Battery
Tools
These are some common tools used to work on this device. You might not need every tool for every procedure.
Troubleshooting
For help with any problem you may be experiencing with your DeWalt DC970 drill, check out the troubleshooting page
DW9116 charger recall
While this drill has not been subject to a recall, the DW9116 charger has. If you purchase a used drill with the included charger, check the charger to make sure it isn't recalled. DeWalt may not be repairing recalled chargers anymore, so it is possible you may be out of pocket for a new one.
Background
In 2007, Dewalt introduced its first line of lithium-ion battery cordless tools, including the 18-volt line. This drill has received its fair share of positive reviews across the internet, all emphasizing its effectiveness as a home improvement drill.
It is a black and yellow DeWalt 18-volt, ½ chuck, 5.2-pound cordless drill. It has a 2-inch wood capacity and can bore holes quickly because of the 1500 RPM speed. A major feature is its keyless chuck. Its 2-speed gearbox makes it ideal for many jobs. It is lightweight and compact, and the battery can be fully charged in an hour. The model number Is DC970. This device is very useful for construction or many home repairs.
In addition to the battery, the second most common problem is that the motor burns out, which also happens as the drill ages.
Battery issues
The most common problem with the DeWalt DC970 and other NiCd tools with 12 or 18V batteries is a low charge capacity. As these batteries age, they also tend to have severe battery degradation faster than similar LiOn batteries. This has become more common when the drill is still running on the original NiCd packs these drills shipped with.
If your original NiCd batteries are worn out, the best way to get up and running again is to use the DCA1820 and a 20V Lithium battery.
Note for DCA1820+20V battery users (DC970 only): Most 18V tools will work as-is with little worry of tool damage. However, the DC970 CANNOT USE premium high-capacity batteries (or batteries directly listed as Premium). This is due to motor limitations, as the DC970 was never the best (even when new).
WARNING: If you switch to using 20V Lithium batteries, DO NOT REUSE THE OLD 18V NiCd CHARGER. This will also "die" when you switch to the newer batteries, as the 18V chargers cannot charge the 20V batteries. You will need to replace both the batteries, charger, and adapter.
Recovering/rebuilding worn original batteries
If you have original NiCd packs, they are typically unrecoverable when they fail due to cell age and need to be rebuilt. DeWalt no longer sells 18V batteries or supports these tools with parts, so you will need to rebuild the original batteries with NiCd or NiMh* cells or purchase good-quality third-party batteries if you do not want to switch to using 20V batteries with the adapter.
*CAUTION: YOUR CHARGER MUST SUPPORT NiMH CELLS TO USE THESE BATTERIES. Verify your charger specs to make sure you can use NiMh in place of NiCd. Since DeWalt has sold both, this should not be too much of a hurdle. You may be able to use your existing charger as-is.
Rebuilding note: The older batteries DO NOT have an internal BMS, unlike the newer 20V batteries. While this makes rebuilding easier, you must use properly balanced cells out of the gate. Cell imbalance issues cannot be corrected as easily by a complete pack discharge, given the lack of a BMS. For most people, doing a battery rebuild will likely be impractical unless you have the equipment and can save enough to justify the work.
Overall, the better solution for these older drills is to buy new NiMh clone batteries or switch to 20V lithium with something like the DCA1820 conversion kit. This kit includes the batteries and the adapter needed to switch these tools over quickly in one package deal. The bundled 2Ah batteries are far from how big some of the original NiCds were (going up to ~4Ah officially or 3Ah 3rd party). These tools can be used with better batteries in most cases, but the bundled batteries work on 100% of the "20V compatible" tools that can be switched over and are much more capable than the original 18V 1.2Ah batteries typically bundled with these drills when new.
Identification
The DeWalt DC970 model number (DC970) is printed on the manufacturer label on the right side of the drill.