DeWalt batteries and tools

[Ron Dame]

The last of my 18v DeWalt batteries has died. The tools work great, but the batteries are NLA, except for some off brand ones with questionable ratings.
I can get a 20V conversion and 2 batteries plus charger for about $150, or replace the tools and batteries for around $225. It just seems a shame to trash perfectly good tools just because the batteries are obsolete. And regardless, whatever I do will be obsolete as soon as I buy anything 20V.
Yes, I am a CASO, but what would you all do?

[skalka]

DeWalt batteries can be rebuilt, but the cost is higher than a new off brand battery. At least according to the place where I buy car batteries.

[IndStudenut]

I have a18v dewalt sawsall that I had the same problem with. batteries were shot and couldn't find good after market. I also had a newer 20v drill. I bought one of those cheap adapters to run the square 20v batteries in my oval battery 18v sawsall. It runs like a new saw and takes for ever to run the battery down. Best $15 dollars I ever spent. Of course I had the square batteries already. I have bought after market 20v 6ah square batteries and they seem to hold up pretty good.. I think I gave $40 for a pair.... it might have been $60.

[Skip Lackie]

Yeah, ran into that last year. Bit the bullet and bought the 20v batteries, converter, and charger for the same $150. Couldn't bear to throw away perfectly good 18v drill, sawzall, work light, etc. Pain in the ass.

[garyash]

I also bought the 20 volt adaptor, happy with the results on several tools. I have a DeWalt 12 volt small drill and a 12 volt impact driver, too. The DeWalt chain saw with a 5 A-Hr 20 volt battery will saw a surprisingly large amount of wood. At Home Depot the other day there was a DeWalt leaf blower with a 60 volt rating, can’t imagine what a new battery for it would cost.

[Buzzard]

Ron,
I too was committed to the DeWalt 18 volt system. I was always using the various hand tools when we were building our house 12-15 years ago. Now only occasionally. I did purchase a couple of the knock off 18V batteries but they are not nearly as good as the original DeWalt ones.
Now for the good news.
I recently purchased (with a mild heart attack due to the price) a Milwaukee electric grease gun. BP had convinced me to purchase a Lock'n Lube adaptor so I had to use it on something. My ancient electric gun was on it's last legs battery wise and there are no good battery replacements.
My first realization was that I wasted so much time and money on the old system and the Milwaukee is so good. Two speeds and different pressures. Too bad I waited 10 years (must be me being CASO).
It is especially effective on lubing my excavator and Military dump truck which have a multitude of grease zerks only to compete with Studebaker for quantity.
I highly endorse the Milwaukee product.
Cheers,
Bill

[Silverplate]

Sounds like we all have something in common. I also had the Dewalt 18v and went to the adapter. Since I was now using a 20v my new tool additions became 20v. I am still using a circular saw and sawsall with adapter. I have many newer tools now. The Dewalt portable air compressor and DC10 speaker are awesome additions.

[swvalcon]

All these electric tool companies do this Craftsman included. This is how they sucker you into buying new tools. Stop making the batteries and make the old ones useless. Would think someone would build replacement batteries at a normal price. Would be a hell of a good market.

[BobWaitz]

This is why all my stuff is still corded. But I am very interested in what you end up doing as it applies to all battery-powered appliances from drills up to E-Bikes. So please post what you decide on.

[rockne10]

Check with MTO Battery in Red Lion, Pa. for pricing on rebuilding your batteries.They've done four of my DeWalt batteries.

https://www.mtobattery.com

[ole 64]

Ron, call batteries plus in Asheville and see if they're still rebuilding battery paks. When I worked there a few years back, we did.

[Lark Hunter]

I've used the NiCad to Li-ion adapters on DeWilt stuff, and it's pretty okay. They had some issues with bunk charge circuity in the 20v battery packs circa 2017 (the packs only charged to about 1/3 or 1/2 capacity) and wouldn't stand behind it , but recent stuff seems to be good. The only other real downside is that there's some internal circuitry in the adapter itself that will slowly discharge batteries over a handful of days if you leave the batteries connected when the tool isn't in use for awhile; I just got in the habit of releasing the battery once I'm done using a tool for the day. Other than that one niggle, the setup works well, and is a good way to get more mileage out of the old NiCad tools.