Drill Battery Interchange Guide

Drill-Battery-Interchange-guide

Drill battery interchanging is using an optional drill battery with using an adaptor instead of the recommended drill battery in the tool. Drill batteries can be interchanged between brands, voltages, and capacities.

Before you interchange the drill battery with an adaptor, you should check whether the drill battery voltages are similar. Because it affects the power of the tool. Then, you should consider the drill battery capacity, which affects to run time of the tool. Then, you should know the battery technology for the optimum usage of the battery. Lastly, you should consider the power consumption of the tool in order to have the best efficiency from the tool.

When you interchange drill batteries, there are both pros and cons. When you interchange the drill battery by interchanging you should know these important things such as you can use a 12V battery in 18V Dewalt. You can’t use an 18V battery in a 12V drill. You can interchange a 2 Ah battery and a 1.5Ah battery when the operating voltage is the same.

What is Drill Battery Interchanging?

Drill battery interchanging is using an optional drill battery with using an adaptor instead of the recommended drill battery in the tool. Drill batteries can be interchanged between brands, voltages, and capacities. Among them, the most important thing is the battery voltage. When you interchange the drill battery, you should consider battery voltages, battery capacity, battery technology, and power tool power consumption.

What Should You Consider Before Interchanging Drill Battery?

In this topic, I will explain to you all in detail about factors you should consider before using batteries with interchanging.

Drill Battery Voltage

When you interchange drill batteries, you should consider the voltage between two batteries. Because each and every tool is designed for a special voltage. If the voltage is varied, it can directly affect the drill performance. That is why the 18V tool has more performance than the 12V. If the recommended voltage is exceeded, the tool can be burned out.

If you use battery interchange, first check the tool voltage and battery voltage to see 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 the expected performance. Never use a high-voltage battery in a low-voltage tool. It will burn the tool.

Drill Battery Capacity (Amph)

When you interchange the drill batteries, you should know their capacities. Because will tell us how much current it can provide per hour. Capacity is the storage of the battery, it shown by “Ah” on the drill 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.

Drill Battery 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 Battery Power Consumption

The power tool power consumption is essential while you interchange the drill battery. According to the power tool power consumption, the capacity and the voltage should be selected. In order to have maximum power of the drill battery should use a higher voltage, while for maximum durability, you should choose a higher capacity battery.

So, when you select an interchangeable drill battery, you must know the drill machine’s requirements. Make sure it can operate with that voltage. Current is varied with the task. If the task is high, it will require more current and increase the drilling performance.

What Can I Use to Interchange the Drill Battery?

You can use a drill battery adaptor to interchange the drill battery. The below table explains you what brill batteries can be interchanged with what brands.

DeWalt 20V & Milwaukee M18 Batteries interchange withMakita 18V Battery Interchange withDeWALT 20v Battery Interchange with20V Porter Cable, Black and Decker, Stanley batteries(18V Bostitch)BOSCH 18VM18 Milwaukee Battery
Makita20VMax DewaltM18 MilwaukeeMakita 18VMakita 18V20V Max Dewalt
RyobiM18 MilwaukeeOLD 18V Dewalt Ni-Cd18V OLD DeWalt Nicad (BPS18D)Twin USB charging portsOld Milwaukee NICAD V18
BOSCH20VMax PORTER-CABLE Black DeckerHitachiNi-Cd 18v Black & DeckerUSB charger and power source
CRAFTSMAN 19.2V18V Ni-Cd Makita18V Nicad Porter Cable
18V Old Dewalt Ni-CdBosch 18VCraftsman 19.2V-BOSCH 18V
Ryobi 18VRYOBI 18V
18V BOSCH
14.4V Nicad Makita:
20V WORX

What are the Pros and Cons of Drill battery Interchanging?

Drill-battery-interchange

After having all in details about drill battery interchangings, let’s see what the good and bad effects of drill battery interchanging are?. Most of drill battery problems occur due to the cons of drill battery interchanging.

Pros of Drill Battery Interchanging

  • You can use single battery for multi-tools
  • No need to spend money on 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 the current variation
  • Battery performance will reduce
  • Additional cost for adaptor

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.


Tom Mackency

Tom Mackency

Hi, I am Tom Mackency. It has been 10 years that I have been working as a professional woodworker since 2013. I am really enjoying my carrier by creating many kinds of projects in my workshop. But mostly I like for home improvement projects. Home improvement and DIY projects are the most interesting things for me. More than that, the coolest things are power tools. Those are very precious and efficient than a decade ago. So I try to introduce so many things about power tools, woodworking, DIY projects, home improvement and many more interesting topics here.


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