Review on DEWALT 18V 20V Adapter DCA1820 by Adam Browning

Thanks Dewalt! ) to overcome a major redesign. Like many Dewalt customers, I started collecting 20V Max products when I needed a new cordless tool as it was obvious the old 18V line was going to be phased out. However, with a few remaining 18 volt tools, I had no intention of abandoning the line. But with aging batteries I started looking for options. ***Insert Angel Down Sound Effect***This is a direct contact adapter for using 20V Max batteries with your XRP 18V tools. And it works great. Now I want to make two entries. 1.) No. This will not fry your 18 volt tool. Why? Because both 20V Max Li-Ion and 18V XRP Ni-Cd are actually 18V. "What? No, you're wrong. The side of the battery clearly says 20V! Learn to read!" Good good. That's how you hear the story. 20V Max is a marketing gimmick that gives you the approximate maximum open circuit voltage of a freshly charged Li-Ion battery. For example, as soon as your drill's motor is loaded, its operating voltage drops to 18V. Your old XRPs were the same. They charged to just over a thousand 20 volts and then worked to 18. It's the same principle that your 12 volt car battery is fully charged at just under 13 volts and the alternator charges it at around 14 volts. So why did Dewalt do it? This? Because their main competitor Milwaukee uses systems labeled 18v and compared to 20v max it sounds the same as last year. (Yes, I also think he was weak. But that's why they did it.) 2) No. You cannot and should not attempt to charge your batteries with this adapter. It won't work, and if it does, it can be dangerous. Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries are hot new technologies in the battery world, but they can also be explosive if not properly charged. Surprisingly, due to the design of 20V Max batteries, they don't add any extra weight to the tool. . The backpacks are smaller and slightly lighter, saving weight and balance. This adds a bit of height, but it won't give me any problems. I am very pleased with the DCA1820 and applaud Dewalt for bringing it to market.