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DEWALT FLEXVOLT batteries automatically change operating mode when moved between compatible tools: in a 20V MAX tool, the battery operates as 20V MAX; in a 60V MAX tool, it operates as 60V MAX. DEWALT also describes certain 120V MAX tools as using two 60V MAX batteries together. The change is automatic, but compatibility is not universal across every DEWALT battery, tool, or charger—check the exact product manual before buying or connecting equipment.
What changes when you move a FLEXVOLT battery?
A FLEXVOLT battery is designed to serve DEWALT’s 20V MAX and 60V MAX tool platforms. When you move a compatible battery from one platform to the other, DEWALT says it automatically switches voltage to match the tool. You do not select a voltage setting or manually reconfigure the battery.
In the DHS790 instruction manual, DEWALT describes the operating modes this way: “When the FLEXVOLT® battery stands alone or is in a DEWALT 20V Max* product, it will operate as a 20V Max* battery. When the FLEXVOLT® battery is in a 60V Max* or a 120V Max* (two 60V Max* batteries) product, it will operate as a 60V Max* battery.” The manufacturer’s system page likewise says FLEXVOLT batteries automatically switch voltages when tools change.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThat statement explains the practical behavior and the tool classes involved. It does not describe the internal electrical circuit or exact cell arrangement, so those details should not be inferred from the phrase “switch voltage.” For the user, the essential point is that the compatible tool determines which operating mode the battery uses.
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How the voltage modes map to tools
| Where the battery is used | Operating mode described by DEWALT | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| By itself, outside a tool | 20V MAX mode, according to the DHS790 manual | Do not treat this as a separate manual setting; the battery switches automatically in compatible tools. |
| DEWALT 20V MAX tool | 20V MAX | Confirm the specific tool is listed as compatible with the battery. |
| DEWALT 60V MAX tool | 60V MAX | Check the tool’s manual and battery requirements. |
| DEWALT 120V MAX tool using two 60V MAX batteries | Each FLEXVOLT battery operates as a 60V MAX battery; the cited configuration combines two batteries. | Confirm that the particular tool specifies the two-battery arrangement. |
The 120V MAX case is not a single FLEXVOLT battery becoming a standalone 120V battery. DEWALT’s DCB612 product information identifies 120V MAX compatibility in a configuration using two DEWALT 60V MAX batteries. A tool’s own instructions govern which batteries it requires and how they are installed.
What 20V MAX and 60V MAX mean on the label
DEWALT’s DCB606 product page identifies the battery as 20V/60V MAX and explains that MAX ratings are initial voltage measured without a workload. The same page gives nominal ratings of 18V and 54V, respectively. These labels are two qualified ways of describing the battery’s platform ratings—not a promise that it will sustain exactly 20 volts or 60 volts during every task.
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| DCB606 rating | Published figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 20V MAX | 20V | Maximum initial voltage measured without a workload |
| 20V platform nominal rating | 18V | Nominal voltage listed by DEWALT |
| 60V MAX | 60V | Maximum initial voltage measured without a workload |
| 60V platform nominal rating | 54V | Nominal voltage listed by DEWALT |
These distinctions matter when comparing labels or reading tool specifications. A MAX number is not a guarantee about voltage under load, runtime, or performance in a particular job. The product’s capacity, the tool, and the work being done are separate considerations; the cited product information does not establish a runtime comparison across batteries or tools.
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How to check whether a battery fits your tool
FLEXVOLT’s cross-platform design can make one battery useful across more than one compatible tool class, but it does not mean every DEWALT battery fits every DEWALT tool. DEWALT describes FLEXVOLT as compatible with 20V MAX and 60V MAX tools, and its system page states that FLEXVOLT batteries work with 60V MAX tools and more than 300 20V MAX system tools. That platform-level description is not a substitute for checking a particular model.
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- Identify the exact tool model. Read the model number from the tool’s label or documentation; do not rely on its appearance or a broad platform name alone.
- Check the tool manual or official product information. Look for the battery platform and any stated battery requirements. For a 120V MAX tool, confirm whether it calls for two 60V MAX batteries.
- Check the battery model and its compatibility listing. For example, DEWALT lists the DCB606 as a FLEXVOLT 20V/60V MAX battery and identifies automatic switching. Compatibility should still be confirmed against the intended tool.
- Check charger compatibility separately. DEWALT’s DCB612 page says that model is compatible with all 20V MAX chargers. Do not generalize that statement to every FLEXVOLT battery or charger; consult the relevant battery and charger documentation.
- Resolve uncertainty before purchase. If the manual or product listing does not establish the fit for your exact models, confirm compatibility with DEWALT or an authorized seller rather than assuming that batteries in the same brand family are interchangeable.
DEWALT says FLEXVOLT batteries support more than 300 tools in its 20V MAX system, but that figure is a platform-level statement, not a claim that every 20V MAX tool in every generation or configuration accepts every battery. Older or specialized tools are especially worth checking against their own documentation.
Choosing a FLEXVOLT battery for more than one tool
Start with the tools you actually intend to power. The battery’s platform compatibility answers whether it may work with a tool; capacity and the tool’s demands help determine whether it is suitable for the work. A higher amp-hour (Ah) figure alone does not establish a particular runtime in every tool. The available DEWALT product information does not provide a like-for-like runtime comparison across FLEXVOLT battery models.
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- Tool compatibility: Match the battery model to each intended tool using the tool’s manual and official compatibility information.
- Capacity: Compare the Ah rating for the battery models under consideration, but do not translate that number into a guaranteed number of cuts, holes, or operating hours without applicable test data.
- Charger fit: Verify the charger separately. The DCB612 page’s all-20V-MAX-chargers statement applies to that battery model, not automatically to the entire battery range.
- Physical fit and handling: Check the product specifications if battery dimensions or weight matter for the task. The cited information does not establish comparable size or weight figures across models.
- Warranty and regional terms: Confirm the warranty applying to the exact battery and where it is sold. The cited product details do not establish warranty terms.
The DCB606 is a concrete example of a FLEXVOLT battery marketed for the 20V/60V MAX platforms, with tri-platform compatibility and automatic voltage switching listed on its product page. Its published label includes a 6Ah capacity. Those facts identify the product; they do not demonstrate how long it will run any particular tool.
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Common assumptions to avoid
- “Every DEWALT battery works in every DEWALT tool.” The platform is not universal. Verify the exact battery and tool models.
- “The battery needs a switch or manual voltage selection.” DEWALT describes voltage switching as automatic when a FLEXVOLT battery is moved between compatible tool classes.
- “A 20V MAX battery supplies 20 volts continuously.” DEWALT qualifies MAX as initial voltage measured without a workload and lists lower nominal figures for the DCB606.
- “One FLEXVOLT battery powers a 120V MAX tool as a 120V battery.” The cited DEWALT information describes the 120V MAX arrangement as two 60V MAX batteries combined.
- “A compatibility statement for one model applies to all chargers.” The DCB612 page makes a specific charger-compatibility claim for that battery; check other models individually.
- “A higher Ah rating guarantees a specific runtime.” Runtime depends on the specific tool and use, and the cited pages do not establish a model-by-model runtime comparison.
What DEWALT’s explanation does—and does not—establish
The manufacturer’s product-system description and the DHS790 manual establish the user-facing behavior: automatic switching and the 20V MAX, 60V MAX, and two-battery 120V MAX operating cases. DEWALT’s DCB606 and DCB612 product information adds model-specific ratings and compatibility details. Those sources do not establish the battery’s precise internal switching circuit, cell grouping, performance under a particular workload, or runtime in a named tool.
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Accordingly, the reliable way to use the feature is to treat the voltage change as automatic while treating tool and charger fit as model-specific. The battery’s label and the tool’s instructions answer different questions: the label gives qualified battery ratings; the manual tells you which equipment is compatible and what configuration to use.
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