While DeWalt is quite famous for its impressive drills, the company also makes admirable powered chainsaws. And if you, like many others, have both a drill and a chainsaw from DeWalt, you might be wondering: Does the DeWalt drill battery work with the chainsaw?
Some DeWalt drill batteries will work with some chainsaws, while others will not. Essentially, both the voltage and the ampere or amp hours need to be the same on the drill and chainsaw in order for the batteries to be interchangeable.
In this article, we are going to find out when your DeWalt battery will work with your chainsaw and when it won’t so that you can confidently and safely use your tools and batteries! So keep reading; you will be a DeWalt battery expert in no time.
When Will a DeWalt Drill Battery Work With a Chainsaw?
The first thing to note is that usually, the batteries from separate brands are not interchangeable.
So if the chainsaw you are trying to use with a DeWalt battery isn’t from DeWalt, it most likely won’t fit or function properly. Even if the chainsaw is from DeWalt, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work with the DeWalt drill battery you have.
There are two factors to pay attention to when attempting to find out if the DeWalt drill battery will work with the chainsaw: The voltage and the ampere-hours.
Voltage
The voltage of both a tool and a battery is how much power it can generate; i.eThe higher the voltage, the more powerful the tool and battery are.
When it comes to DeWalt tools, or really any power tools, the most common voltages are 20V and 60V, although there are a few other options on the market.
For most drills, 20V is more than enough to get the job done. However, many carpenters and construction workers prefer 60V chainsaws as they are more efficient for demanding jobs.
But no matter what voltage your chainsaw has, the voltage of the battery needs to match that of the tool.
Ampere-Hours
Ampere-hours, otherwise known as amp hours or An, are the amount of energy within a battery that enables one ampere of current to flow every hour.
Usually, 18V tools from DeWalt have 2.4 Ah, whereas 20V options provide 3.0 Ah, and 60V machines have a whopping 9.0 Ah.
As you can see, different tools use different ampere-hours, so it is vital that the battery produces the correct amount of Ah for the tool it’s powering.
Now that you have this information, you will always know when a battery will fit with any tool in your shed! Just remember: The Ah and the voltage have to be the same on both the battery and the tool to function.
Can You Use a 20V DeWalt Battery on a 60V Chainsaw?
One of the most common questions users ask is whether or not they can use a 20V battery with a 60V chainsaw, as many of DeWalt’s drills are 20V tools.
And as you now know, you cannot safely use a 20V DeWalt battery on a 60V chainsaw because the voltage numbers do not match up!
Most DeWalt power drills are 20V models, and while you can opt for a 60V chainsaw from the company, if you want the batteries to be interchangeable, you should select a 20V chainsaw instead.
Although, if you do have a 60V chainsaw, you can only use a 60V battery with it.
Do All DeWalt Batteries Fit All Tools?
Realistically, the DeWalt batteries that come with the power tools are all about the same size.
However, although it might seem like all DeWalt batteries technically fit all their tools, they will not actually function properly if they are not the same voltage or Ah as the tool you’re trying to use.
Luckily, the voltage and the ampere-hours of the battery and the tool itself will be clearly stated on the side so that you know before you try to use the wrong battery for a certain machine.
If you are in any way unsure of the voltage or ampere-hours of the tool or battery you are attempting to use, you can find all the details on DeWalt’s website by finding the specific drill or chainsaw in your toolshed.
The Bottom Line
So, does the DeWalt drill battery work with the chainsaw? Well, yes and no.
At the end of the day, some DeWalt drill batteries will work with some DeWalt chainsaws, while others will not function properly together.
But the good news is that you now know how to find out if the DeWalt battery you have will work with the chainsaw you have based on whether or not they have the same voltage and ampere-hours!
