DEWALT POWERSTACK 20V MAX 5.0Ah Battery Starter Kit with Charger – High-Efficiency Lithium Power DCBP520C

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The DEWALT 20V Max XR Powerstack 5ah battery kit (DCBP520C) delivers the most powerful, most efficient, and longest lifespan battery in its class. How does DEWALT achieve this? Inside the battery, visualize stacked plates versus stacked “AA” type cylindrical battery cells. The plates (or cells as they are called) more closely assemble with significantly less wasted room inside of the battery housing, hence, more cells and available power from them. Advances in the battery technology allow DEWALT to claim that these Powerstack batteries are longer lasting with up to 2x the lifespan (full charge/discharge cycles) versus previous generations of DEWALT batteries. Item details: Although the box shows a picture of a DCB115 charger, I received the newer DCB1104 12V/20V 4ah charger. The newer DCB1104 charger has enhanced labeling and larger status lights than the previous generations of chargers. I found that the 4ah of charging power helps tremendously with minimizing downtime while waiting for depleted batteries to charge. The 5ah Powerstack battery is compatible with all DEWALT 20V Max tools and chargers. As always, the products are solidly built, well labeled, and the charger is UL listed. A detailed instruction manual is included. Charging caveats: When fully depleted, the 5ah Powerstack battery will take roughly 80-90 minutes to fully charge. Charge only when the battery is above 40 degrees F and conversely, allow the battery to cool before charging. The intelligent charger has a fantastic feature called “Hot/Cold Pack Delay”. When it detects a battery pack that is too hot or too cold, it automatically starts a delay, suspending charging until the battery pack has reached an appropriate temperature. The charger then automatically switches to the pack charging mode. This feature ensures maximum battery life. Please note, a cold battery pack may charge at a slower rate than a warm battery pack. Fuel Gauge: Powerstack batteries have a standard DEWALT fuel gauge. Three LED's quickly give feedback as to how much charge is remaining in the battery pack. Warranty: The items in this kit are covered with the following – 3 year limited warranty, 1 year of free service, and a 90 day satisfaction guarantee. Comparability: When comparing the 20V Max XR Powerstack 5ah battery (DCBP520) to my previous generation 20V Max XR 5ah battery (DCB205), there were notable differences. The Powerstack battery was 4 ounces heavier and had a wider footprint. The Powerstack battery has a durable rubber base lining that I greatly preferred as the rubber mitigates sliding and tipping of tools when standing them up on slippery surfaces. Additionally, the rubber base was designed to provide a high level of impact resistance should a tool fall or be dropped. Uses and Feedback: Since it can sometimes be challenging to gauge power and runtime with intermittent tool tasks such as drilling and driving, I wanted to test this Powerstack battery with much heavier motor loads so I could get a good comparison as to how it performs versus my previous generations of DEWALT batteries. For this, I utilized my DEWALT string trimmer, DEWALT blower, and 2G wet/dry vacuum. All of these tools place significantly heavier loads on batteries and can heat the batteries to the point where the electronic protection systems engage and shut down the tools. With such high demands on both power and runtime, I find this a great set of tests to run in order to see which batteries will stand up to the most demanding of uses. Immediately, I noticed that the Powerstack battery gave the blower motor more startup torque and enhanced runtime. The string trimmer had a noticeably greater runtime as well as more startup torque. The motor on the vacuum appeared to operate at a higher RPM than with non-Powerstack batteries and the runtime was remarkably enhanced. In all my tests, the Powerstack battery won hands-down in terms of power provided, runtime of tools, and it also didn't get as hot as other batteries as it neared full depletion. All of these results were very impressive and thus I find that DEWALT's performance claims more than met my expectations in a variety of tools. Additionally, I realized enhanced runtime in my DEWALT oscillating tool and all of my DEWALT task and spot lights, as well as my DEWALT inflator/compressor. I recommend this kit for both DIY and professional usage.

Great price for a great product