Can You Use DeWalt Batteries On Bauer Tools?

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Power tool battery compatibility can be a tricky subject. For the most part, power tool batteries are designed to be proprietary. This means that most of them will only work with tools that are designed by the same brand. That said, there are exceptions to every rule. There are quite a few non-DeWalt tools out there that are designed to work with DeWalt batteries. Some of the most noteworthy examples are Graco and Klein Tools, which were both specifically designed to function in tandem with DeWalt's 20V Max battery system.

DeWalt is often regarded as one of the best power tool brands on the market when it comes to power and performance, but its tools can also be a bit on the expensive side. Some people might like to buy DeWalt for their most important tools, such as drills and saws, and then opt for a more budget-oriented brand when it comes to items where power isn't as important, like lights and fans. Even better if this brand can run on DeWalt's batteries, so you don't need to buy new ones.

With that in mind, some of you may have heard a rumor suggesting that Harbor Freight's budget power tool brand, Bauer, can run on DeWalt batteries. There are some reports of Bauer tools that have similar enough pathway mechanisms that a DeWalt battery might physically fit and even manage to power the tool. This only seems to apply to some of Bauer's products, however, and there is good reason to believe that this isn't a safe or effective solution for powering the company's tools regardless.

It's easy to see how one might come to think that DeWalt batteries might work with Bauer tools. Both brands primarily utilize a 20V-nominal lithium-ion system with 18V-actual delivery, both are slide packs that have five battery contact slots in approximately the same place and a retractable ledge clip to hold the pack in place once it's snapped into the tool, and, as mentioned above, there are several reports of people being able to slide DeWalt batteries into certain Bauer tools. Though some users have noted that this often requires you to use a razor blade to remove a plastic tab from the inside of any Bauer tools you wish to use with them.

But all of that is just the outside of the battery. The physical ability to lock into place doesn't guarantee adequate performance, and even if it did, there are a whole host of smart electronics located inside each of the batteries that are designed specifically to interact with tools from the same manufacturer. DeWalt actually has several different lines within the 20V system: The 20V Max is the most standard option, the 20V Max XR series represents a large step up in power, and the Flexvolt batteries have the ability to switch between 20V and 60V outputs depending on the tool they're connected to. All of these models have internal smart tech that is specifically designed to interface with the corresponding smart circuitry in DeWalt tools. These provide vital monitoring capabilities that won't work on other tools.

Add all this together, and you get a battery that doesn't always fit without modification, might not adequately power the tool, could possibly damage the tool due to a lack of interfacing capabilities, and will almost certainly void the warranty of both products.

Another method for connecting DeWalt batteries to Bauer tools is to use a battery adapter. These are plastic accessories where the top side has fittings to attach to the Bauer tool, the bottom side has a dock to receive a DeWalt battery, and the casing in-between houses internal circuitry that's designed to connect the two. There are a few advantages that these offer over modifying a tool to accept a battery from a different brand. To start, they don't require you to cut into the tools at all because they're actually designed with the intention of connecting these two separate products. This also means that you can likely expect a more secure fit. Some of them may even have internal regulators that help control the flow of electricity from battery to tool to help ensure that the battery doesn't overload the tool's internal wiring and capacitors. They're pretty easy to come by, too. You can find several of them on Amazon with pricing in the neighborhood of $15 to $25.

Neither DeWalt nor Harbor Freight makes or sells these adapters and buying them from third-party manufacturers carries certain risks as well. There is no guarantee that the adapter will adequately regulate the electricity to meet the needs of the tool, they don't resolve the issue of rival tools and batteries not having compatible smart communications tech, and Bauer's warranty states that it "does not apply to damage due directly or indirectly, to misuse, abuse, negligence or accidents, repairs or alterations outside our facilities, criminal activity, improper installation, normal wear and tear, or to lack of maintenance." The company may choose to regard using a battery from a different company as "misuse" or an "alteration" and refuse to exchange a broken product.