chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

The nominal voltage of an alkaline cell is 1.5v. We all know and use this value. However an unused fresh alkaline cell measures 1.58v. So why on earth did Dewalt decide to perpetuate this myth that they had invented a 20v battery ? I have read several rationales behind this move but none of them convinced me it was other than some marketing BS. Same with all those 40v systems out there which are only really 36v. And shame on all those manufacturers who didn't want to miss out and also did the same. This has to be one of the largest cons perpetuated on the powertool public ever.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Rounding up to look better?
What's a couple of volts between friends.....

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Basically maybe it is where 'misinformation' really started ?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Could be.......

Much misinformation starts with an erroneous perception,
and unfortunately, just gets propagated.

BebuLamar

The kind of lithium batteries that are in Dewalt battery pack are the 18650 batteries and when fully charged they are 4.2V. Nominal is 3.7V for most of their useful discharge cycle. So they take the value of 4V and call it MAX. These packs have either 5 cells in series or multiple groups of these in parallel to increase capacity.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Interesting!

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Apart from the fact that what you have described fits either the 18v or 20v Dewalts so they are identical. For the last 10 odd years everybody describes a combination of 5 cells as being an 18 volt pack then why did Dewalt suddenly start calling theirs a 20v pack against the combined 'wisdom' all every other powertool company in the world ? The answer is marketing BS. Picking the voltage of a freshly charged and probably new battery and multiplying it by 5 just muddies the water. It is still only a 3.6v cell.
Speaking of misinformation I am a Makita user. They also sell 18v batteries in their tools. Their packs use a 3.6v battery, I suspect that so do Dewalt - not 3.7v as you claim. I know this for a fact because I have repaired a number of battery packs. I commented earlier in this thread about the differences in two cell types Lithium Ion (3.6v) and Lithium Polymer (3.7v).
And to save you the trouble 5 x 3.6v = 18v hence why they are commonly referred to as 18v systems. Dewalt are no different other than their marketing department having a few souls who have lost the plot.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

Yes, that works. I have had to use that many times, and it works.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Interesting conversation here. I am learning a lot. I am only just now starting to use NiMh rechargeables after years of going through alkalines. And I am seeing some of the idiosyncrasies of battery chargers.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

It works on AA and AAA