# DeWalt 20v Battries which ones to choose 3.0 ah 4.0ah or 5.0 ah?!?!?!



## Inner10

brhokel606 said:


> If my memory serves me right the 5ah battery is just a tad lighter than the 4ah. They all use the same charger just charge times are more for bigger batteries, which really doesnt bother me. The run time on the 4's in super impressive so I cant imagine the 5's.


You're right I'm talking out of my ass, get the 5ah. :laughing:


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## RobertCDF

Inner10 said:


> You're right I'm talking out of my ass, get the 5ah. :laughing:


Nothing new...


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## ih4366

Thank you guys for all the help looks like I'm headed to Lowes.


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## jb4211

According to the descriptions on Amazon, the 5s are slightly lighter than the 3s. Go figure.


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## brhokel606

That might have been where I heard the 5's were lighter, lighter than the 3's instead of 4's. I was pretty sure that I had heard it was lighter but my earlier posts proved it was 1 gram heavier.


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## Agility

ih4366 said:


> Thank you guys for all the help looks like I'm headed to Lowes.


Let us know which ones you get and how long they last. Think I might try to grab a few more this weekend myself.


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## ih4366

Will do, I think I'll go Thursday I get it off for the holiday thank god... Think I'll go with the 5.0 ah.


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## jiffy

Charge time is the biggest issue with the larger ah batteries. I think the Dewalts take 1.5hrs to charge. With some of the newer tools that use a lot of energy it could be tough with a 1.5hr wait time.


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## C&C Custom Trim

jiffy said:


> Charge time is the biggest issue with the larger ah batteries. I think the Dewalts take 1.5hrs to charge. With some of the newer tools that use a lot of energy it could be tough with a 1.5hr wait time.


If your using it that hard it's time to drag the corded version out. Runtime on the 4ah is amazing, charge time isn't an issue when battery life is measured in days instead of hours like the old NiCad. 

Somebody mentioned more power with the larger batteries. Without knowing the "C" rating of the packs it's a guess, but assuming they're the same quality a 4ah will deliver twice the amperage to the motor a 2ah will if needed. 

In the RC world as packs constantly advance they keep getting smaller and "C" keeps going up. I'd say 5ah packs are a higher "C" than 4ah packs and will pass three or four times the amperage of a 2ah instead of just two and a half times like equal "C" would be. Same with the 1.5ah and 3ah, I'd guess them at lower "C" than 2ah and 4ah

Also the bigger packs could be charged much faster. The charger can't auto sense the mah to set accordingly and DeWalt can't trust the public to set it. A 5ah charges just as fast as a 1.5ah if you can adjust the amperage, safely. Higher "C" allows even faster charge times.


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## Spencer

I fell off the wagon pretty bad this week.

I had bought the dewalt 20v brushless drill combo with 4.0's and put them into use over 3 weeks ago. Still haven't charged them...

I bought the entire rest of the 20v lineup...

circ saw
recip saw
jigsaw
corner drill
grinder
flashlight
radio
vacuum
extra charger
4-5.0 batteries

I figure that being that my 18v set lasted 8 years and still works fine besides the batteries this will be a good investment.

To the OP. If you can, get the brushless drills. Even longer run time...


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## jb4211

Yikes


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## brhokel606

Spencer said:


> I fell off the wagon pretty bad this week.
> 
> I had bought the dewalt 20v brushless drill combo with 4.0's and put them into use over 3 weeks ago. Still haven't charged them...
> 
> I bought the entire rest of the 20v lineup...
> 
> circ saw
> recip saw
> jigsaw
> corner drill
> grinder
> flashlight
> radio
> vacuum
> extra charger
> 4-5.0 batteries
> 
> I figure that being that my 18v set lasted 8 years and still works fine besides the batteries this will be a good investment.
> 
> To the OP. If you can, get the brushless drills. Even longer run time...


Dude that's awesome! Good for you. I am waiting for the brushless recip that is suppose to be coming out but I think I am going to go grab the jig saw. That is falling off the wagon big time though:thumbsup:


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## Spencer

brhokel606 said:


> Dude that's awesome! Good for you. I am waiting for the brushless recip that is suppose to be coming out but I think I am going to go grab the jig saw. That is falling off the wagon big time though:thumbsup:


Like I said, my last set lasted 8 years. Still works, batteries are just shot. This has been a long time coming. 

Yesterday I talked to a flooring installer, he said, yeah...I might spend $1000 in tools this YEAR. 

I about choked. I spend that every week. Thing is I still make more money than those guys. :no:

I also bought a veto ot-xxl and an ot-xl this week. Getting my stuff organized...

Dewalt also has a rotozip type drywall cut out tool. I think it just came out because it said a couple weeks for delivery everywhere.


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## Inner10

Spencer said:


> Like I said, my last set lasted 8 years. Still works, batteries are just shot. This has been a long time coming.
> 
> Yesterday I talked to a flooring installer, he said, yeah...I might spend $1000 in tools this YEAR.
> 
> I about choked. I spend that every week. Thing is I still make more money than those guys. :no:
> 
> I also bought a veto ot-xxl and an ot-xl this week. Getting my stuff organized...
> 
> Dewalt also has a rotozip type drywall cut out tool. I think it just came out because it said a couple weeks for delivery everywhere.


You're first few years in business you will blow a massive amount of money on tools, after that those tools finally start putting money in your pocket.

I still have my old DeWalt 18V set, poor run time and weight by today's standards but they still work.


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## jb4211

Spencer said:


> Dewalt also has a rotozip type drywall cut out tool. I think it just came out because it said a couple weeks for delivery everywhere.


That's been out for several years. My brother gave me his corded model because he always uses his cordless.

I only used it once. I had the Roto zip, so I just always grab that.


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## Inner10

jb4211 said:


> That's been out for several years. My brother gave me his corded model because he always uses his cordless.
> 
> I only used it once. I had the Roto zip, so I just always grab that.


They had them for the old NiCad batteries, haven't seen them for the new style yet.


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## Spencer

Inner10 said:


> You're first few years in business you will blow a massive amount of money on tools, after that those tools finally start putting money in your pocket.
> 
> I still have my old DeWalt 18V set, poor run time and weight by today's standards but they still work.


Thats for sure. If things keep up I'll have put a good $40 if not $50k+ into tools this year. I thought I had a lot of tools but I'm still finding plenty of things that I need, or things that improve efficiency. Its hard to have "everything" when you do so many different things.

I don't think I'll see the light at the end of the tunnel for a couple decades. After the jobsite tools are taken care of it turns into bigger things like skid loaders, shop, trucks, outfitting employee vehicles, the list goes on and on.

I talked to a contractor the other day that said, you make sure you take care of your tools and have good ones bought in the good times, that way when downturns come you're sittin good. Good business sense.


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## Spencer

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCS551B-Drywall-Cut-Out-Tool/dp/B00KYNW7MC/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1404393785&sr=1-2&keywords=dewalt+20v+cut+out+tool










You can order but it says a couple weeks on amazon and factoryautorizedoutlet.com. That makes me think they are new release.


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## Inner10

Spencer said:


> Thats for sure. If things keep up I'll have put a good $40 if not $50k+ into tools this year. I thought I had a lot of tools but I'm still finding plenty of things that I need, or things that improve efficiency. Its hard to have "everything" when you do so many different things.
> 
> I don't think I'll see the light at the end of the tunnel for a couple decades. After the jobsite tools are taken care of it turns into bigger things like skid loaders, shop, trucks, outfitting employee vehicles, the list goes on and on.
> 
> I talked to a contractor the other day that said, you make sure you take care of your tools and have good ones bought in the good times, that way when downturns come you're sittin good. Good business sense.


Just make sure you don't over extend your cash come tax time. These big ticket tools arn't 100% expensed the year you buy them, you will probably depreciate them over 5 years.

This means you are laying out 40K in one year but only writing off 20-30% of that, and you are paying tax on the balance.

I guess the long and the short of what I'm saying is try to control your raging erection when you see the big cheques coming in, because at the end of the year you don't get to keep all the booty.


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## brhokel606

Spencer said:


> I talked to a contractor the other day that said, you make sure you take care of your tools and have good ones bought in the good times, that way when downturns come you're sittin good. Good business sense.


I agree, I have a few more "big tools" on the radar, i.e. Concrete breaker, Self cleaning vac, etc...

I have been kicking the tires on a new bobcat and need a new equip trailer but I definetly haven't bought as many smaller tools because I have all I need with the exception of something breaking. I set aside money on every job for tools, but with wanting more bigger ticket items I just wont get my fix as often :sad:


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## madmax718

I got my 2 4ah at HD. Mixed two batches of mortar with 1 3.0 batt.


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