BATTERY F.A.Q. S
1. What impact does battery
chemistry (ie. NiCd, NiMH or Lithium Ion) have on cordless tool performance?
Power is the result of battery voltage
+ tool efficiency (motor, switch, transmission etc.).
Runtime is the result of battery voltage + battery amp-hour
+ tool efficiency (motor, switch, transmission etc.).
Chemistry determines the size and weight of the battery and
it’s durability. Chemistry does NOT impact power or runtime.
The last statement is not entirely true. Li-Ion
batteries can overheat if drained at very high rates. There is current-limiting circuitry in either tools or batteries that
prevent that from happening. I compared Makita BHP451 with DeWalt DC925 with NiCd battery, and even though Makita claims to
have higher torque and lower RPM (300 vs 450 on DeWalt), drill got stuck when I tried to drill a pine 4x4 with a 2 inch hole
saw, while DeWalt just slowed down. DeWalt's Nano batteries have higher discharge current (=more power) and lower capacity
as a tradeoff. Cells in Makita batteries are 1460 mAh while DeWalt 18v nano's are 1100 mAh, yielding ~3 and 2.2 Ah (2.3
Ah for 28v and 36v) batteries respectively. Current-limiting circuitry is a good thing.
2. Does that mean
for a given voltage, a NiCd battery will deliver the same power as a lithium ion?
Yes, for example, an 18V NiCd
battery has the potential to deliver the same power as a 18V Lithium Ion battery. The battery chemistry will determine the
size, weight and durability.
NiCd XRP batteries are claimed to be 2.4 Ah while 18v Nano are 2.2. I tested both
in a DC415 grinder and had the same number of cuts across half inch rebar (multiple tests). It has to do with a discharge
curve. You will get slightly more runtime with NiCd XRP if you use it in an incadescent/fluorescent light, but in power tools
it will be the same. Don't forget that NiCd has high self-discharge rate and LiIon does not, so after a week of sitting
in your toolbox NANO batteries will completely outperform your NiCd. NiCd lose 15-20% of charge in the first 24 hours, 7-10%
the next day.
3. Why does the NANO 18V drill have 425 UWO and the XRP 18V drill have 510 UWO?
UWO
= Unit-watt hours
XRP was specifically designed for users whose top priorities are power and run time, while NANO
was designed for users whose priorities are ergonomics (size/weight) and performance. These differences in priorities allowed
for tools designed with different motors, transmissions, etc.
What they are trying to say: Li-Ion cannot provide
as much current as NiCd so they toned down the torque to extend the battery life by not putting it under the same stress as
NiCd. They also slipped up and admitted NANO has lower capacity than NiCd. Like I said before, capacity difference is negligent.
Edit: Dewalt released XRP tools with Nano style base, so apparently Nano can match NiCd in power.
4. Does the 18V NANO battery have more runtime than the 18V XRP battery?
No. The 18V NANO and 18V XRP batteries
deliver the same runtime. The advantages of 18V NANO are lighter weight and more recharges.
If a user needs more
power or runtime, 28V or 36V is a solution as increasing voltage delivers more power and runtime.
Again, NiCd is
2.4 Ah, 18v NANO is 2.2 and 28/36 volt NANO is 2.3 Ah. HOWEVER! 36v tools outperform 18v tools by more than twice in runtime.
18v DC410 grinder does 10 cuts across 1/2" rebar (2mm disc) on 1 freshly charged NiCd XRP battery, 36v DC415 does 31!!!
5. Are all lithium ion batteries the same?
No. There are over 100 formulas of lithium ion batteries
and each one is very different. The majority of formulas were developed for cell phones and laptops which are low power applications
- very different from power tools. DEWALT tools needed to deliver high power, long run-time and extreme durability to withstand
the harsh job site environment.
At DEWALT, we tested over 13,000 lithium ion cells. Over the last decade, it became
apparent that no “off the shelf” formula would meet our stringent requirements for power, runtime and durability.
We ultimately decided to develop our lithium ion solution from the ground up, specifically designed for power tools.
6. What is the technology inside the DEWALT batteries with NANO Technology?
To create the battery technology
initially introduced in the 36V system, DEWALT partnered with A123Systems, a developer of a new generation of lithium ion
batteries that incorporates nanoscale technology developed at and exclusively licensed from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The DEWALT battery technology has a unique NANO-phosphate lithium ion design that offers a high level of power, runtime and
life compared to conventional lithium ion technology. For example, the NANO-phosphate battery delivers 2,000 recharges (over
3x more life than any other formula of lithium ion we evaluated). NANO-Phosphate is available in three voltages:
The 36V battery delivers 2x power and 2-3x more run-time compared to 18V; however it weighs the same as a 18V NiCd battery.
The 28V battery delivers increased power and up to 50% more run-time compared to 18V; however it weighs the same
as a 14.4V NiCd battery.
The 18V nano-phosphate batteries are smaller in size and 1 lbs lighter in weight than
their NiCd or NiMH counterparts. They are also backwards compatible with the existing DEWALT line of 40+ tools.
36v battery is 60 grams (2.11 oz) heavier than a NiCd XRP battery.
18v DC527 fluorescent light does not accept 18v
NANO battery, a section has to be filed out to accomodate extra ridges on the battery.
7. What type of electronics
are inside the nano-phosphate lithium ion batteries?
All DEWALT NANO-phosphate batteries include an electronic
circuit for safety and maximum reliability. The electronics monitor a variety of factors such as temperature, voltage and
current for each individual cell. The NANO batteries are designed to work with the DEWALT power tools to deliver maximum performance
in our jobsite conditions.
The NANO batteries will also protect the tool from burn up. For example, if a large
diameter bit is locked up in the material, the NANO battery will shut down prior to motor burn up. Inserting the battery into
the charger will reset the battery.
Electronics are mandatory with lithium ion batteries. All competitors incorporate
electronics in their lithium ion batteries and many incorporate features like the burn up protection mentioned above.
8. How does the DEWALT nano-phosphate battery cycle life compare to other formulas of lithium ion?
Our industry
does not have a standard for measuring cycle life (# of recharges). Results can vary based on how heavy of an application
is simulated. For example, the same battery may deliver 1,000+ cycles when simulating a flashlight or small screws but only
400 cycles when simulating drilling with an auger bit or cutting 2x material. In general, the harder you work a battery, the
lower the number of recharges.
At DEWALT, we base our cycle life testing off of real profiles of DEWALT users.
In these situations, we see over 2,000 cycles. This was 3x more than the next best formula of lithium ion we evaluated.
9. How do the DEWALT nano-phosphate batteries perform in hot or cold weather?
All DEWALT batteries are very robust
and durable in both hot and cold weather. Optimal performance is between 4°C (40°F) and 40°C (105°F). Above
or below these temperatures can result in reduced performance.
In comparison, competitive lithium ion, NiCd and
NiMH all have similar performance in cold. In hot, Nano-Phosphate, Lithium Oxide, NiCd and NiMH have similar performance.
However, Lithium Manganese (TTI products - Ridgid, Milwaukee, Ryobi) will see permanent capacity loss at temperatures achievable
in a gang box or trunk.
Do not leave your batteries in cars if it's close to freezing temperatures or hot in
summertime! Especially in the trunk or in direct sunlight. You will damage them! While NANO can withstand heat better you
should still take your batteries with you.
10. Do the DEWALT nano-phosphate batteries have fade free power?
Yes. All DEWALT batteries (7.2V-36V NiCd/NiMH/Li-Ion) have fade free power. The battery power delivered is constant
throughout the discharge.
NiCd and NiMH do fade at the end while Li-Ion just cut off (overdischarge circuitry kicks
in), but 90-95% of runtime is very stable.
11. What are the benefits of DEWALT’s Nano-Phosphate battery
technology?
Nano-phosphate has the following benefits compared to traditional lithium ion formulas:
Longer
cycle life: 2,000 recharges which is 3x more than any other formula of lithium ion evaluated
Constant performance
over the life of the battery: No power loss with cycling or with state of charge
Specifically designed for high
power applications like power tools and HEVs.
Other chemistries were designed for low power applications like cell
phones and laptops and then “tweaked” for power tools.
12. What does the future hold for NiCd
and NiMH?
There still will be a market for both NiCd and NiMH. These battery technologies are still going to be
relevant and further optimized. In many cases, they provide the necessary power, runtime, durability and value for the professional
user.
13. Should any DEWALT batteries be completely discharged prior to re-charging?
No. Just
the opposite. You should stop using a battery as soon as you feel a substantial decrease in power from the tool. Completely
running down a battery may damage the cells inside. Do not tape a trigger to run the battery all the way down, regardless
of chemistry.
Leaving Li-Ion batteries in tools is a very bad idea, especially if they are discharged. Triggers
can be pressed accidentally and battery drained to a point of "no return". Internal battery circuitry drains the
battery too (very slowly) and some tools (Makita BML184 fluorescent light) consume power even when off. So what happens is
over time Li-Ion cells discharge below "no return" threshold (2.7 v per cell AFAIK) and you end up with a dead battery.
It's not really dead, it's just internal charge controller not letting you charge it because it might explode. If
it's under warranty, bring it to the service center ASAP. Makita, shame on you for designing a crappy circuit for BML184
light. Big box stores should take notice too and remove all Li-Ion batteries off displays because people drain them to death.
Keep your Li-Ion batteries charged (40% is optimal), keep them at room temperaturte.
14. Is a new charger
needed for the 18V NANO-phosphate batteries?
Yes. A new charger, the DC9310, is now available. The DC9310 will
charge 7.2V-18V NiCd, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries. The DC9310 will have a yellow top to help differentiate from the all black
NiCd/NiMH chargers.
15. Will the dual port, vehicle and radio chargers be upgraded to be compatible with
the nano-phosphate batteries?
Yes. The dual port charger (DC9320) is available now. Over the next year, the vehicle
and radio chargers will be changed to be compatible with the NANO-phosphate batteries.
16. Why did the DC9310
charger blink bad pack the first time an 18V NANO pack was inserted?
The fit up of battery to charger is the same
as the existing DW9116. However, we have noticed that occasionally due to the lighter weight of the NANO pack, users did not
at first fully seat the battery in the charger. If the charger and battery are not making good contact, a bad pack blink is
possible. Fully seating the battery will result in proper charging. Long term, we are making this fit up less sensitive to
the lighter NANO battery.
17. How long does it take to charge the batteries?
The DC9000 (28V-36V)
and DC9310 (7.2V-18V NiCd/NiMH/Li-Ion) chargers will charge the battery in 60 minutes to 100% charge.
18.
What does the charger monitor and communicate?
Temperature: The charger will suspend charging below 0ºC
and above 50ºC. This extends battery life.
Problem powerline: If the charger is plugged into a generator,
inverter etc. the charger will suspend operation if the line is too high or low.
Bad Pack or Bad Charger: The charger
will communicate if the battery or charger needs to be replaced.
In addition, the charger communicates with the
battery during the charge cycle to optimize the charge.
19. How does service test if a NANO battery or charger
is good?
As both the NANO battery and chargers have electronics with memory, every time the battery is inserted
into the charger, they communicate with each other as to the health of the system. A full diagnostics routine occurs as well
- much more detailed than NiCd or NiMH. Simply inserting the battery into the charger will read if the battery or charger
is bad. No additional equipment is needed.
20. Makita and Milwaukee have battery testers. Is DEWALT going
to offer something similar?
The Makita and Milwaukee battery testers record how many times the battery has been
inserted into the charger and the maximum temperature the battery sees over its life. However, neither gives a good indication
of the health of the battery. Lithium Ion batteries age by how hard you discharge them (ie. auger bit vs drywall screw) and
the total exposed time at elevated temperatures. For example:
Battery A: Charged 800 times. Each cycle was used
to drive 50 drywall screws and then recharged. The battery was left one time for 4 hours in a trunk that reached 140F.
Battery B: Charged 200 times. Each cycle the battery was fully drained by ripping sheets of plywood with a circular saw.
Every day in the summer the battery was stored in a gang box. The battery had a total of 50 hours at 130F.
Battery
A is actually much healthier than Battery B. However, if you looked at the readout of the Milwaukee or Makita battery tester
you would assume the opposite. As these testers are very inaccurate, DEWALT decided to go with a different strategy. DEWALT
will repair or replace any battery due to normal wear and tear for 2 years. The 2 year service contract is unique to DEWALT
and a huge advantage over the competitors who only cover manufacturing defects. There are no stipulations or qualifications
based on usage or cycle count.
21. Why isn’t the DEWALT charger equipped with air cooling?
When
a battery is hot, it becomes less efficient and both runtime and life decreases. Air cooling a battery helps get rid of the
heat prior to the next usage, however, it doesn’t fix why the battery becomes hot. Since the NANO-phosphate batteries
were designed from the ground up for power tool applications, particular attention was given to greatly reduce heat generation
inside the battery. The batteries run very cool - both in charge and discharge - eliminating the need for air cooling. This
results in the NANO-phosphate batteries delivering the highest levels of robustness and durability.
22. What
is memory and do DEWALT batteries have it?
Memory is created from repetitive light use in the exact same application
(i.e. Cordless Phones, Video Cameras, Electric Shavers, etc.) Our products rarely see light use or the exact same loads, due
to variability from the user, the bit size, as well as the material. The same variability which causes different runtimes,
prevents our cells from developing memory.
23. What is the self discharge rate a lithium ion battery?
Lithium
ion batteries have a very low self-discharge rate and can be stored for several months with minimal capacity loss.
How
informative! It's about 5% per month.
24. Does it hurt DEWALT batteries to leave them in the charger?
No. All DEWALT chargers have an automatic tune-up mode which allows batteries to remain in the charger, maintaining
a fully charged pack until the user is ready to work.
If NiCd batteries are stored outside of the charger, they
will discharge naturally, 15-20% the first 24 hours, 7-10% the next day, and about 1% every day there after. NiCd batteries
lose the bulk of the capacity when outside of the charger in the first 3 days. In fact, it is better for the battery to leave
it in the charger to be sure it goes through Equalization and Maintenance Modes.
Nano-Phosphate Lithium Ion batteries
have minimal self discharge. However, it is still recommended to leave the battery in the charger to be sure it goes through
Equalization and Maintenance Modes.
25. Can DEWALT chargers be run off of a generator?
Yes. All
DEWALT chargers, excluding the DW9106, have been designed to handle the variations in voltage and current delivered by generators.
If the generator output goes too high or low, the DEWALT charger will suspend operation until the line comes back into range.
During this time, the charger will blink “Problem Powerline”.
This is not entirely true. DC9000 charger
complains about a bad powerline when used with a modified sine inverter. I will test it again soon.
26. What should
be done with batteries once they have gone bad?
RECYCLE. All rechargeable batteries should be recycled. DEWALT
is an active participant with RBRC (Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation), the organization which is the international
leader in the collection, transportation, and recycling of rechargeable batteries. Old batteries should be disposed of at
DEWALT Service Centers. For more information call 1-(800) 8-BATTERY or 1-(800) 8-228-8379.
27. What is the
warranty on NANO batteries?
3 Year Limited Warranty: DEWALT will repair, without charge, any defects due
to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase.
2 Year Service Contract: DEWALT will
maintain the battery and replace worn parts caused by normal use, for free, for two years from the date of purchase (with
no qualifications on number of cycles).
90 Day Money Back Guarantee
In comparison, Milwaukee and
Makita only cover manufacturing defects. The DEWALT 2 year service free service covers manufacturing defects as well as normal
wear and tear.
28. What are the benefits of the 18V nano-phosphate technology vs. Makita LXT?
Cycle Life: The nano-phosphate delivers 2,000 cycles vs. 500 on Makita. Even though Makita has a slightly higher amp-hour,
the DEWALT nano-phosphate delivers 2.5x more work:
Tool System: In 18V, DEWALT offers the largest system with over
40 tools.
Warranty: DEWALT offers a 2 year free service contract which covers wear and tear in addition to manufacturing
defects.
Ehh. Of course 2000 cycles is a stretch and I'm sure Makita can do more than 500 even though
cells will no longer have the same capacity. Again, Makita batteries are 2.9 Ah (3 Ah according to marketing) and DeWalt 18v
NANO is 2.2 Ah. Dewalt DC410 grinder with a 18v Nano battery yields 10 cuts of 1/2" rebar with 2mm disc and Makita's
BGA452 yields 16. Makita is more efficient in this case. When it comes to 36v tools, DeWalt wins hands down, because we get
30 cuts (3x more) even though battery voltage is only 2x and capacity is 26% less. Makita's battery warranty is 1 year.
I also have to give a credit to DeWalt for making batteries backwards-compatible and a slap upside the head for making them
aesthetically NOT match the shape of old tools.
29. What are the benefits of the 18V nano-phosphate technology
vs. Milwaukee V18?
Cycle Life: The nano-phosphate delivers 2,000 cycles vs. 400 on Milwaukee. Even though
Milwaukee has a slightly higher amp-hour, the DEWALT nano-phosphate delivers 2.5x more work:
Tool System: In 18V,
DEWALT offers the largest system with over 40 tools.
High Temperature Degradation: The lithium manganese oxide
formula that Milwaukee uses is very sensitive to high temperature storage. Prolonged storage in truck boxes, trunks etc. will
result in permanent capacity loss.
Warranty: DEWALT offers a 2 year free service contract which covers wear and
tear in addition to manufacturing defects.
30. When will more 18V NANO combo kits be available?
Currently,
work is underway to change all 18V units to the “short” foot design. The short foot looks aesthetically better
with both NANO and XRP batteries. All 18V tools will be transitioning to the short foot, regardless of battery chemistry packed
in the kit.
In Q2, additional NANO combo kits will be offered. However, in the interim, the 18V NANO battery is
compatible with the full DEWALT system of 40+ tools, making DEWALT the broadest 18V system on the market.
31.
Which tools have fit up issues with the NANO battery?
Since 1996, DEWALT has produced over 250 versions of 18V
tools. Upon design of the 18V NANO battery, it was discovered that 5 models would not accept the 18V NANO battery: DC212 rotary
hammer, DC527 fluorescent light, DC908 pivot flashlight, DC500 cordless/corded vacuum and DW073 manually leveling laser. Changes
are in place to correct new production. However, should a user have an older unit that does not accept the NANO battery, a
free housing exchange will be available through product service.
When I asked a local service center about this,
they had no clue what I was talking about. I just filed off extra plastic in my DC527.
32. Does the 18V NANO
battery play the DC011 or DW911 radios?
Since the DC011 and DW911 are chargers, the 18V NANO battery will physically
not fit into the radios. A new radio that accepts NANO batteries is in development.
33. Are the DC021 or
DC022 worklights compatible with the 18V NANO batteries? The worklights are only compatible with 7.2V-18V NiCd and NiMH batteries.
The NANO batteries will physically not fit into the worklight.