Poulan 31WG User Manual

Trademark

R

Please do not return unit to retailer.
Por favor, no devuelva el aparato al lugar de compra.
Veuillez ne pas retourner l’outil au détaillant.

1-800-554-6723

www.weedeater.com

Instruction Manual

Manual de Instrucciones

Manuel d’Instructions

31WG

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

For Occasional Use Only

WARNING:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions before
using this product. Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

ADVERTENCIA:

Lea el manual de instrucciones y siga todas las advertencias e
instrucciones de seguridad. El no hacerlo puede resultar en le­siones graves.

A VERTISSEMENT:

Lire le manuel d’instructions et bien respecter tous les avertisse­ments et toutes les instructions de sécurité. Tout défaut de le
faire pourrait entraîner des blessures graves.

Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
250 Bobby Jones Expressway
Augusta, GA 30907

CopyrightE2002 Electrolux Home Products, Inc.

530088154

FRANÇAIS

4/24/02

UL CLASSIFIED PRODUCT NOTICE

Only the following Gasoline Powered Combination Gardening Appliance powerhead models
and their respective attachments have been Classified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., in
accordance with the applicable safety requirements.

Powerhead including trimmer attachment
Optional blower attachment
Optional brushcutter attachment

The following attachment is Listed by Underwriter ’s Laboratories, Inc., in accordance with
UL Standard 1602, “Gasoline--Engine--Powered, Rigid--Cutting Member, Edgers and Edge-­Trimmers.”

Optional edger attachment

31WG..........................

3000B........................................

4000C..................................

1000E........................................

SAFETY RULES

If situations occur which are not covered in

WARNING:

appliances, basic safety precautions must al­ways be followed to reduce the risk of fire and
serious injury. Read and follow all instruc­tions.

This power unit can be dangerous!

responsible for following instructions and warn­ings on unit and in manual. Read entire instruc­tion manual before using unit! Be thoroughly fa­miliar w ith the controls and the proper use of the
unit. Restrict the use of this unit to persons who
have read, understand, and will follow the
instructions and warnings on the unit and in the
manual. Never allow children to operate this
unit.

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL

DANGER:

trimmer attachment. Never use flailing de­vices with any attachment. This unit (when
used with supplied line trimmer attachment) is
designed for line trimmer use only. Use of any
other accessories with line trimmer attach­ment will increase the risk of injury.

WARNING:

jects violently. You and others can be blinded/in­jured. Wear eye and leg protection. Keep body
parts clear of rotating line.

Eye Protection

Boots

Keep children, bystanders, and animals 50 feet
(15 meters) away. Stop unit immediately if ap­proached.

When using gardening

Operator is

SAFETY INFORMATION

ON THE UNIT

Never use blades with line

Trimme r line throws ob-

Hazard Zone

50 ft.

(15 m)

this manual, use care and good judgment. If
you need assistance, contact your authorized
service dealer or call 1-800-554-6723.

OPERATOR SAFETY

Dress properly. Always wear safety

S

glasses or similar eye protection when op­erating, or performing maintenance, on
your unit (safety glasses are available).
Eye protection should be marked Z87.
Always wear face or dust mask if operation

S

is dusty.
Always wear heavy, long pants, long

S

sleeves, boots, and gloves. Wearing safety
leg guards is recommended.
Always wear foot protection. Do not go

S

barefoot or wear sandals. Stay clear of
spinning line.
Secure hair above shoulder length. Secure

S

or remove loose clothing or clothing with
loosely hanging ties, straps, tassels, etc.
They can be caught in moving parts.
Being fully covered also helps protect you

S

from debris and pieces of toxic plants
thrown by spinning line.
Stay Alert. Do not operate this unit when

S

you are tired, ill, upset or under the influ­ence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.
Watch what you are doing; use common
sense.
Wear hearing protection.

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Never start or run inside a closed room or

S

building. Breathing exhaust fumes can kill.
Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

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Always keep engine on the right hand side

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of your body.
Hold the unit firmly with both hands.

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Keep trimmer head (or other optional at-

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tachment) below waist level and away from
all parts of your body. Do not raise engine
above your waist.
Keep all parts of your body away from muf-

S

fler and spinning line (or other optional at­tachment). Keep engine below waist level.
A hot muffler can cause serious burns.
Keep firm footing and balance. Do not over-

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reach or use from unstable surfaces such
as ladders, trees, steep slopes, rooftops,
etc.
Use only in daylight or good artificial light.

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Use only for jobs explained in this manual

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(or manuals for optional attachments).

2

UNIT / MAINTENANCE SAFETY

Disconnect the spark plug before perform-

S

ing maintenance except carburetor adjust­ments.
Look for and replace damaged or loose

S

parts before each use. Look for and repair
fuel leaks before use. Keep in good working
condition.
Replace trimmer head parts that are

S

chipped, cracked, broken, or damaged in
any other way before using the unit.
Maintain unit according to recommended

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procedures. Keep cutting line at proper
length.
Use only 0.080!(2 mm) diameter Weed

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Eater"brand line. Never use wire, rope,

string, etc.
Install required shield properly before using

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the unit. Use only specified trimmer head;
make sure it is properly installed and se­curely fastened.
Make sure unit is assembled correctly as

S

shown in this manual.
Make carburetor adjustments with lower

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end supported to prevent line from contact­ing any object.
Keep others away when making carburetor

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adjustments.
Use only recommended Weed Eater"ac-

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cessories and replacement parts.
Have all maintenance and service not ex-

S

plained in this manual performed by an au­thorized service dealer.

FUEL SAFETY

Mix and pour fuel outdoors.

S

Keep away from sparks or flames.

S

Use a container approved for fuel.

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Do not smoke or allow smoking near fuel or

S

the unit.
Avoid spilling fuel or oil. Wipe up all fuel

S

spills.
Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from

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fueling site before starting engine.
Stop engine and allow to cool before re-

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moving fuel cap.
Always store gasoline in a container ap-

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proved for flammable liquids.

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

Allow engine to cool before storing or trans-

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porting in vehicle.
Empty the fuel tank before storing or trans-

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porting the unit. Use up fuel left in the carbu­retor by starting the engine and letting it run
until it stops.
Store unit and fuel in area where fuel vapors

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cannot reach sparks or open flames from wa­ter heaters, electric motors or switches, fur­naces, etc.
Store unit so line limiter blade cannot acci-

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dentally cause injury. The unit can be hung
by the tube.
Store unit out of reach of children.

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SAFETY NOTICE:

through prolonged use of gasoline powered
hand tools could cause blood vessel or nerve
damage in the fingers, hands, and joints of
people prone to circulation disorders or ab­normal swellings. Prolonged use in cold

Exposure to vibrations

weather has been linked to blood vessel dam­age in otherwise healthy people. If symptoms
occur such as numbness, pain, loss of
strength, change in skin color or texture, or
loss of feeling in the fingers, hands, or joints,
discontinue the use of this tool and seek med­ical attention. An anti --vibration system does
not guarantee the avoidance of these prob­lems. Users who operate power tools on a
continual and regular basis must monitor
closely their physical condition and the condi­tion of this tool.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

with a temperature limiting muffler and spark
arresting screen which meets the require­ments of California Codes 4442 and 4443. All
U.S. forest land and the states of California,
Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ore­gon, and Washington require by law that
many internal combustion engines be
equipped with a spark arresting screen. If you
operate in alocale where such regulations ex­ist, you are legally responsible for maintaining
the operating condition of these parts. Failure
to do so is a violation of the law. For normal
homeowner use, the muffler and spark arrest­ing screen will not require any service. After
50 hours of use, we recommend that your
muffler be serviced or replaced by an autho­rized service dealer.

This unit is equipped

LINE TRIMMER SAFETY

WARNING:

trimmed before each use. Remove objects
(rocks, broken glass, nails, wire, etc.) which
can be thrown byor become entangled in line.
Hard objects can damage the trimmer head
and be thrown causing serious injury.

Use only for trimming, scalping, mowing and

S

sweeping. Do not use for edging, pruning or
hedge trimming.
Cut from your right to your left. Cutting on

S

left side of the shield will throw debris away
from the operator.

Inspect the area to be

ADDITIONAL SAFETY RULES

FOR OPTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

WARNING:

tachment used, read entire instruction manu­al before use and follow all warnings and in­structions in manual and on attachment.

WARNING:

installed when using edger or brushcutter at­tachments. Attach handlebar above arrow on
safety label on the upper tube (engine end of
unit). If your edger or brushcutter attachment
does not include a handlebar, a handlebar ac­cessory kit (#530071451) is available from
your authorized service dealer.

For each optional at-

Ensure handlebar is

Handlebar

3

EDGER SAFETY

WARNING:

edged before each use. Remove objects
(rocks, broken glass, nails, wire, etc.) which
can be thrown by the blade or can wrap
around the shaft.

Blade rotates momentarily after the trigger

S

is released. The blade can seriously cut
you or others.
Allow blade to stop before removing it from

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the cut.

Throw away blades that are bent, warped,

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cracked, broken or damaged in any other
way. Replace parts that are cracked,
chipped, or damaged before using the unit.
Do not attempt to remove cut material nor

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hold material to be cut when the engine is
running or when cutting blade is moving.
Always keep the wheel and depth adjusting

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skid in contact with the ground.
Always push the unit slowly over the

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ground. Stay alert for uneven sidewalks,
holes in the terrain, large roots, etc.
Always use the handlebar when using edg-

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er attachment.

Inspect the area to be

BLOWER/VACUUM SAFETY

WARNING:

starting unit. Remove all debris and hard ob­jects such as rocks, glass, wire, etc. that can
ricochet, be thrown, or otherwise cause injury
or damage during operation.

Do not set unit on any surface except a

S

clean, hard area while engine is running.
Debris such as gravel, sand, dust, grass,
etc., could be picked up by the air intake
and thrown out through discharge opening,
damaging unit, property, or causing serious
injury to bystanders or operator.
Never place objects inside the blower

S

tubes, vacuum tubes or blower outlet. Al­ways direct the blowing debris away from
people, animals, glass, and solid objects
such as trees, automobiles, walls, etc. The
force of air can cause rocks, dirt, or sticks to
be thrown or to ricochet which can hurt
people or animals, break glass, or cause
other damage.
Never run unit without the proper equip-

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ment attached. When using your unit as a
blower, always install blower tubes.
Check air intake opening, blower tubes or

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vacuum tubes frequently , always with en­gine stopped and spark plug disconnected.
Keep vents and discharge tubes free of de­bris which can accumulate and restrict
proper air flow.

Inspect area before

Never place any object in air intake opening

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as this could restrict proper air flow and
cause damage to the unit.
Never use for spreading chemicals, fertiliz-

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ers, orother substances which may contain
toxic materials.
To avoid spreading fire, do not use near leaf

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or brush fires, fireplaces, barbecue pits,
ashtrays, etc.

BRUSHCUTTER SAFETY

DANGER:

away from material it does not cut. Blade
thrust can cause amputation of arms or legs.

WARNING:

as a fastening device for the blade.

WARNING:

spin after the throttle is released or engine is
turned off. The coasting blade can throw ob­jects or seriously cut you if accidentally
touched. Stop the blade by contacting the
right hand side of the coasting blade with ma­terial already cut.

Stop coasting
blade by contact
with cut material.

WARNING:

cut before each use. Remove objects (rocks,
broken glass, nails, wire, etc.) which can be
thrown or become entangled in the blade or
trimmer line.

Throw away and replace blades that are

S

bent, warped, cracked, broken or damaged
in any other way.
Install required shield properly before using

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the unit. Use the metal shield for all metal
blade use.

Blade can thrust violently

Do not use trimmer head

The blade continues to

Inspect the area to be

4

WARNING:

tachments that provide a metal shield with
proboscis nose.

Use only specified blade and make sure it is

S

properly installed and securely fastened.
Cut from your left to your right. Cutting on

S

the right side of the shield will throw debris
away from the operator.
Always use the handlebar and a properly

S

adjusted shoulder strap with blade (see AS­SEMBLY instructions in brushcutter attach­ment instruction manual).

Only use brushcutter at-

Proboscis

nose

CULTIVATOR SAFETY

WARNING:

serious injury. Keep away from rotating tines.
Stop the engine and disconnect the spark
plug before unclogging tines or making re­pairs.

Rotating tines can cause

terial when the blade is in motion. Make sure
the switch is in the OFF position, the spark
plug wire is disconnected, and the blade has
stopped moving before removing jammed
material from the cutting blade. Do not grab or
hold the unit by the cutting blade.

Blades move

momentarily

after the

trigger is

released.

WARNING:

starting the unit. Remove all debris and hard
objects such as rocks, glass, wire, etc. that
can ricochet, be thrown, or otherwise cause
injury or damage during operation.

Do not use a cutting blade that is bent,

S

warped, cracked, broken or damaged in
any other way. Have worn or damaged
parts replaced by your authorized service
dealer.
Always keep unit in front of your body.

S

Keep all parts of your body away from the
cutting blade.
Keep the cutting blade and air vents clear of

S

debris.

Allow blades to stop
before removing
them from the cut.

Inspect the area before

POLE PRUNER SAFETY

WARNING:

cultivated before starting the unit. Remove all
debris and hard and sharp objects such as
rocks, vines, branch-- es, rope, string, etc.

Avoid heavy contact with solid objects that

S

might stop the tines. If heavy contact oc­curs, stop the engine and inspect the unit
for damage.
Never operate the cultivator without the tine

S

cover in place and properly secured.
Keep the tines and guard clear of debris.

S

After striking a foreign object, stop the en-

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gine, disconnect the spark plug and inspect
the cultivator for damage. Repair before re­starting.
Disconnect attachment from the drive en-

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gine before cleaning the tines with a hose
and water to remove any build--up. Oil the
tines to prevent rust.
Always wear gloves when servicing or

S

cleaning the tines. The tines become very
sharp from use.
Do not run unit at high speed unless culti-

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vating.

Inspect the area to be

HEDGE TRIMMER SAFETY

DANGER:

HANDS AWAY FROM BLADE -- Blade
moves momentarily after the trigger is re­leased. Do not attempt to clear away cut ma-

RISK OF CUT; KEEP

WARNING:

cause severe injury. Inspect the unit before
use. Do not operate unit with a bent, cracked
or dull blade. Keep away from the blade.

WARNING:

is sharp. Do not touch. Toprevent serious in­jury, always stop engine and ensure blades
have stopped moving, disconnect spark plug,
and wear gloves when changing or handling
the blade.

WARNING:

cause injury while it continues to move after
the engine is stopped. Maintain proper con­trol of the unit until the blade has completely
stopped moving. Keep hands, face and feet
at a distance from all moving parts. Do not at­tempt to touch or stop the blade when it is
moving.

WARNING:

cause severe head injury. Wear head protec­tion when operating this unit with a pole prun­er attachment.

Reciprocating blade can

The reciprocating blade

A coasting blade can

Falling objects can

5