When it comes to cordless power tool systems, 18 volt batteries have become one of the standards for heavy-duty tools. But DeWalt has recently started the move from this standard voltage to 20 volts in their Max battery line. What difference does a couple volts make in the long run and how will it affect tool performance? What other features of this new battery line can benefit your company and what are its drawbacks? We'll answer these questions and more in this post.
18 Volt
For the most part, 18 volt has become the standard battery voltage for construction-grade tools for several years. It's dependable, reliable and proven to work well on the job site. If you've already invested in an 18 volt system, you're probably somewhat reluctant to lose that investment in favor of a new voltage system.
Many DeWalt tools also have a multi-voltage adapter, allowing it to work with everything from a 9.6 volt battery right up to an 18 volt battery. This means you can swap out batteries from a number of different voltage systems without any real work on your end. Can the 20 volt Max really provide that many benefits to push their 18 volt system out of the market? Let's see what the data shows.
20 Volt Max
One amateur tester noted that they were able to get significantly more speed and power out of the 20 volt Max series when compared to their standard 18 volt system. How much, you ask? The tester was able to make 102 holes in 6 minutes 19 seconds, or approximately 3.71 seconds per hole. Not bad, but the results that came from the 20 volt Max system blew these numbers out of the water with a total of 174 holes in 8.5 minutes, or 2.93 seconds per hole. Though that may not seem like too big a difference at a touch over three-quarters of a second, it's more than a 25% increase in speed, which is a big change on a work site. DeWalt is also claiming a 2.88 times faster application speed, 82% more power and 181% more runtime at the top of its game.
But some of the other benefits of the 20 volt Max system aren't related to the speed and power of the battery, but its many other features. The system already features a full line of tools for the new voltage system to cover any number of construction specialties. The Bluetooth-linked version of the 20 volt Max provides a range of technological features, from an electric fence that disables the battery if it leaves a particular location and timers that automatically shut the battery down after a particular period of time through DeWalt's ToolConnect app. It also will monitor temperature and provide additional monitoring information on your battery's performance and when it needs to be shut down before taking high temperature damage.
As you can see, there are significant advantages to the 20 volt Max battery and tool system. Even though it's still a relatively new system, it's more than capable of delivering on the promise and potential it shows. Do you still have questions about these battery and tool system? If so, we're always happy to help you find the information and resources you need to make an informed decision. Please feel free to contact our knowledgeable, experienced associates today for more details and with any questions you may have.
Photo Credit: Dewalt
