Short answer: DCB118 is DeWalt’s 20V MAX/60V MAX FlexVolt 8 amp fast charger — it charges both standard 20V MAX batteries and FlexVolt (20V/60V MAX) batteries in the same unit, at 8 amps for larger “premium” packs and 4 amps for smaller “compact” packs. That’s true of every current DeWalt 20V MAX-family charger checked for this guide: the amp rating changes how fast a battery charges, not which battery families a given charger accepts.
What exactly does the DCB118 charge?
DeWalt states the DCB118 “works with both DEWALT 20V MAX and 20v/60V MAX flexvolt batteries” — one charger, both battery families, no separate FlexVolt-only charger needed. It charges premium (larger) batteries at 8 amps and compact batteries at 4 amps, and includes an internal fan that circulates air across the battery “to help limit hot/cold pack delays” (the pause a charger takes if a battery is too hot or cold to charge safely).
Is DCB118 the fastest DeWalt charger, or are there faster options?
No — DeWalt also sells the DCB1112, a 12 amp fan-cooled fast charger, also compatible with “DEWALT 20V MAX and flexvolt 20v/60V MAX batteries.” DeWalt states the DCB1112 charges a FlexVolt DCB609 battery to 80% capacity in under 45 minutes, with a full charge taking approximately 1.5 hours. On the slower end, the DCB1104 is a 4 amp charger that adds a third family to the mix: DeWalt states it charges “DEWALT 12v MAX, DEWALT 20V MAX, and flexvolt batteries” all in the same unit.
| Charger | Charge rate | Battery families |
|---|---|---|
| DCB1104 | 4A | 12V MAX, 20V MAX, FlexVolt |
| DCB118 | 8A (premium) / 4A (compact) | 20V MAX, FlexVolt |
| DCB1112 | 12A | 20V MAX, FlexVolt |
So can one charger cover 12V MAX, 20V MAX and FlexVolt, but not the tools?
Yes, and that’s a genuinely useful distinction. As covered in the DeWalt 18V vs 20V MAX guide on this site, 12V MAX is a separate tool platform from 20V MAX — a 12V MAX battery does not power a 20V MAX tool. But at the charger level, DeWalt builds some chargers (like the DCB1104) to service both battery families in one unit, because charging is a simpler electrical problem than running a tool. Owning a DCB1104-style charger doesn’t merge the two tool platforms — it just means you don’t need two separate chargers sitting on the bench.
Does a legacy 18V-tool setup use these same chargers?
No. The DCA1820 adapter (covered in the DeWalt 18V vs 20V MAX guide) requires a 20V MAX charger and explicitly will not fit into 18V chargers — and DeWalt states the DCA1820 itself “will not work with 20V/60V flexvolt batteries.” Legacy 18V charging stays on its own older chargers; the adapter only bridges the battery-to-tool connection, not the charging step.
What this guide deliberately doesn’t cover
Several other high-volume searches in this same keyword family are exact tool model numbers — an angle grinder, a hammer drill, a circular saw, a specific battery SKU — rather than compatibility questions. Looking up what a specific tool model number is is a different kind of question than battery-platform compatibility, and DeWalt’s own product pages (or a retailer listing) will always be a better answer for “what tool is this SKU” than a third-party comparison site. This guide sticks to the charger-compatibility question, which is what DCB118 searches are actually asking.
How this was checked
This guide is based on DeWalt’s own product pages for the DCB1104, DCB118 and DCB1112 chargers, plus the DCA1820 adapter page already used for the DeWalt 18V vs 20V MAX guide on this site. No charge-time figure is stated beyond the one DeWalt itself publishes (DCB609 on the DCB1112).
Sources checked: 2026-08-05. A new review date will only be set after the linked pages are re-checked.