Ryobi RPP254FEJSO Operator's Manual

OPERATOR’S MANUAL (Original Instructions)

RPP254FEJSO

25.4cc POLE PRUNER

Important! It is essential that you read the instructions in this manual before assembling,

operating, and maintaining the product.

Subject to technical modications.

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Safety, performance, and dependability have been given
top priority in the design of your petrol pole pruner.

INTENDED USE

The petrol pole pruner is only intended for use outdoors.
For safety reasons, the product must be adequately
controlled by using two-handed operation.

The product is designed for cutting and pruning of small
limbs and branches whose diameter is less than or equal
to the bar length, and are located high in the tree while the
operator maintains a steady footing on the ground. The
product is designed to be extended to a maximum length
of 2.7 m. Do not exceed this working length.

It is not intended to be used while climbing or as a
conventional chainsaw for close quarter limbing and
pruning of material at ground level.

Do not use the product for any other purpose.

GENERAL SAFETY WARNINGS

WARNING

For safe operation, read and understand all
instructions before using the product. Follow all

safety instructions, information on correct working
posture, the need for rest periods, and changing working
positions. Failure to follow all safety instructions listed
below, can result in serious personal injury.

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

■ Do not allow children or untrained individuals to use
the product.

■ Never let anyone use the product who has not received
adequate instructions in the product’s proper use. This
applies to rentals as well as privately owned products
and also to the power head it is attached to.

■ Always wear safety glasses with side shields.
Everyday glasses have only impact resistant lenses.
They are NOT safety glasses. Following this rule will
reduce the risk of eye injury.

■ Product users in some states, must comply with fire
prevention regulations. The product is equipped with
a spark arrestor; however, other user requirements
may apply. Check with your federal, state, or local
authorities.

■ Wear eye, hearing, and head protection when
operating the product. Hearing protection may restrict
the operator’s ability to hear warning sounds, pay
particular attention to potential hazards around and
inside the working area.

■ Wear heavy-long pants, boots, and gloves. Do not
wear loose fitting clothing, short pants, or go barefoot.
Do not wear jewellery of any kind.

■ Heavy protective clothing may increase operator
fatigue, which could lead to heat stroke. During
weather that is hot and humid, heavy work should be
scheduled for early morning or late afternoon hours
when temperatures are cooler.

■ Never operate the product on the operator’s left side.

■ Secure long hair above shoulder level to prevent
entanglement in moving parts.

■ Keep all bystanders, children, and pets at least 15 m
away. Bystanders should be encouraged to wear eye
protection. If you are approached, stop the engine and
cutting attachment. In the case of bladed units, there is
the added risk of injury to bystanders from being struck
with the moving blade in the event of a blade thrust or
other unexpected reaction of the saw.

■ Do not operate the product when you are tired, ill, or
under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.

■ Do not operate in poor lighting. The operator needs
clear unrestricted vision to identify potential hazards.

■ Keep firm footing and balance. Do not overreach.
Overreaching can result in loss of balance or exposure
to hot surfaces.

■ Keep all parts of your body away from any moving
part.

■ To avoid hot surfaces, never operate the product with
the bottom of the engine above waist level.

■ Do not touch area around the muffler or cylinder of the
product. These parts get hot from operation. Failure
to heed this warning could result in possible serious
personal injury.

■ Carry the pruner with the engine stopped, the guide
bar and saw chain to the rear, scabbard on the guide
bar and saw chain, and the muffler away from your
body.

■ Always stop the engine before making any
adjustments.

■ Inspect the product before each use for loose
fasteners, fuel leaks, etc. Replace any damaged parts
before use.

■ Mix and store fuel in a container approved for petrol.

■ Mix fuel outdoors where there are no sparks or flames.
Wipe up any fuel spillage. Move 9 m away from
refueling site before starting engine.

■ Stop the engine and allow to cool down before
refueling or storing the product.

■ Allow the engine to cool, empty the fuel tank, and
secure the product from moving before transporting in
a vehicle.

■ Stop the engine. Make sure all moving parts have
come to a complete stop:

● before servicing

● before leaving the product unattended

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● before clearing a blockage

● before checking, cleaning, and working on the
product

● before changing accessories

● after striking a foreign object

● whenever performing maintenance

● whenever the product starts to vibrate abnormally

PRUNER SAFETY WARNINGS

■ Do not use the product when there is a possibility of
thunderstorm or lightning. Store the product safely
indoors.

■ Ensure all guards, handles are properly fitted and are
in good condition.

■ Do not start using the product until you have a clear
work area, secure footing, and a planned retreat path
away from the falling branches or limbs.

■ Beware of the emission of lubricant mist and saw dust.
Wear mask or respirator if required.

■ During operation, hold the product with both hands.
Use one hand to firmly grasp the front hand grip. Use
the other hand to grasp the rear handle and operate
the trigger release and engine switch.

■ Cut only when visibility and light are adequate for you
to see clearly.

■ Do not use on a ladder or unstable support. Always cut
with both feet on solid ground to prevent being pulled
off balance.

■ To protect yourself from electrocution, do not operate
within 10 m of overhead electrical lines.

■ Before starting the engine, make sure the chain is not
contacting any object.

■ Always cut with the engine running at full speed. Fully
squeeze the throttle trigger and maintain a steady
cutting speed.

■ Do not force tool. Use the correct tool for your
application.

■ To protect yourself from falling branches, do not
stand directly under the branch or limb being cut. The
product should not be held at an angle over 60° from
ground level.

■ Keep the handles dry, clean, and free of lubricant or
fuel mixture.

■ Shut off the engine and make sure the cutting
attachment has stopped before setting the product
down.

■ To prevent electrical shock or serious personal injury,
do not use this product with any AC (electric) power
head.

■ Your product comes with a shoulder strap. You
must use it while operating the product. It will assist
you to control the drop of the product after the cut is

completed. It will also help support the weight of the
product during use and while moving between pruning
positions.

■ Identify the quick release mechanism and practice
using it before you start using the product. Its
correct use may prevent serious injury in case of an
emergency. Never wear additional clothing over the
shoulder strap or otherwise restrict access to the quick
release mechanism.

■ Use only the replacement guide bars and low kickback
chains specified for the product.

■ Operate pruner in well-ventilated areas.

■ Do not operate the pruner with one hand. Serious
injury to the operator, helpers, bystanders, or any
combination of these persons may results from one
hand operation. The product is intended for two­handed use.

■ Use extreme caution when cutting small-sized brush
and saplings because slender material may catch the
saw chain and be whipped toward you or pull you off
balance.

■ When cutting a limb that is under tension, be alert for
spring back so that you will not be struck when the
tension in the wood fibers is released.

■ If the cutting performance deteriorates over time, check
if the chain teeth are sharp and clean. If necessary,
replace the original chain (and bar) as recommended
by the manufacturer.

■ If the chain and bar become pinched or trapped
in branches too high to reach, seek advice from a
professional tree service specialist about safe removal
of the cutting means.

■ Kickback is a dangerous reaction that can lead to
serious injury. Kickback may occur when the moving
chain contacts an object at the upper portion of the
tip of the guide bar or when the wood closes in and
pinches the chain in the cut. Contact at the upper
portion of the tip of the guide bar can cause the chain
to dig into the object and stop the chain for an instant.
The result is a lightning-fast, reverse reaction which
kicks the guide bar up and back toward the operator.
If the chain is pinched along the top of the guide bar,
the guide bar can be driven rapidly back toward the
operator, which can cause loss of control and may
result in serious injury. Do not rely exclusively upon
the safety devices built into the product. With a
basic understanding of kickback, you can reduce or
eliminate the element of surprise. Sudden surprise
contributes to accidents.

REFUELING

■ FUEL IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. Take precautions
when using to reduce the chance of serious personal
injury.

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■ Store fuel in a cool, well-ventilated area, safely away
from spark and/or flame-producing equipment.

■ Store fuel in containers specifically designed for this
purpose.

■ Only refuel outdoors and do not smoke while refueling.

■ Add fuel before starting the engine. Never remove
the cap of the fuel tank or add fuel while the engine is
running or when the engine is hot.

■ If fuel is spilled, do not attempt to start the engine but
move the machine away from the area of spillage and
avoid creating any source of ignition until fuel vapors
have dissipated.

■ Replace all fuel tank and container caps securely.

■ If the fuel tank has to be drained, do this outdoors and
only drain fuel into container specifically designed for
fuel storage.

RESIDUAL RISKS

Even when the product is used as prescribed, it is still
impossible to completely eliminate certain residual risk
factors. The following hazards may arise in use and
the operator should pay special attention to avoid the
following:

■ Injury caused by vibration

– Hold the product by designated handles and

restrict working time and exposure.

■ Injury caused by exposure to noise

– Wear hearing protection and limit exposure.

■ Injury caused by flying debris.

– Wear eye protection at all times.

RISK REDUCTION

It has been reported that vibrations from handheld tools
may contribute to a condition called Raynaud’s Syndrome.
Symptoms may include tingling, numbness and blanching

of the ngers, usually apparent upon exposure to cold.

Hereditary factors, exposure to cold and dampness, diet,
smoking and work practices are all thought to contribute to
the development of these symptoms. There are measures
that can be taken by the operator to possibly reduce the
effects of vibration:

■ Keep your body warm in cold weather. When operating
the product, wear gloves to keep the hands and wrists
warm. It is reported that cold weather is a major factor
contributing to Raynaud’s Syndrome.

■ After each period of operation, exercise to increase
blood circulation.

■ Take frequent work breaks. Limit the amount of
exposure per day.

If you experience any of the symptoms of this condition,
immediately discontinue use and see your physician.

SYMBOLS

The following symbols are located on labels on the
product. Please study them and learn their meaning.
Proper interpretation of these symbols will allow you to
operate the product better and safer.

Safety alert

10m

DANGER! Risk of electrocution! Do not
operate within 10 m of overhead electrical
lines.

Keep all bystanders at least 15 m away.

To reduce the risk of injury, user must read
and understand the operator’s manual
before using the product.
Wear non-slip, heavy-duty protective
gloves when handling the pole pruner
attachment and the saw chain.

Wear non-slip safety footwear when using
the product.

Wear eye, hearing, and head protection
when operating the product.

This product is not intended for use with a
toothed saw type blade.

To reduce the risk of injury or damage,
avoid contact with any hot surface.

Use unleaded petrol intended for motor
vehicle use with an octane rating of 91 [(R
+ M)/2] or higher. The product is powered
by a 2-stroke engine and requires pre­mixing petrol and 2-stroke lubricant.

Use 2-stroke lubricant for air cooled
engines.

Mix the fuel thoroughly and also each time
before refueling.

Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM).
This product meets applicable regulatory
requirements.

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Guaranteed sound pressure and sound
power level.

Full choke position

Half choke position

Run position

Pull the starter rope.

Squeeze the throttle lock and throttle
trigger to run.

Waiting time - 10 seconds

Push primer bulb

The following signal words and meanings are intended
to explain the levels of risk associated with this product.

Symbol Meaning

DANGER:

Indicates an imminently hazardous
situation, which, if not avoided, will result
in death or serious injury.

WARNING:
Indicates a potentially hazardous

situation, which, if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION:

Indicates a potentially hazardous
situation, which, if not avoided, may result
in minor or moderate injury.

CAUTION:

(Without Safety Alert Symbol) Indicates
a situation that may result in property
damage.

SERVICE

Servicing requires extreme care and knowledge and

should be performed only by a qualied service technician.

For service, we suggest you bring the product to the
nearest service centre for repair. When servicing, use only
identical replacement parts.

WARNING

To avoid serious personal injury, do not attempt
to use the product until you read thoroughly and
understand completely the operator’s manual. If you
do not understand the warnings and instructions in the
operator’s manual, do not use the product. Call RYOBI
customer service for assistance.

WARNING

The operation of any power tool can result in foreign
objects being thrown into your eyes, which can result
in severe eye damage. Before beginning power tool
operation, always wear safety goggles or safety
glasses with side shields and, when needed, a full face
shield. We recommend WIDE VISION SAFETY MASK
for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses with
side shields.

DESCRIPTION

See gure 1

1. Bar

2. Chain

3. Pruner attachment

4. Chain oiler tank cap

5. Coupler

6. Extension shaft

7. “J” handle

8. Engine switch

9. Starter grip

10. Primer bulb

11. Throttle trigger

12. Shoulder strap

13. Knob

14. Scabbard

15. Combination wrench

16. Clamp

17. Long bolt

18. Flat washer

19. Lock nut

20. Latch

21. Bolt

22. Strap hanger

23. Button

24. Guide recess

25. Positioning hole

26. Pruner attachment

27. Load

28. First cut ¼ in. diameter

29. Second cut

30. Final cut

31. Spiked bumper

32. Trigger lock

33. Spark plug

34. Choke lever

35. Spark arrestor

36. Fuel cap

37. Flats

38. Approximately 1.3 mm (0.050 in.) and 4 mm (0.16 in.)

39. Bar nut

40. Drivecase cover

41. Bar stud

PLACEHOLDER