I recently picked up a DCD443 joist drill at a second-hand store for a good price, as I'm getting ready for some plumbing and electrical work on my cabin. However, when I tried using it with an Irwin 2 1/4 self-feed bit on a 2x4, it kept bogging down and even stopped completely. I know that this drill features an e-clutch designed to prevent excessive torque, but I didn't see the red light activate when it stalled. It seems to perform decently with a self-feed auger and tolerably with hole saws, but it struggles significantly with larger self-feed bits. Is this a common issue with the DCD443, or is there something I might be missing? Could this be the reason for the great deal I found?
3 Answers
What battery are you using with it? I have the DCD44B and I use an 8ah Power Pack, and it usually manages to drill 20-30 holes with a 2 9/16 hole saw. It does slow down a bit when hitting nails, but I've been pretty satisfied with it overall. I only notice the e-clutch kicking in when I’m drilling at weird angles.
I had the same issue until I switched to the 60V 6ah battery. Tools like these need bigger batteries for the high-demand tasks. You should see a difference with that battery!
I struggled with it due to the 2x4 twisting, but I think it would have handled it if it was held firmly like a wall stud. I’ll need to check for any sales on batteries.
I tried the 60V battery and found it definitely made things better! Do you think I should go for a 20V 8ah power stack next or just grab another 20V/60V battery?
Good to know! I’ll test it out more this evening. Thanks for the tips!
I haven’t used the Flex Volt yet on mine, but I haven’t noticed any bogging down with the 8ah batteries. I got mine for $105 at Home Depot with a deal, which was a steal!
I've been using a 20V 5ah. I do have a 60V 6ah battery I could try.