How many holes with one battery do you get?

[Gills-only]

Great stuff....so from what I've heard I've concluded a couple things:
1. Many factors need to be taken not account... temp, ice thickness, battery amp, auger size, etc.
2.  I should get a bigger battery, more ah ( I can do that with my drill?).
3. If punching more than a few, and thicker ice, either go smaller auger or to my gas...too much stress on drill.
4. Get a better (more expensive) drill, maybe next Black Friday.

.          Exactly whatI told u , way to many variables to take into account !!

[DTro]

DeWalt DCD996 with 5aH battery  8" KDrill  15" of ice   10 degrees F  23 Holes or 345" of ice. 

 I imagine a less aggressive laser bit you should be able to do at least 30 holes or 450" of ice, maybe more.

[hardwater diehard]

DeWalt DCD996 with 5aH battery  8" KDrill  15" of ice   10 degrees F  23 Holes or 345" of ice. 

 I imagine a less aggressive laser bit you should be able to do at least 30 holes or 450" of ice, maybe more.

Your video inspired me to go with the 8" Kdrill

[DTro]

I think you will like it.  I love mine

[tentwiststhick]

Since acquiring my 6" Clam setup a few seasons ago that I use with a Ryobi P90 18v drill. I noticed for the first time the effect of extremely cold temperatures like we've had in the SEPA vicinity recently, has on the battery. With a fully charged almost new battery, the power seemed to be gone after 8 to 10 holes through 8" of ice. I had a process for warming the batteries up after they started to get sluggish at my disposal and it made a huge difference. I use a small insulated soft sided lunch tote with a large body size hand warmer pack to keep the batteries warmed up. Don't forget to allow a little air flow in your containment for the hand warmer packs. In temperatures above 25F the same battery drilled over 25 holes through 8+ inches of ice and had plenty of power to spare.Temperature can make a lot of difference in battery performance for sure.

[Mountain Maggot]

Since our ice here is Missouri is relativy thin at 4-6 inches, I’ve trying to do my exercise with a hand auger instead of my Ion.  Right now I am pushing about 3 holes to a beer.  When I run out off beer, it is time to stop drilling.

 

[bee]

Great stuff....so from what I've heard I've concluded a couple things:
1. Many factors need to be taken not account... temp, ice thickness, battery amp, auger size, etc.
2.  I should get a bigger battery, more ah ( I can do that with my drill?).
3. If punching more than a few, and thicker ice, either go smaller auger or to my gas...too much stress on drill.
4. Get a better (more expensive) drill, maybe next Black Friday.

You have to get a bigger battery. That or stay home. Don't fool youself into thinking that tiny battery will work.

[slamminsam]

Just a bigger battery???  Im a little concerned that pushing that much juice through the drill and the wires meant for that drill may burn it up? 

How much torque are the M18 pushing? 

[Gills-only]

Which m18 ?

[Icefisher40]

Milwaukee 4ah - over 40 holes last weekend through 7ish inches of ice and still had half a charge left.

I have 3 of these batteries.

5" auger

[Gills-only]

5” auger should be able to drill all day !!

[RyanW]

Milwaukee 4ah - over 40 holes last weekend through 7ish inches of ice and still had half a charge left.

I have 3 of these batteries.

5" auger

Milwaukee 2703 5ah battery. 8” Lazer with clam plate. I drilled 35 holes today through 11” of ice and the battery still showed 3 bars out on the ice.

[JiggingIowa]

Just a bigger battery???  Im a little concerned that pushing that much juice through the drill and the wires meant for that drill may burn it up? 

How much torque are the M18 pushing?

The increased Ah isn’t going to change the voltage to your drill, all it means is your battery is able to hold a larger charger for lack of better terminology. So in short, you’re not getting any more power, just a longer run time per battery.

[32footsteps]

The increased Ah isn’t going to change the voltage to your drill, all it means is your battery is able to hold a larger charger for lack of better terminology. So in short, you’re not getting any more power, just a longer run time per battery.

^This

Think in terms of gas tank size. Let’s say you are going to buy a 2015 Silverado and have two to choose from. One has a 20 gallon gas tank (2ah battery) and the other has a 50 gallon tank (4ah battery). You plan on driving it from Chicago to Denver. Which one will go the farthest on one tank of gas?

[DTro]

Actually a larger capacity battery WILL give you more power.  Here is proof:

&t=27s

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Since our ice here is Missouri is relativy thin at 4-6 inches, I’ve trying to do my exercise with a hand auger instead of my Ion.  Right now I am pushing about 3 holes to a beer.  When I run out off beer, it is time to stop drilling.

 

Thank you for speaking in my terms!!!

[Light liner]

Rigid 18 v brushless with nills 6"
Depending on ice thickness and hardness.
20" ice probably 35-45 holes.
6" of ice 75-100.

[Flint]

I have two outings on my new Ryobi brushless with Ion plus 4amp batts. Clam plate 6in Finn Bore. First day started out at zero degrees and went to about 22F. Drilled about 35 holes in ~10in ice and still showed 3/4 of batt at end of the day. Second day started at 22F and ended up at 45F. I drilled ~75 holes for four people in 10-12in of ice. Show half a battery at end of day. Not one over amp cutout. So far I’m impressed with the Ryobi hammer drill.

[bee]

Just a bigger battery???  Im a little concerned that pushing that much juice through the drill and the wires meant for that drill may burn it up? 

How much torque are the M18 pushing?

Stop being so hard headed. We tell you what is needed. That battery will not work. Step up or step out.

[SLAYERFISH]

Ronco drilled 76 holes with his M-18 2704/ clam plate/ 6" eskimo/ 5.0AH battery yesterday thru 9" of hard ice.

Thats pretty F'ing good!

[gearheart]

A lot of folks would like to believe that a little difference in hole size doesn't matter much.  It matters huge. comparing a 6 inch hole to a 8 inch hole is comparing 9 to 16.  Not quite double but close.  The area of the hole is what counts not the diameter.

[RyanW]

A lot of folks would like to believe that a little difference in hole size doesn't matter much.  It matters huge. comparing a 6 inch hole to a 8 inch hole is comparing 9 to 16.  Not quite double but close.  The area of the hole is what counts not the diameter.

I don’t think a lot people realize that an 8” hole is almost twice the area of a 6” hole. The physics involved with drilling 8” holes is making me consider getting a 6” and reserving my 8” for tipups. A 6” would work out much better on my clam plate for my uses.

[Hardwater Problem]

My two cents.  Amp hours (Im told!!!???) mean everything as far as a drill working correctly for an ice auger setup.  it is only second in importance to it being a brushless drill.  My buddy had a six inch auger with sharp blades and he burned up his non brushless drill in two day trip outings.  I run a 20 v Dewalt with 5 amp hour batteries.  I have not counted the holes but its a ton before you have to recharge and I have kept them warm between drilling and left them on the drill exposed and in both situations one battery lasted all weekend on both outings.  Roughly thirty holes both trips.   It only makes sense that if you kept them warm they would perform better, I'm not going to make an argument there.  In the interest of full disclosure, my batteries are relatively new and I make sure they are full charge prior to using them.  In my third season of running a drill/Clam Plate/Mora hand auger bit setup, I have come to learn the hard way that you should not use the hammer option on the drill, it was very hard on the blades of the auger.  Somehow my drill got set to hammer and the blades that previously went two prior seasons only lasted half of this one before I noticed it was on hammer.  I loaned the auger to a buddy and they came back wrecked.  Also he was running it on the third setting.  This is too fast and caused the blades to hop and cut unevenly and he nearly ruined my drill.  Draw your own conclusions but the combo of hammer and too fast did a number on my blades and made my drill smell hot every time it ran after that.  Dewalt replaced my drill and needless to say, I wont be loaning it out anymore.  Long story short get higher amp hour batteries and run your drill at a high torque stting on the dial but not the hammer and use a slow drill speed.  I hope this is helpful as this setup has been flawless up until somebody else used my gear and I am thrilled with the results. 

[rdhammah]

I use 4 AH battery on my Rigid. have never run out. I recharge after every trip. I usually only drill up to 20 holes with a 7" auger

[PaddyO]

I drilled 20-22 holes yesterday in Lake Simcoe Canada with my Dewalt  DCD996 with a XR 5AH through 22"of good ice with an 8" StrikeMaster.   Battery died on the last hole - more than impressed.

[Gamalot]

I used my new rig today for the first time. 2704 Milwaukee fuel with 5 AH battery on a clam plate with a new SM Laser 7 inch auger going through 9.5 inches of ice. I drilled 10 holes for me and then the guys next to me drilled 18 for them with it. The battery has a push button gauge on it. So it drilled 28 holes with brand new drill, battery and Swedish auger blades and here at home the battery still has a completely full charge in it. I would say I could easily drill 50 holes and still have battery to spare.

Real cold is tough on batteries. It was 45 here today so no issue at all. Probably a different story if it is zero and windy but just keep the battery warm if you need it to last. The 2704 is a wild monster of a drill and I am real glad I bought it. I keep all my cordless batteries in the house when not being used and find they last way longer. I don't think LI batteries take a memory but I do think it is a good practice to run them down to near dead before you recharge them. Keep them warm or not frozen and it should be good all day long for more holes than any man needs.

Gam

[Icefisher40]

How durable are these drills?  Keep it at home if rain is predicted?

[Gamalot]

How durable are these drills?  Keep it at home if rain is predicted?

Contractors use the better ones all day and every day in all sorts of weather. I would certainly cover it while not in use but a little rain should not be that big of a deal. On the bitter cold days I remove the battery after I drill holes and keep it in the shanty where it should be warmer.

Gam

[musky8it]

With a 6” Nils and 4ah 18v ridgid drill I average around 600-700” of ice on a battery

I also use a ridged 18v but with a 6" auger but don't get as much, maybe 200" so I got a question for you J.Iowa.

Where to you keep your bat when not cutting holes? Do you keep it out in the cold or in an inner pocket to keep it warm.

[musky8it]

Model of drill and Amp Hour of your batteries ?

I'm not the OP your asking this ? to but I use a Ridgid 1/2  18v (R860071B). I've looked on the drill and batteries and I don't see any AH. All that's on the bat is LI-ION 27 WH.

I'm no electrician I searched for a Wh to mAh calculator and found one that said 27Wh at 18v equals 1500 mah. this really doesn't tell me anything, it could men 100ah for 15 hours or 50ah for 30 hours.