batteries when used.
High-capacity batteries take much time to charge also. But it can work long. So when you select drill battery, select the same voltage and high capacity battery.
Read More About – How Much Power Does a Drill Battery Have? -12V | 18V | 20V
Battery Technology (Li-Ion , Ni-Cd)
This one also you should consider. Battery technology is a considerable thing. There are two types of batteries. Those are Li-Ion and Ni-Cd. Modern tools use Li-Ion batteries due to many advantages. So when you use Ni-Cd adaptors, make sure not to use the tool as it damages the battery.
Drill Machine Requirement
Normally drill machine has a specific voltage, but there is no fixed current. Because the power of the tool is varied with the task. It will need more power to drill concrete than drilling wood. There is a limitation. You can use the tool below that. But there is a maximum power that the tool can handle. If that power is exceeded, it will overheat or burn.
So when you select an interchangeable drill battery, you must know the drill machine requirements. Make sure whether too can operate with that voltage. Current is varied with the task. If the task is high, it will require more current and increase the machine performance. When it is free to run it will require a low current than it runs under load.
What are the Available Interchange Adaptors?
There are many adaptors available in the market. You can buy it on Amazon easily. I will drop here all keywords you should search for. This will not have any commission for me.
Dewalt 20v & *Milwaukee M18 Batteries (accepts both brands)
to Makita
to Ryobi
to BOSCH
to CRAFTSMAN 19.2V
to 18v Old Dewalt Ni-Cd
Makita 18v Battery
to 20vMax Dewalt
to M18 Milwaukee
to 20vMax PORTER-CABLE Black Decker
to 18v Nicad Makita
to Bosch 18v
to Ryobi 18v
to 18v BOSCH
to 14.4v Nicad Makita:
to 20v WORX
DeWALT 20v Battery
M18 Milwaukee
OLD 18v Dewalt Ni-Cd
Hitachi
20V Porter Cable, Black and Decker, Stanley batteries(18V Bostitch)
to Makita 18V
to 18V OLD DeWalt Nicad (BPS18D)
to Nicad 18v Black & Decker
to 18V Nicad Porter Cable
to Craftsman 19.2V-BOSCH 18V
to RYOBI 18V
BOSCH 18V
to Makita 18v
to Twin USB charging ports
M18 Milwaukee Battery
to 20V Max Dewalt
to Old Milwaukee NICAD V18
to the USB charger and power source
Effect of Drill Battery Interchange
After having all in detail about drill batteries interchangings, let’s see what the good and bad effects of drill battery interchanging are?.
Pros of Drill Battery Interchanging
- You can use single battery for multi tools
- No need to spend money for another battery
- Space can be saved
- Low risk of battery damage due to few no of batteries
Cons of Drill battery Interchanging
- The battery can overheat due to current variation
- The tool can be damaged due to current variation
- Battery performance will reduce
- Additinal cost for adptor
Read More About – How Long Does It Take to Charge a Cordless Drill Battery?
Can I use 18V battery in 20V Dewalt?
You can use an 18V battery in 20V Dewalt. Although there is a 20V voltage it is always 10% less than a 20V battery. So you can use the 18V and 20V drill batteries by interchanging. As well as you can use an adaptor for any brand of the drill.
Can I use 18V battery in 12V drill?
This is impossible using the adaptor. You will need a converter to turn the 18V into 12V. If you are able to convert the voltage, you can use them by interchanging. If you directly use it with an adaptor too will overheat or burn.
Can I use 2.0 Amh battery in 1.5 Amh Drill?
Of course, You can use a 2.0 Amh battery in the 1.5 Amh drill if both voltages are the same. Amh is the capacity of the battery. If you use a high-capacity battery, it can run a long time than a less-capacity battery. But make sure voltages are equal.
What is the 18V and 20V difference?
18V and 20V batteries have no significant difference. 20V battery is with 10% less voltage than its maximum. So it has 18V also. In the USA, it is called 20V, and out of the USA, it is called 18V. It is just for marketing the product.
