Voltage, Amp Hours, FlexVolt: The Ultimate DeWalt Battery Buying Guide
With great power tools come great batteries. Every DeWalt-using hero knows that! However, with the varying voltages, amp hours, and new DeWalt battery offerings it can become difficult to know which one to buy.
For starters, when buying batteries two measurements to look for are voltages and amp hours. Although self explanatory remember that tools only accept their labeled battery voltage (20vs tools use 20v batteries, etc.) with the exception of the FLEXVOLT batteries.
What’s the difference between XR, FLEXVOLT, PowerStack?
Let’s tackle DeWalt XR first. XR stands for extended runtime and batteries labeled as such boast a longer run time than traditional DeWalt batteries.
FLEXVOLT is the first multi-voltage battery offered by DeWalt which allow users to switch between 20v and 60v applications. This means you can use FLEXVOLT batteries on your 20v or 60v tools.
PowerStack is the newest to the DeWalt battery line offering 50% more power, 50% more efficiency (longer lasting), and a more compact design. At the time of writing of this article, DeWalt PowerStack is only offered in a 20v, 1.7ah or 5ah model.
What about the differing voltages? 12V, 20V, 60V
Okay now to understanding voltage: how much power your battery offers. When thinking about batteries it's best to use the car analogy. Voltage is equivalent to the speed or torque of a car while amp hours refer to the gas tank or range. Currently, DeWalt offers three battery voltages 12v, 20v, and 60v. 12 volts are typically used for smaller tools with less work demand and 60 volts for more demanding and longer work. 20 volts is the sweet spot for both at-home projects and tough work-site demands. Depending on your project/workplace requirements, different voltages can serve your varying needs.
DeWalt also offers a 120v tool line which requires dual 60v batteries.
What about amp hours?
As mentioned before amp hours refer to the capacity of a battery similar to the gas tank/range of a car. With higher amp hours users can expect a longer performance between charges. DeWalt currently makes varying amp hours from 1.0ah all the way to 15.0ah. Depending on the time range of your work demands you can choose between a smaller or larger capacity. It’s important to note that with larger amp hours, battery packs become bigger in size which can affect the weight of your tools.
Which battery should I buy?
Well it all depends on your project. There isn’t a one battery fit all solution so you have consider a few things. Do you have smaller home projects or longer/larger demanding work projects? Do you want to work with a lighter tool? Do you mind switching batteries often?Depending on how you anwer these questions determines which voltage and amp hour works best for you. For those who have smaller project a 12V battery works perfectly with your choice of amp hour capacity. But those who work in the trades know that 20v or 60v is a requirement. If you don’t mind changing your batteries often and want to keep your tool light a smaller amp hour battery is perfect. However, if you don’t mind a heavier tool then a 5.0ah tool will give you a longer run time. For those who want a blend of light tools, longer lasting batteries, and more power then the DeWalt PowerStack batteries are ideal. At the end of the day, the power (decision) is in your hands.
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