Save This Manual Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly,
operating, inspection, maintenance and cleaning procedures. Write the product’s serial number in the
back of the manual near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number).
Keep this manual and the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference.
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential
personal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages that
follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
will result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate injury.
Addresses practices not related to personal injury.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
When using electric gardening appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed
to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and personal injury, including the following:
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS
Power Cord Safety
WARNING! - To reduce the risk of electric
shock, use only with an extension cord
intended for outdoor use, such as an
extension cord of cord type
SW-A, SOW-A, STW-A, STOW-A, SJW-A,
SJOW-A, SJTW-A, or SJTOW-A.
1. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection
should be provided on the circuit(s) or outlet(s) to
be used for the gardening appliance. Receptacles
are available having built-in GFCI protection
and may be used for this measure of safety.
2. Do not Abuse Cord - Do not carry appliance by
cord or yank it to disconnect from receptacle.
Keep cord from heat, oil, and sharp edges.
3. To reduce the risk of electric shock, this appliance
has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than
the other) and will require the use of a polarized
extension cord. The appliance plug will fit
into a polarized extension cord only one way.
If the plug does not fit fully into the extension cord,
reverse the plug. If the plug still does not fit, obtain
a correct polarized extension cord. A polarized
extension cord will require the use of a polarized
wall outlet. This plug will fit into the polarized wall
outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully
into the wall outlet, reverse the plug. If the plug
still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician to
install the proper wall outlet. Do not change the
equipment plug, extension cord receptacle, or
extension cord plug in any way. This design is
referred to as double-insulated, indicated by .
Extension Cord Size
The following table shows the correct
cord size to use depending on cord length
and nameplate ampere rating. If in doubt,
use the next heavier gauge. The smaller the
gauge number, the heavier the cord.
TABLE A – MINIMUM WIRE GAUGE FOR
EXTENSION CORDS (120 VOLT)
Ampere Rating
(at full load)
0 – 618161614
6 – 1018161412
10 – 1216161412
12 – 161412Not recommended
EXTENSION CORD LENGTH
25′50′100′150′
SAFETYOPERATIONMAINTENANCESETUP
4. WARNING: The cord of this product contains
lead, a chemical known to the State of California
to cause cancer, and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
5. Extension Cord - Make sure your extension cord
is in good condition. When using an extension
cord, be sure to use one heavy enough to carry
the current your product will draw. An undersized
extension cord will cause a drop in line voltage
resulting in loss of power and overheating.
Personal Safety
1. Dress Properly - Do not wear loose clothing or
jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts.
Use of rubber gloves and substantial footwear
is recommended when working outdoors.
Wear protective hair covering to contain long hair.
2. Wear ANSI-approved safety goggles and
heavy-duty work gloves. Use face or
dust mask if operation is dusty.
3. Avoid Unintentional Starting - Do not carry
plugged-in appliance with finger on switch.
Be sure switch is off when plugging in.
4. Do not Overreach Keep proper footing and balance at all times.
5. Stay Alert - Watch what you are doing. Use common
sense. Do not operate appliance when you are tired.
Connecting Cords
To r educe the risk of the cords
pulling apart during operation:
a. Make a loop in the
extension cord, and
press that cord loop through
the hole in the handle.
b. Hook that cord loop
around the cord hook.
c. Make sure the Trigger is released,
then plug the cord ends together.
6. Wear thick jeans and steel-toed
work boots to help prevent injury
caused by flying debris.
7. People with pacemakers should consult their
physician(s) before use. Electromagnetic fields in
close proximity to heart pacemaker could cause
pacemaker interference or pacemaker failure.
In addition, people with pacemakers should:
• Avoid operating alone.
• Don’t use with power switch locked on.
• Properly maintain and inspect to
avoid electrical shock.
• Any power cord must be properly grounded.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
should also be implemented –
it prevents sustained electrical shock.
4. When servicing use only identical replacement parts.
5. Use Right Appliance - Do not use appliance for
any job except that for which it is intended.
6. Do not Force Appliance - It will do the job
better and with less likelihood of injury at
the rate for which it was designed.
7. Store Idle Appliances Indoors - When not in use,
appliances should be stored indoors in dry, and
high or locked-up place - out of reach of children.
8. Maintain Appliance With Care - Keep cutting edge
sharp and clean for best performance and to reduce
the risk of injury. Follow instructions for lubricating
and changing accessories. Inspect appliance cord
periodically, and if damaged, have it repaired by
an authorized service facility. Inspect extension
cords periodically and replace if damaged. Keep
handles dry, clean, and free from oil and grease.
9. Check Damaged Parts - Before further use of the
appliance, a guard or other part that is damaged
should be carefully checked to determine that it will
operate properly and perform its intended function.
Check for alignment of moving parts, binding of
moving parts, breakage of parts, mounting, and any
other condition that may affect its operation. A guard
or other part that is damaged should be properly
repaired or replaced by a qualified technician
unless indicated elsewhere in this manual.
10. Disconnect Appliance - Disconnect the appliance
from the power supply when not in use,
before servicing, when changing
accessories such as blades, and the like.
11. Keep guards in place and in working order.
12. Only replace the line on this appliance with
the line material and diameter of line listed
on the Specifications table. Other materials,
such as wire, rope, or blades can damage the
appliance and be forcefully and dangerously
ejected from the appliance upon breaking.
Vibration Hazard
This appliance vibrates during use.
Repeated or long-term exposure to vibration may
cause temporary or permanent physical injury,
particularly to the hands, arms and shoulders.
To reduce the risk of vibration-related injury:
1. Anyone using vibrating appliances regularly or
for an extended period should first be examined
by a doctor and then have regular medical
check-ups to ensure medical problems are not
being caused or worsened from use. Pregnant
women or people who have impaired blood
circulation to the hand, past hand injuries,
nervous system disorders, diabetes, or Raynaud’s
Disease should not use this appliance. If you
feel any symptoms related to vibration (such as
tingling, numbness, and white or blue fingers),
seek medical advice as soon as possible.
2. Do not smoke during use. Nicotine reduces
the blood supply to the hands and fingers,
increasing the risk of vibration-related injury.
3. Wear suitable gloves to reduce the
vibration effects on the user.
4. Use appliances with the lowest vibration when
there is a choice between different processes.
5. Include vibration-free periods each day of work.
6. Grip appliance as lightly as possible
(while still keeping safe control of it).
Let the appliance do the work.
7. To reduce vibration, maintain the appliance
as explained in this manual. If any abnormal
vibration occurs, stop use immediately.
1. The spool will continue to rotate for a few seconds
after use. Allow it to stop completely and unplug
it before putting the appliance down, making
any adjustments, or servicing the appliance.
2. Do not use in rain, snow, sprinklers, or wet grass.
Do not rinse off the Trimmer.
3. Use only during daylight hours.
4. Carefully inspect the wire spool and guard
before plugging in the Trimmer. Do not
use Trimmer if any part is cracked or damaged.
5. Cover the Trimming Blade after every use.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
6. Do not use appliance for other than intended use.
7. Maintain labels and nameplates on the appliance.
These carry important safety information.
If unreadable or missing, contact
Harbor Freight Tools for a replacement.
8. The warnings, precautions, and instructions
discussed in this instruction manual cannot
cover all possible conditions and situations
that may occur. It must be understood by the
operator that common sense and caution are
factors which cannot be built into this product,
but must be supplied by the operator.