User Manual Black+Decker STC1820PC-GB tring Grass Trimmer, Cordless 28 cm. 2.0Ah Lithium Ion Battery, Orange

• User Manual - (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Danish, Dutch - Holland, Finland, Greek, Italian, Norway, Swedish)

• Spec Sheet (web) - (English)

Table of contents

• Features
• Charging the battery (Fig. A)
• Assembly
• Operation
• Maintenance
• Troubleshooting
• Technical data

Features

This appliance includes some or all of the following features.

1. Trigger
2. Lock off button
3. Handle
4. POWERCOMMAND button
5. Speed control switch
6. Auxiliary handle
7. Height adjust collar
8. Flip to edge collar
9. Trimmer head
10. Edge wheel
11. Guard
12. Spool housing
13. Battery

Charging the battery (Fig. A)

The battery needs to be charged before first use and whenever it fails to produce sufficient power on jobs that were easily done before.

The battery may become warm while charging; this is normal and does not indicate a problem.

Warning! Do not charge the battery at ambient temperatures below 10 °C or above 40 °C. Recommended charging temperature: approx. 24 °C.

Note: The charger will not charge a battery if the cell temperature is below approximately 10 °C or above 40 °C. The battery should be left in the charger and the charger will begin to charge automatically when the cell temperature warms up or cools down.

• Plug the charger into an appropriate outlet before inserting the battery pack.
• Insert the battery pack into the charger.

The green LED will flash indicating that the battery is being charged.

The completion of charge is indicated by the green LED remaining on continuously. The pack is fully charged and may be used at this time or left in the charger

Warning! Recharge discharged batteries as soon as possible after use or battery life may be greatly diminished.

Charger diagnostics

This charger is designed to detect certain problems that can arise with the battery packs or the power source. Problems are indicated by one LED flashing in different patterns.

Bad Battery

The charger can detect a weak or damaged battery. The red LED flashes in the pattern indicated on the label. If you see this bad battery blink pattern, do not continue to charge the battery. Return it to a service centre or a collection site for recycling

Hot/Cold Pack Delay

When the charger detects a battery that is excessively hot or excessively cold, it automatically starts a Hot/Cold Pack delay, suspending charging until the battery has normalised. After this happens, the charger automatically switches to the Pack Charging mode. This feature ensures maximum battery life. The red LED flashes in the pattern indicated on the label when the Hot/Cold pack delay is detected.

Leaving the battery in the charger

The charger and battery pack can be left connected with the LED glowing indefinitely. The charger will keep the battery pack fresh and fully charged.

Installing and removing the battery pack from the appliance

Warning! Make certain the lock-off button is not engaged to prevent switch actuation before removing or installing battery.

To install battery pack

Insert battery (13) into appliance until an audible click is heard (Figure B). Ensure battery pack is fully seated and fully latched into position.

To remove battery pack

Depress the battery release button (14) as shown in Figure C and pull battery pack out of appliance.

Assembly

Fitting the guard (Fig. D, E)

Warning! Remove the battery from the appliance before attempting to attach the guard, edge guide or handle. Never operate appliance without guard firmly in place. The guard must always be on the appliance to protect the user.

• Remove the screw from the guard.
• Turn the trimmer upside down so that you are looking down at the spool cap (15).
• Turn the guard (11) upside down and slide it fully onto the motor housing (16). Make sure the tabs (17) on the guard engage the ribs (18) on the motor housing as shown.
• Continue to slide the guard on until you hear it “snap” into place. The locking tab (19) should snap into the housing slot (20).
• Using a phillips screwdriver, insert the guard screw and tighten securely as shown in Figure E to complete the guard assembly.
• Once the guard is installed, remove the covering from the line cut-off blade, located on the edge of the guard

Attaching the auxiliary handle (Fig. F, G, H)

• To attach the handle, press in on the buttons (21) on both sides of the upper housing as shown in Figure F.

• Position the handle as shown in Figure G (with the BLACK+DECKER logo facing upward). Partially push the handle on so it will hold the buttons in when you release them with your hand.

• Push the handle completely onto the housing and position it slightly until it “snaps” into place.
• To adjust the handle up or down, press in on the button (22) and raise or lower the handle (Figure H).

• The handle should be adjusted so that your front arm is straight when the trimmer is in the working position.

Height adjustment (Fig. I, J–J3)

Warning! Adjust the length of the trimmer to obtain proper working positions shown in Figures J - J3.

• The overall height of the trimmer can be adjusted by loosening the height-adjust collar (7) by rotating it in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure I.

• Move the upper housing straight up or down. When the desired height is achieved, tighten the collar by rotating it opposite of the direction shown in Figure I.

Releasing the cutting line

In transit, the cutting line is taped to the spool housing.

• Remove the tape holding the cutting line to the spool housing.

Operation

Warning! Always use proper eye protection.

Warning! Before you begin trimming, only use the appropriate type of cutting line.

Note: Inspect area to be trimmed and remove any wire, cord, or string-like objects which could become entangled in the rotating line or spool. Be particularly careful to avoid any wire which might be bent outwardly into the path of the appliance, such as barbs at the base of a chain link fence.

Switching on and off

• To switch the appliance on, push the lock-off button (2), and squeeze the trigger (1).
• To switch the appliance off, release the trigger

Operating the trimmer (Fig. I, J–J3)

• With the unit on, angle unit and slowly swing the trimmer side to side as shown in Figure J.

• Maintain a cutting angle of 5° to 10° as shown in Figure J1. Do not exceed 10° (Figure J2). Cut with the tip of the line. To keep distance from hard surfaces use edge wheel (10).

• Maintain a minimum distance of 60 cm between the guard and your feet as shown in Figure J3. To acheive this distance adjust the overall height of the trimmer as shown in Figure I.

POWERCOMMAND Button (Fig. K)

The POWERCOMMANDfeature allows you to advance the length of cutting line available while trimming.

• To extend the cutting line, fully depress the POWERCOMMAND button (4) while trimming and then release (figure K).

Note: The trimmer will stop cutting when the POWERCOMMAND button is pressed and will resume cutting when released.

• For maximum line length, press the button multiple times until you hear the cutting line hitting the guard.

Note: Do not continue to press the POWERCOMMAND button once the maximum length is reached. This will result in overfeeding and will consume string quickly

Convert to edging mode (Fig. L, M)

Warning! The wheeled edge guide should only be used when in the edging mode.

The trimmer can be used in trimming mode or edging mode to trim overhanging grass along lawn edges and flower beds. For edging, the trimmer head should be in the position shown in Figure M. If it is not:

• Remove the battery from the trimmer.
• Grasp the flip-to-edge collar (8) and push down as shown in part 1 of Figure L.
• Rotate the flip-to-edge collar 180° counterclockwise as shown in part 2, until the handle snaps back into the upper half of the trimmer.
• To return to trimming position, pull the flip-to-edge collar down and rotate the head clockwise back to its original position

Edging (Fig. M)

Warning! When being used as an Edger, stones, pieces of metal and other objects can be thrown out at high speed by the line. The trimmer and guard are designed to reduce the danger. However, MAKE SURE that other persons and pets are at least 30 m away. Optimum cutting results are achieved on edges deeper than 50 mm.

• Do not use this trimmer to create trenches.
• Using the edging wheel (10), guide the trimmer as shown in Figure M.
• Position the edging wheel on the edge of the sidewalk or abrasive surface so the cutting line is over the grass or dirt area to be edged.
• To make a closer cut, slightly tilt the trimmer.

Speed control & runtime extension mode (Fig. N)

This string trimmer gives you the choice to operate at a more efficient speed to extend the runtime for larger jobs, or accelerate the trimmer speed for high-performance cutting (Figure N).

• To extend runtime, pull the speed-control switch (5) back toward the battery (13) into position #1. This mode is best for larger projects that require more time to complete.
• To accelerate the trimmer, push the speed-control switch forward toward the trimmer head (9) into position #2. This mode is best to cut through heavier growth and for applications that need higher RPM.

Note: When in acceleration mode (#2), runtime will be decreased as compared to when trimmer is in extended runtime mode (#1).

Cutting line / line feeding

Your trimmer uses 1.65 mm diameter, Round nylon line. During use, the tips of the nylon lines will become frayed and worn and the special self feeding spool will automatically feed and trim a fresh length of line. Cutting line will wear faster and require more feeding if the cutting or edging is done along sidewalks or other abrasive surfaces or heavier weeds are being cut. The advanced automatic line feeding mechanism senses when more cutting line is needed and feeds and trims the correct length of line whenever it’s required. Do not bump unit on ground in attempt to feed line or for any other purposes.

Clearing jams and tangled line (Figures O, P, Q)

Warning! Remove the battery from the trimmer before making any assembly, adjustments or changing accessories. Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk of starting the appliance accidentally. From time to time, especially when cutting thick or stalky weeds, the line feeding hub may become clogged with sap or other material and the line will become jammed as a result. To clear the jam, follow the steps listed below.

• Remove the battery from the trimmer.
• Press the release tabs (23) on the line spool cap (24), as shown in Figure O and remove the cap by pulling it straight off.

• Pull the nylon line spool out and clear any broken line or cutting debris from the spool area.
• Place spool and line into spool cap with line “parked” in slots provided as shown in Figure P1.

• Insert the line end through the appropriate hole in the spool housing. Pull slack line through until it pulls out of the holding slots as shown in Figure P2.

• Press the spool down gently and rotate it until you feel it drop into place and then push to snap into place. (When in place, the spool will turn a few degrees left and right freely).
• Take care to keep the line from becoming trapped under the spool.
• Align the spool cap tabs with the slots on the spool housing.
• Snap the spool cap back on as shown in Figure Q by depressing lugs and pressing into spool housing

Replacing the spool (Fig. O, P, Q, R)

• Remove battery from appliance.
• Depress the tabs (23) and remove the spool cap (24) from the spool housing (12) (Figure O).

• Grasp empty spool with one hand and spool housing with other hand and pull spool out.
• If lever (25) or spring (26) in base of housing (Figure R) becomes dislodged, replace in correct position before inserting new spool into housing.

• Remove any dirt and grass from the spool and housing.
• Unfasten the end of the cutting line and guide the line into the eyelet (P2) Figure P.

• Take the new spool and push it onto the boss (27) (Figure R) in the housing. Rotate the spool slightly until it is seated. The line should protrude approximately 136 mm from the housing.

• Align the tabs on the spool cap with the slots in the housing (Figure Q).

• Push the cap onto the housing until it snaps securely into place.

Rewinding spool from bulk line (Fig. S, T, U)

Bulk line is also available for purchase from your local retailer.

Note: Hand wound spools from bulk line are likely to become tangled more frequently than BLACK+DECKER factory wound spools. For best results, factory wound spools are recommended. To install bulk line, follow the steps below:

• Remove battery from appliance.
• Remove the empty spool from the appliance as described in “Replacing the spool.”
• Remove any remaining cutting line from the spool.
• Make a fold at the end of the cutting line at about 19 mm (28). Feed the cutting line into one of the line anchoring slots (29) as shown in Figure S.

• Insert the 19 mm end of the bulk line into the hole (30) in the spool adjacent to the slot as shown in Figure T. Make sure the line is pulled tight against the spool as shown in Figure T.

• Wind the cutting line onto the spool in the direction of the arrow on the spool. Make sure to wind the line on neatly and in layers. Do not crisscross (Figure U).

• When the wound cutting line reaches the recesses (31), cut the line (Figure T).

• Fit the spool onto the appliance as described in “Replacing the spool”.

Maintenance

Your BLACK+DECKER corded/cordless appliance/tool has been designed to operate over a long period of time with a minimum of maintenance. Continuous satisfactory operation depends upon proper tool/appliance care and regular cleaning.

Your charger does not require any maintenance apart from regular cleaning.

Warning! Before performing any maintenance on corded/ cordless power tools:

• Switch off and unplug the appliance/tool.
• Or switch off and remove the battery from the appliance/ tool if the appliance/tool has a separate battery pack.
• Or run the battery down completely if it is integral and then switch off.
• Unplug the charger before cleaning it. Your charger does not require any maintenance apart from regular cleaning.
• Regularly clean the ventilation slots in your tool/appliance and charger using a soft brush or dry cloth
• Regularly clean the motor housing using a damp cloth. Do not use any abrasive or solvent-based cleaner.
• Regularly clean the cutting line and spool using a soft brush or dry cloth.
• Regularly use a blunt scraper to remove grass and dirt from the underneath of the guard.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Appliance runs slowly.	Remove battery from trimmer. Check that the spool housing can rotate freely. Carefully clean it if necessary. Check that the cutting line does not protrude more than approximately 122 mm from the spool. If it does, cut it off so that it just reaches the line trimming blade
Automatic line feed does not feed line.	More line is fed when the line shortens to approximately 76 mm. To determine if the line is not feeding, let line wear past this point. Keep the tabs depressed and remove the spoolcap with the spool from the spool housing in the trimmer head. Ensure that the line is not crisscrossed on the spool as detailed in (Fig. U). If it is unwind the cutting line and rewind it neatly. Inspect tracks at the bottom of spool for damage. If damaged, replace spool. Pull the cutting line until it protrudes approximately 122 mm from the spool. If insufficient cutting line is left on the spool, install a new spool of cutting line. Align the tabs on the spool cap with the cut outs in the housing. Push the spool cap onto the housing until it snaps securely into place. If the cutting line protrudes beyond the trimming blade, cut it off so that it just reaches the blade. If the automatic line feed still does not work or the spool is jammed, try the following suggestions: Carefully clean the spool and housing. Make sure you are using correct line size and diameter (2.00 mm) - smaller and larger line sizes will affect the functionality of the auto feed system. Remove the spool and check if the lever in the spool housing can move freely. Remove the spool and unwind the cutting line, then wind it on neatly again. Replace the spool into the housing.
Overfeeding	Ensure you are cutting with the tip of the line 177 mm from the spool. Use the edge guide if needed to ensure proper space is maintained. Ensure you are not exceeding a 10º angle as shown in (Fig. J1). Avoid contact of the line with hard surfaces such as brick, concrete, wood etc. This will prevent excessive wear and/or overfeed of line. Cut with the tip of the line
Line unravels when cap or spool is removed	Make sure to park the lines in holding slots (Figure P) before removing.

Technical data