DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver Review
DEWALT DCD998W1 20V  XR 1/2 IN. Brushless Hammer Drill Drill / Driver With Power Detect  Â
DeWalt 20 Volt Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill DriverÂ
Manufacturer: DEWALT
Model number: DCD 998
Price: 279.00
Power source: 20 V MAX
Weight: 3.5
Cordless tools have become a staple on the job site across all trades, but especially carpentry. They make life easier in many ways by eliminating the hassle of tangled cords or the need to run extension cords across areas where people walk. Cordless tools allow you to take the tool to the work much more easily than a corded tool.
DEWALT Upgrades to Power Detect System
However, an intrinsic pitfall of any cordless tool is that you are fully dependent on the life of the battery with which you power your tool. How frustrating is it to grab a tool only to find the battery is dead (blame the cold, the last guy who used your tool, or your negligence to recharge the battery)?
DEWALT’s new line of cordless and brushless tools with Power Detect™ tool technology offers a solution to this common dilemma.
Power Detect = A Game-Changing Battery System
The new Power DetectTM battery technology from DeWalt recognizes the type of battery that the tool is using and adjusts the tool’s output according to the battery in use. All tools with the Power DetectTM technology are compatible with 20V Max, including the new 8 Ah battery, and FlexVolt batteries.
The DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver DCD 998W1  offers 29% more power when paired with the new 20V MAX* 8Ah battery. What this means for me as a carpenter is that I can grab this tool from my truck, bring it to my work, and complete even the longest task with confidence that this one battery is going to last. It’s the little time savers that add up over the course of an entire project. And it should go without mentioning that it’s just more fun to use a tool when you don’t have to worry about its battery life.
DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver Features
The DeWalt DCD 998W1 Hammer Drill and Driver has a 3-speed, all-metal transmission with 11 clutch settings. It runs off DeWalt’s 20V MAX battery system so you have the option of running your other batteries, although I highly doubt you will have to with the new 20V MAX XR® 8Ah battery.
Another useful feature on the DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver DCD 998W1 is the 3 mode LED work light. With 2 brightness settings and an additional 20-minute extended work light setting, this hammer drill allows you to work in all conditions.
DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver Specifications
The DeWalt DCD 998W1 Hammer Drill and Driver kit include (1) drill driver, (1) charger, (1), 8 Ah battery, (1) side handle, (1) belt clip, and (1) kit bag. $279 at Lowes.
- Tool Height: 2 inches
- Tool Length: 85 inches
- Tool Width: 55 inches
- Tool Weight: 5 lbs (without the battery)
- Clutch settings: 11
- Battery system: 20V max
Using The DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver
I recently used this Hammer drill during a sill repair job we did on an old timber frame house. The 10 x 10 solid old-growth oak sill was the original sill of the house. The density of this sill plate made it extremely difficult to remove, even in small pieces. Once we hogged out most of the material using reciprocating saws, we were left with a few sections that had heating pipes embedded in the sill.
I used the DCD 998W1 Hammer Drill and a â…ž paddle bit to hog out specific areas around these pipes so that we could then insert a reciprocating saw blade to finish cutting out the sill. The DCD 998W1 Hammer Drill and an 8 Ah battery provided plenty of power and control to bore a hole through an extremely dense piece of lumber.
Final Thoughts On The DEWALT Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill Driver
While it weighs in at 3.5lbs without the battery, it feels extremely well balanced with an 8ah battery which adds another 2lbs. Coupled with well-balanced weight distribution, the handle ergonomics of the DCD 998 Hammer Drill make it extremely comfortable to use. Additionally, the side handle gives you more control during heavy-duty drilling operations.
Price
The DeWalt DCD 998W1 Hammer Drill and Driver kit include (1) drill driver, (1) charger, (1), 8 Ah battery, (1) side handle, (1) belt clip, and (1) kit bag. $279 at Lowes.
DEWALT DeWalt 20 Volt Power Detect Hammer Drill/Drill DriverÂ
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About the author
Dave Brefini
Dave Brefini has always been drawn to carpentry since he was a young kid but did not work in the trade until January 2019. Prior to this, he spent 8 years working as a Spanish teacher both at the university and high school level. As a teacher in both private and public schools, he noticed that the trades were rarely presented to students as a viable career path. His decision to begin a career in carpentry was based on both a deep interest in the craft and a passion to promote the trade to young people.
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