In 2 recent comments to our Upgrade Path from Dewalt 18V Cordless Tools? discussion post, reader made mention of an upcoming 20V Max to 18V XRP adapter that allows Dewalt’s current slide-style Li-ion battery packs to be used with their previous generation of 18V post-style tools.
We asked Dewalt about whether this, and are still waiting to hear back.
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Bill, wrote in his comment:
I just spoke with rep today at Ganahl lumber and he told they will be releasing a new adapter for 18 to 20 volt. Can’t wait because I need new batteries but I’ll make due until release.
Pat, more recently said:
As of yesterday, talking to Dewalt’s R&D department of technology they are coming out in January 2016 with an adapter to use the new 20 volt batteries on all 18 volt tools.
So that’s two separate reader accounts that a Dewalt 20V Max and 18V battery pack adapter is coming. This would allow you to use your new Dewalt 20V Max Li-ion battery packs with your older 18V tools. It doesn’t look like the reverse is true, which is okay. If you’re buying new Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tools, you’re not going to want to use them with low capacity and time-worn NiCad battery packs.
If true, there are going to be very happy and very angry Dewalt users. One group of users is going to be thrilled that they can bring new life to their much-loved Dewalt 18V cordless power tools. 20V Max Li-ion battery packs offer greater capacity, which means longer runtime, and they might even offer better performance.
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The other group of users will be those who made upgrade from Dewalt 18V tools to Dewalt’s 20V Max lineup, or perhaps a different brand’s 18V-class cordless power tool platform. I imagine that some are going to be quite upset that Dewalt waited so long to release such an adapter. Why now and not 4-1/2 years ago?
There are lots of users whose 18V and 18V XRP tools are still kicking, and so I would expect there to be strong demand for the rumored 20V Max battery adapter.
I’m going to give Dewalt the benefit of the doubt and assume that, if this 18V to 20V Max adapter is on the way to market, it was engineered in response to user’s needs and requests. If the plan all along was to delay the adapter until a few years after the 20V Max launch, that’s going to make compelled 20V Max adopters, or those who abandoned their 18V tools, even more unhappy.
It has been 2 years since we discussed whether Dewalt would be phasing out their 18V tools and batteries. If this rumored 18V to 20V Max battery adapter is imminent, then that might be a good indication that Dewalt plans to help change 18V users to their 20V Max lineup.
When it comes time to replace aged 18V batteries, a user could then buy a 20V Max Li-ion battery packs. Then when it comes time to replace a tool, or buy something new, an 18V user could buy a 20V Max tool and be able to use the same battery.
This would be great for users, and it makes one wonder why Dewalt didn’t come out with this when they launched their 20V Max lineup years ago. Perhaps at the time they couldn’t produce 20V Max batteries in sufficient projected numbers? Maybe there was a technical limitation as I had assumed, that Dewalt just now managed to overcome? Or maybe they simply didn’t want to, from a marketing standpoint, as that might have slowed sales of 20V Max tools.
Now, with there being very many new innovations to the Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tool platform, an 18V to 20V Max adapter seems like the perfect way to get 18V holdouts to migrate towards the 20V Max lineup. This could help keep users planted in Dewalt’s platform, instead of seeing them upgrading and rooting into Milwaukee’s M18 platform.
Milwaukee has become Dewalt’s most serious competition, and not just in the USA. Perhaps this new 18V to 20V Max adapter is a way to help stem the number of users shifting their loyalty from yellow to red.
After all this thinking aloud, I have all but convinced myself that Dewalt really is planning to finally release an 18V to 20V Max battery adapter. We’re waiting to hear back from Dewalt, and if they can’t share any official details just yet, we only have to wait a few months to see if the predicted January 2016 launch is accurate.
Nathan
I suspect the adapter is for use only – not charging. and you’d probably have to buy, or bundle with a Li- charger. which isn’t a bad thing.
I find it funny though considering I can still find 18V – packs for Dewalt I assume they still make them – and I know for a fact there are knock-offs of.
However I have to say – having used some of the older 18V stuff, and owning the newer 20V Li stuff. I really like the new stuff. but then the older 18V stuff I was using was over 12 years old.
Bruce
The Dewalt rep I talked to last year at a big 20v Max sale where we started to standardize our tool line up said, “We will continue making 18v packs as long as you keep buying them.”
That’s pretty much shaped our future tool buying. Our 18v stuff will continue to get used until it’s worn out, at which time we will replace it with 20v tools. It’s really nice to be able to share chargers on batteries on our large jobs. An 18v adapter would make this even easier.
Ed
I’m curious as to whether switching to a 20 volt adapter will give better performance and run time?
Stuart
I don’t know about performance, but longer runtime could be possible when using a comparably sized battery pack, and definite if you use a higher capacity battery pack.
tcmault
I certainly hope this is true. I have been an 18v hold out as my tools themselves seem to have many more years of life. However, if they were to need replaced, I was seriously thinking of going with Milwaukee tools. To me this is a brilliant move by Dewalt. If I already had 20v batteries, I’d be MUCH more likely to get a new 20v Dewalt tool. This holds especially true for buying new batteries. Most of my 18v are dead and even looking at new batteries, I was thinking of upgrading completely to Milwaukee. Now that I can keep my 18v Tools and use the better battery, I am more likely to stay with Dewalt.
Way to go Dewalt. I really do hope this is true. Then again, I also hope my powerball ticket is a winner. They both have about the same likelihood.
JayT
I’ve been wondering for a long time why they haven’t done this. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the adapter is followed by a phase out of the 18v tools and possibly even replacement batteries. DeWalt could then argue that the user can upgrade to 20v Max with the adapter and so cut down on the number of overlapping 18v/20v Max items they are manufacturing.
Nathan
I think you might be on to something there. introduce an adapter – stop supporting/making NiCAD/NiMH stuffs. get people from the old stuff hooked on the new batteries – thus hooking them on team yellow when their older stuff finally does die off.
Also Like someone else mentioned – it might not have been as easily feasible to make said adapter with enough quality to be produced. IE they could have made one 4 years ago but it might have been crap – so they held out for a while.
will
I think Dewalt said they were planning to support the 18V system for quite a few more years, but I suppose they could have changed their minds.I think Nathan is on to something, Dewalt doesn’t seem to like bringing tools to market just for the sake of it. They like to take their time and do it right so maybe this has been in the works for the last years, who knows.
JayT
Yes, they have said that about support, but I can also give you quite a few example of things Stanley and it’s subsidiary companies have said that inexplicably change a short time later. When they said they would continue to support the 18V tools, there was no adapter available or possibly even planned. Having an adapter would change the game.
Tom
This is the reason I got kept with Ridgid. My 10 year old nicad X2 tools could use the newer x4 LiOn batteries. I bought a inexpensive impact and drill set and I could use the new batteries with all my older tools.
Bob
This seems like a no brainer for dewalt to come out with this. The adapter will only cost the m$1 to make and they will sell them for $40+. Additionally, if they make it right you will want to buy a separate adapter for each tool to cut down time reloading your battery. There is some real money in this and you can keep people in the yellow zone.
Gene
This will solidify the reason I’m done buying tools from DeWalt.
They could have easily released this years ago instead of:
-pushing the XRP Li-Ion before giving up on it
-releasing a series of hand tools that aren’t anything special
-releasing battery packs with bluetooth,
– releasing a cordless blower, trimmer, pressure washer
– selling ladders
-branding levels and measuring tapes
In my opinion, they’ve forgotten why they became in the early 2000’s – Great cordless tools and great saws. Instead they’ve been after easy profits from big box store customers and in the process, ignoring their base of contractors and tradesmen.
Looking at how many more cordless tools Milwaukee and Makita have that all take the same battery and have great quality, It’s an easy decision to buy something else when the time comes.
Jason
I’m surprised by this development. I think Dewalt realized keeping two product lines going wasn’t the most economical thing ever to do. It’s great for people with the older XRP tools that still work, and the cost to upgrade their tools to lithium ion batteries was quite expensive. It does make sense as I have seen stores clearancing out XRP tools both Lowes and Home Depot were doing it. I think it was an error that they didn’t offer an adapter Dewalt had a huge chuck of the cordless tool market back in the day. I would love to see the numbers it had to have been really high not to say that Dewalt is doing bad, but with how aggressive Milwaukee has been after the TTI buy out it had to have hurt. Milwaukee is super aggressive with technology innovations, and having some kind of free tool or battery promo going on all the time. Things like that might sway someone to change brands. This got kind of rambling some how but to condense it down Dewalt had a huge built in market, and being they were the last big brand to move from stem to slide packs that led to more aggravated customers than the others.
Not to say that Milwaukee didn’t piss people off from the V18 to M18 conversion that platform only lasted like 2 years Milwaukee did lose customers from that situation also. They should have offered a really aggressive promo of like 200 dollars to v18 users that wanted to upgrade to the M18 tools, or even better just swap the tools out that would have cost money, but in the long term builds customer confidence.
mizzourob
The while Stanley Black and Decker battery antics continue. SBD changed DeWalts batteries, the porter cable, then Black&Decker all to 20V max and then making a Bostitch set of tools listed as 18volt (and ripped off of the Porter Cable line)
WEL
I hope DeWalt makes good on this product. I support any move by power tool makers that extends the useful life of their products. I have 18v DeWalt tools and because they are not used all day long, I am not a “professional tradesman,” they seem to me to have a lot of life left in them. I suspect the Li-Ion batteries will in fact improve their performance.
Jerry
I was probably one of the more vocal people wishing DeWalt to do this. I never saw any reason the new batteries couldn’t be used on the old tools with an adapter. I was willing, and expecting to need a new style charger to go with the new batteries, which is to be expected going from NiCad to Li-Ion. I was in Home Depot a few months back, after my old 18v drill gave out, and was eyeballing the new 20v MAX one that replaced it. They had a power tool open house of sorts, and they had factory reps there. I specifically asked the DW rep if they were planning to make an adapter, he said no. I asked if they had anything in the works, and he said as far as he knew, they didn’t plan on ever making one. I replied ‘thanks, that’s all I need to know’ and bought a Ryobi drill/driver kit, as well as the Ryobi 18V pole saw that uses the same battery. I’m pretty sure the rep saw me go by, carrying the green tools.
All I can say, is sory DeWalt, you’re too late. I had a full set of 18V cordless, but I don’t work construction on a daily basis anymore, and have found the Ryobi brand to be more than good enough for my uses, and at half the price of the DeWalt stuff. If they had the adapter out a few months ago, or at least said they had one in the works, I likely would have bought into the 20V MAX line, one tool at a time, but this news just came a bit too late to keep me as a customer.
MBDE
These are hardly “factory reps”, just hastily trained salesmen who wouldn’t know a thing about what’s in the pipeline. Most of the time I know more about the tools then they do. Same goes for the Milwaukee “factory reps” and the Bosch “factory reps”.
Jason
Ryobi makes a solid tool for the price. The one really nice thing about Ryobi is the 2 pack 4.0ah batteries that HD carries at different times. You can’t complain at 50 bucks a battery.
Jerry
I’m noticing that. The few Ryobi tools I have so far are kind of what I call Vanilla. Nothing fancy, I’m not going to brag about how great they are to every one, but on the flip side, they have given me no reason to complain, either. They have adequate power, adequate runtime, and so far have been reliable, as well as priced very competitively. Since I don’t make a living with my cordless tools, I can live with a few less bells and whistles, in exchanfpge for their easonable price.
As to the ‘factory reps’ they had big signs all over saying we could talk to actual DW trained factory representatives. If they are misrepresenting lackeys as experts, that isn’t my problem, it is theirs.
fm2176
I don’t have a dog in this fight, so to speak: been thinking about eventually buying into DeWalt 20v, but also considering Ridgid, Milwaukee, and even more Hitachi (I picked up an impact driver with 2 batteries for $40 at Lowes a few months ago). That said, my brother has a bunch of DeWalt 18v tools, and has lost a significant amount of batteries through theft or them simply dying.
One question I’d have though would be cost. It would seem that these should be fairly inexpensive, but many users would probably want at least two, while those who regularly use many tools would probably want to invest in an adapter for each. If they were made available for $10-15, sold in multipacks, or bundled with batteries, it wouldn’t be too bad.
I know the possibility of them doing so is none, but it would be great if Porter Cable followed DeWalt’s lead (provided this is true) and created a 20v adapter for their 18v tools. Mine have been really good, and the little 1.3Ah batteries work decently enough even with the saws, but I’d love to upgrade to the higher capacity batteries and buy a few things I still need such as a grinder and jig saw in 20v. Unless they did such a thing, though, the likelihood of me switching to PC 20v tools is slim. Why replace PC 18v tools with more PC 18v (sorry, “20v”) tools when the batteries aren’t interchangeable?
BikerDad
The assumption being made is that it was economically possible to do this 4.5 years ago. While it MAY have been technically possible, the R&D cost of optimizing higher capacity Lion batteries for the power demands/characteristics of motors optimized for Ni-Cads may have made the case against it. Keep in mind that we’re talking about completely different battery chemistry, heat management, etc, etc.
Jerry
One would think all they really had to do was include some sort of limiter so you wouldn’t overheat the lithiums. I, for one, would be able to live with a possible ‘less than optimum’ performing tool, if it would mean using old tools with the new batteries.
Sk
Ugh, garbage. I abandoned dewalt enmasse about 9 years ago. I was fed up with mechanical failures of the 18v hammer drills we relied on so much. I had three fail in a two day period.
I went to Home Depot to buy a replacement. There at the front door was the green makita lxt.
It was really love at first sight. I ended up dumping over 30 dewalt tools, 12v mobile chargers and about 90 stupid Nicad POS 18v batteries.
Dewalt products were terrible then and I doubt much better now.
For what it’s worth, if you have dewalt 18v Nicad garbage, you can buy an adapter to adapt makita 18v to dewalt 18v Nicad tools.
I have retired from that business but retained a set of makita lxt tools. I was using my 8 year old batteries at the same level or greater than when I was running my business . There is no way I could say the same if they were dewalt 18v Nicad .
It’s shameful that dewalt took so long to address this
john
I work my tools very very hard and I don’t expect to buy a drill, jigsaw, circ etc and expect it to last forever. It is only natural that new ranges will come out and I don’t feel manufacturers should have to make them backwards compatible.
I have a few old XRP tools knocking about that get used in the workshop but out on site all my cordless kit is the Dewalt XR range.
I just find over in the UK that by far the best value pro range is the XR. I appreciate that Milwaukee have more tools but with the exception of the cordless planer Dewalt covers my needs.
Derek
I don’t see how this adapter will work without being bulky, given the differences in shapes. The 18v has that big peg that wouldn’t be able to go up inside the newer tools.
Eric
The adaptor would let you go the other way. Using the new 20v batteries in the older 18v tools.
will
the ni cad batteries wouldn’t work with the new tools it would be the old tools using the new 20v max batteries. I think it would work well, just attach the slide adaptor and you could use the tool as always. I mean it might be a bit bigger than the ni cad batteries alone but the usage would be the same .
Stuart
The idea is to use 20V Max batteries with 18V tools via the adapter, not the other way around. For Dewalt to give users any reason to continue buying 18V batteries would be counterproductive.
Josh
It seems like it shouldn’t have been all that difficult to add some amperage limiting circuitry and battery heat management into an adapter tool to make the 20v packs work with 18v tools. Sure, they won’t work “optimally” but basic functionality can’t have been that hard to engineer – Ryobi’s tools all work with NiCD and Lithium batteries. DeWalt seems to have assumed that their customers would just pony up and switch all of their tools over instead of looking at other options, and I suspect it’s cost them thousands of “guaranteed sales” from people already locked in, because they were trying to force people to upgrade tools that still worked.
skfarmer
wow, i have been harping on this for ages. everyone always said it could not be done.
i called bs and have been accused of being stupid, naive and backwards. if this comes true lot’s of people will be eating crow on this subject.
i am kind of skeptical that it may happen though. not because it can’t be done but because they won’t. maybe enough people have left the lineup to force them to do it even if they didn’t want to.
Brian
I imagine the biggest reasoning is so that they can end support/supply of the 18V batteries. If they just stopped making them there would be a shht storm. They release an adapter and they can take the position of “We support our clients.” Then people buy the new 20v batteries, the adapter(another sale) and when the 18V tool dies, they stick with Dewalt because they already have the 20V batteries.
Look at it this way, Windows had the end goal of getting everyone on Windows 10. Do they get them there by ending support of Windows 7? No, they give them an easy way to adopt the technology.
Jimmy D
THIS!
john
There are issues with putting the XR batteries into a XRP tool from what I know so its not just a case of a bit of plastic and metal to allow it to clip in.
I don’t think it will happen.
Chris
Lots of arm chair engineers around though
Nathan
well of course there are. I mean hell most of us are also coaches, doctors, lawyers, and bankers in our spare time too. 😉
If the adapter is discharge only – and they sell them 2 ways, standalone and with a 20V charger/battery/adapter kit. I could totally see it working out.
Peter
Might be true.
http://professional-power-tool-guide.com/2015/09/dewalt-20v-max-battery-adapter-finally/
Peter
oops, did not see the update.
Stuart
No problem, it’s easy to miss if you already read the post and came straight to comments.
ToolGuyd update: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-20v-max-18v-battery-adapter/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
paul
I have been using the dewalt 18 volt kit for years and I am a big fan of their battery technology, I use my tools day in day out and have had many 2.4 ah nicads and they have lasted for ages ( always taken them indoors at night to protect from frost damage), I bought a screwfix deal with with a couple of xr lithium drills and three 1.3 ah lithium batteries about 15 months ago and they are great, I’ve been thinking about making my own lithium slide to nicad adapter for a while as I could not see dewalt making any headway for them and definitely did not want to dump my brilliant nicad range, so here it is, yesterday whilst taking a day off through feeling rough, I decided to go for it. I sat at the kitchen table with an old nicad battery and xr luthium battery and my dewalt usb adapter In front of me and after a few hours with my dremmel and soldering iron, id cracked it, chuffed as nuts, I can now use my lithium batterys in my old tools and they run faster than they did with the nicads. But then I spotted this and seen dewalt are finally brining one out, oh the irony. I would like to post a pic of mine as its awesome as I’ve incorporated the two usb ports and the three green battery idicators but I don’t think I can post pics on this page. Still its all happy days at my end with my newly fabricated adapter?
Terry Spruell
Where do I get the 18 to 20 volt adapter for 39.00 l need them
Stuart
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-20v-max-18v-battery-adapter/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
ETA: This month, so… coming soon?
john wall
It’s almost Nov. Where is the adaptor? 🙂
Riptide10x
I have just about every 18 volt tool DeWalt makes plus I just bought the new 20 volt miter saw along with two 5ah batteries, so I was really excited to hear an adapter was coming out to allow me to use the new batteries on my old tools. WRONG! After extensive research and emails directly to Dewalt’s customer service I found out that even with this adapter you CANNOT use 20v batteries on ANY of the cordless nailers along with a list of other DeWalt tools. Exactly why, I do not know because DeWalt is being very evasive with the info. but it totally blew my plans as the nailers are the primary tools I was hoping to convert to the 20v batteries. They should just publish a list of what tools it will work on.
Lance Anderson
I am very mad that DeWalt, out of nowhere decided to just end producing 18V li-ion batteries. I own around 15 of their 18v tools and now need new batteries. If they think I’m going DeWalt, they are dreaming. I want a company that is going to support the products they make. Love their tools, but hate the games. I will be getting M-18’s.
ROD
WHEN IS THE ADAPTER FROM DEWALT COMEING ????????????????
Ted
I replaced my entire set of DeWalt tools with Rigid because Home Depot had a sale and Rigid promises to replace batteries when they die with a lifetime guarantee. Now I’m thinking about converting my old DeWalt power packs into adapters that can go to a DC power supply – looking at electrical characteristics to see if a PC switching power supply would work or not. With +/-12v and 5v available, it’s possible to get 17vDC from a surplus PC on its way to e-waste.
Jack Walker
Ok about time that Dewalt released a 18-20V adapter!
So now for the really big question, I use my old XRP drill in the snow for setting ski racing gates, it rocks! I’ll but one of the 20-18V adapters soon as I can find one. I’ve had the18V rebuilt at a Dewalt repair shop for cheap. So Dewalt just released info on their new 20V/60V batteries, will the 60V batteries work on the adapter for 18V tools (they switch from 20V to 60V in the newer tools that use the 60V technology)??? I’m looking to use the 60V for the longer run time, so I don’t have to carry so many backup batteries. I had a 20V drill and batteries but it went away in a fire!
Stuart
No. You can only use the adapter with compact battery packs.
See here: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-20v-max-18v-battery-adapter/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E