DeWalt battery compatibility - 18V

[RobertN]

I have an older DeWalt 18v tool pack; drill/driver, recip saw, small circular saw, flashlight and charger. I've gone thru a couple sets of batteries. Current batteries are on their last legs.

Do 18V Lithium batteries work on the older tools? This Home Depot link makes it sound like a lithium battery(and lithium charger) should work

DEWALT 18-Volt XRP Lithium-Ion Extended Runtime Battery Pack 2.Ah-DC9182 - The Home Depot

 

[ning]

I can't answer your question, but I found it cheaper to buy new tools (which came with new batteries) than to replace batteries for my old Dewalt setup (I got a drill, an impact driver, and a recip saw - the Dewalt small circ saw was useless as it would get maybe 4 2x4 cuts on a brand new battery when new, and I have other flashlights). I sold the old Dewalt set for $85 on craigslist with the 2 or 3 so-so batteries I had; that $85 almost paid for the drill & driver & 1 battery & charger, and my recip saw & battery cost $50 (Ryobi stuff). Bonus is instead of a drill that serves as a driver, I have one of each now (with the easy change chuck for the driver) and the newer recip saws have a tool-less blade change - so convenient!

gg. I just looked at that link - $105 for a freekin' battery?!

 

[RNeumann]

I have an older DeWalt 18v tool pack; drill/driver, recip saw, small circular saw, flashlight and charger. I've gone thru a couple sets of batteries. Current batteries are on their last legs.

Do 18V Lithium batteries work on the older tools? This Home Depot link makes it sound like a lithium battery(and lithium charger) should work

DEWALT 18-Volt XRP Lithium-Ion Extended Runtime Battery Pack 2.Ah-DC9182 - The Home Depot

The newer lithiums generally work in the older tools that originally came with NiCad batts. The NiCads have a memory and the technology was generally replaced with lithium. So if the the voltage and connection type is the same it should work.
If I recall the older dewalt batts have screws in the case (instead of being welded/glued shut) and can be "rebuilt." I think they look like AA batts soldered together. You'd still need a new charger if you went with Lithium.

Having said that I have to agree with the above post. The "common" tools like a drill and driver can typically be had new for what you pay for batteries.
I've also had a lot of success buying batteries on Amazon- especially for the older tools.

 

[Dftodd]

Pops bought an adapter to use the new Dewalt battery's in his older guns. My mother in law bought him the new 20 volt kit to replace his old kit. The old kit just had bum battery's. When they priced out the battery's, the kit was just a few bucks more.

 

[BHD]

with the adapter, the new 20 volt batteries will work with the 18 volt tools in most instances, ( saw in the dewalt web site, there are a couple of tools they will not work properly with, (my guess is amp draw)), but I have a 18 volt saw, saws all, drills, and drivers, and other tools and the adapter and 20 volt batteries work on all I have,

I need to get a second adapter, for my stuff,

 

[dougtrr2]

One problem with the adapter is that it does not easily swap between all tools. There are some tools that it tends to "lock in" and is very hard to get back off.

Doug in SW IA

 

[oosik]

My new tools have Li batteries. They may have been able to power my old tools with the NiCd batteries but the connection configuration would not work. Besides - the new tools are so much stronger and the batteries last so much longer.