I'm curious about something regarding Milwaukee's M18 batteries. They've labeled them as 18V, but I discovered that it's actually putting out around 20 volts. I even opened one of my batteries and saw it has five cells inside, which seems to indicate it's a 20V battery. Can anyone explain why Milwaukee markets it this way?
3 Answers
It's a classic case of marketing. Some tool brands report the peak voltage when fully charged, which is the 20V. Others, like Milwaukee, stick to the nominal voltage, which is 18V. People see the higher number and think they're getting a better product, but in reality, it's all about common battery cell configurations. They're essentially the same!
You're spot on about the nominal vs peak voltage! In the US, tools like DeWalt advertise the max voltage, but over in Europe, regulations have them list it at 18V. It gets even crazier when you consider household outlets too! A lot of misconceptions around voltage can really fry your brain if you dive too deep.
The confusion usually comes from how battery voltages are defined. Most brands use multiple 3.6V cells, so a mix can give you different nominal voltages. Milwaukee's M18 is nominally 18V, but it can hit around 20V at full charge. Just remember, the "20V" from brands like DeWalt is meant to differentiate from older 18V NiCad tools. It's more of a branding thing than a performance difference.
Exactly! And then there’s the M12 batteries, which are technically around 10.8V. The voltage stuff can really be mind-blowing!