Chicago Electric HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS 98544 Installation manual

10.8 VOLT CORDLESS DRILL/DRIVER
98544
SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Distributed exclusively by Harbor Freight Tools®.
3491 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93011
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
SAVE THIS MANUAL.
Copyright©2008 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual or any artwork
contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written consent of
Harbor Freight Tools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Tools required for
assembly and service may not be included.
For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 2
SAVE THIS MANUAL
Keep this manual for the safety warn-
ings and precautions, assembly, operat-
ing, 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.
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INFORMATION
In this manual, on the labeling,
and all other information provid-
ed with this product:
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.
DANGER indicates
a hazardous
situation which, if not
avoided, will result in death or
serious injury.
WARNING
indicates a
hazardous situation which, if
not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION, used
with the safety
alert symbol, indicates a
hazardous situation which, if
not avoided, could result in
minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE is used to
address practices
not related to personal injury.
CAUTION, without
the safety alert
symbol, is used to address
practices not related to
personal injury.
General Power Tool Safety
Warnings
WARNING Read all safety
warnings and instructions.
Failure to follow the warnings and
instructions may result in electric
shock, re and/or serious injury.
Save all warnings and
instructions for future reference.
The term ″power tool″ in the
warnings refers to your mains-
operated (corded) power tool or
battery-operated (cordless) power
tool.
Work area safety1.
Keep work area clean and well lit.a.
Cluttered or dark areas invite acci-
dents.
Do not operate power tools inb.
explosive atmospheres, such as in
the presence of ammable liquids,
gases or dust. Power tools create
sparks which may ignite the dust or
fumes.
Keep children and bystandersc.away while operating a power tool.
Distractions can cause you to lose
control.
Electrical safety2.
Power tool plugs must match thea.
outlet. Never modify the plug in
any way. Do not use any adapter

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 3
plugs with grounded power tools.
Unmodied plugs and matching out-
lets will reduce risk of electric shock.
Avoid body contact with groundedb.
surfaces such as pipes, radiators,
ranges and refrigerators. There is
an increased risk of electric shock if
your body is grounded.
Do not expose power tools to rainc.or wet conditions. Water entering
a power tool will increase the risk of
electric shock.
Do not abuse the cord. Never used.
the cord for carrying, pulling or
unplugging the power tool. Keep
cord away from heat, oil, sharp
edges or moving parts. Damaged
or entangled cords increase the risk
of electric shock.
When operating a power tool out-e.
doors, use an extension cord suit-
able for outdoor use. Use of a cord
suitable for outdoor use reduces the
risk of electric shock.
If operating a power tool in a dampf. location is unavoidable, use a
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
(GFCI) protected supply. Use of
a GFCI reduces the risk of electric
shock.
Personal safety3.
Stay alert, watch what you are do-a.
ing and use common sense when
operating a power tool. Do not use
a power tool while you are tired
or under the inuence of drugs,
alcohol or medication. A moment
of inattention while operating power
tools may result in serious personal
injury.
Use personal protective equip-b.
ment. Always wear eye protection.
Safety equipment such as dust mask,
non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, or
hearing protection used for appropri-
ate conditions will reduce personal
injuries.
Prevent unintentional starting.c.Ensure the switch is in the off-po-
sition before connecting to power
source and/or battery pack, pick-
ing up or carrying the tool. Carry-
ing power tools with your nger on
the switch or energizing power tools
that have the switch on invites acci-
dents.
Remove any adjusting key ord.
wrench before turning the power
tool on. A wrench or a key left at-
tached to a rotating part of the power
tool may result in personal injury.
Do not overreach. Keep propere.
footing and balance at all times.
This enables better control of the
power tool in unexpected situations.
Dress properly. Do not wear loosef. clothing or jewelry. Keep your
hair, clothing and gloves away
from moving parts. Loose clothes,
jewelry or long hair can be caught in
moving parts.
If devices are provided for the con-g.
nection of dust extraction and col-
lection facilities, ensure these are
connected and properly used. Use
of these devices can reduce dust-
related hazards.
Only use safety equipment thath.
has been approved by an appropri-
ate standards agency. Unapproved
safety equipment may not provide
adequate protection. Eye protection
must be ANSI-approved and breath-
ing protection must be NIOSH-ap-

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 4
proved for the specic hazards in the
work area.
Power tool use and care4.
Do not force the power tool. Usea.
the correct power tool for your ap-
plication. The correct power tool will
do the job better and safer at the rate
for which it was designed.
Do not use the power tool if theb.
switch does not turn it on and off.
Any power tool that cannot be con-
trolled with the switch is dangerous
and must be repaired.
Disconnect the plug from thec.power source and/or the battery
pack from the power tool before
making any adjustments, chang-
ing accessories, or storing power
tools. Such preventive safety mea-
sures reduce the risk of starting the
power tool accidentally.
Store idle power tools out of thed.
reach of children and do not allow
persons unfamiliar with the power
tool or these instructions to oper-
ate the power tool. Power tools are
dangerous in the hands of untrained
users.
Maintain power tools. Check fore.
misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts and any
other condition that may affect the
power tool’s operation. If dam-
aged, have the power tool repaired
before use. Many accidents are
caused by poorly maintained power
tools.
Keep cutting tools sharp andf. clean. Properly maintained cutting
tools with sharp cutting edges are
less likely to bind and are easier to
control.
Use the power tool, accessoriesg.
and tool bits etc. in accordance
with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions
and the work to be performed. Use
of the power tool for operations differ-
ent from those intended could result
in a hazardous situation.
Battery tool use and care5.
Recharge only with the chargera.
specied by the manufacturer. A
charger that is suitable for one type of
battery pack may create a risk of re
when used with another battery pack.
Use power tools only with speci-b.
cally designated battery packs.
Use of any other battery packs may
create a risk of injury and re.
When battery pack is not in use,c.keep it away from other metal ob-
jects, like paper clips, coins, keys,
nails, screws or other small metal
objects, that can make a connec-
tion from one terminal to another.
Shorting the battery terminals togeth-
er may cause burns or a re.
Under abusive conditions, liquidd.
may be ejected from the battery;
avoid contact. If contact acciden-
tally occurs, ush with water. If
liquid contacts eyes, additionally
seek medical help. Liquid ejected
from the battery may cause irritation
or burns.
Service6.
Have your power tool serviced bya.
a qualied repair person using
only identical replacement parts.
This will ensure that the safety of the
power tool is maintained.

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 5
Specic Drill/Driver Safety
Warnings
Maintain a safe working environ-1. ment. Keep the work area well lit.
Make sure there is adequate sur-
rounding workspace. Always keep
the work area free of obstructions,
grease, oil, trash, and other debris.
Do not use the Cordless Drill/Driver

dusts, and vapors. Do not use this
product in a damp or wet location.
Maintain labels and nameplates on2. the Cordless Drill/Driver. These
carry important information. If un-
readable or missing, contact Harbor
Freight Tools for a replacement.
When using the Cordless Drill/3.
Driver, always maintain a rm grip
on the tool with both hands.
Hold the tool by its insulated grip-4. ping surfaces when performing an
operation where the Cordless Drill/
Driver may contact hidden wiring.
Contact with a “live” wire will make
exposed metal parts of the Cordless
Drill/Driver “live” and shock the op-
erator.
Do not use the Cordless Drill/5. Driver or Charger if it has been
dropped, damaged, left outdoors,
or immersed in liquid.
To avoid electric shock, do not6. pull or carry the Charger by its
Power Cord or pull the Power Cord
around sharp corners or edges.
Do not unplug the Charger by pulling
on the Power Cord. Keep the Power
Cord away from heated surfaces.
To avoid electrical shock, do not7. handle the Charger or the Cordless
Drill/Driver with wet hands.
Keep the Handles of the Cordless8. Drill/Driver dry, clean, and free
from oil or grease.
Avoid unintentional starting.9. Make
sure you are prepared to begin work
before turning on the Cordless Drill/
Driver.
Never leave the Charger unat-10. tended when it is plugged into an
electrical outlet. Unplug the Char-
ger from its electrical outlet before
leaving. Place the Charger on a solid


PROPER BATTERY PACK CARE:11. Battery Pack (44) leakage may oc-
cur under extreme usage or tem-
perature conditions. If Battery Pack

with lemon juice and vinegar then

comes into contact with the eyes,

and contact a doctor immediately.
Never burn the Battery Pack, as it

the Cordless Drill/Driver with a leak-
ing Battery Pack. Contact local solid
waste authorities for instructions on
correct disposal or recycling of the
Battery Pack.
WARNING! People with pace-12. makers should consult their
physician(s) before using this
product. Operation of electrical
equipment in close proximity to a
heart pacemaker could cause inter-
ference or failure of the pacemaker.

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 6
13. The battery charger gets
hot during use. The
charger’s heat can build
up to unsafe levels and

receive adequate ventilation, due to
an electrical fault, or if it is used in a
hot environment.
-
mable surface. Do not obstruct any
vents on the charger. Especially
avoid placing the charger on car-
pets and rugs; they are not only
ammable, but they also obstruct
vents under the charger.
Place the charger on a stable, solid,

stable metal workbench or concrete



smoke detector in the area. Fre-
quently monitor the charger and
battery during use.
This product is not a toy.14. Keep it
out of reach of children.
People with pacemakers should15. consult their physician(s) before
use. 
proximity to heart pacemaker could
cause pacemaker interference or
pacemaker failure. In addition, peo-
ple with pacemakers should:


on.

avoid electrical shock.

grounded. Ground Fault Circuit Inter-
rupter (GFCI) should also be imple-
mented – it prevents sustained elec-
trical shock.
Some dust created by power sand-16. ing, sawing, grinding, drilling, and
other construction activities, contains
chemicals known [to the State of Cali-
fornia] to cause cancer, birth defects
or other reproductive harm. Some
examples of these chemicals are:

-
ment or other masonry products
-
cally treated lumber
Your risk from these exposures var-
ies, depending on how often you do
this type of work. To reduce your
exposure to these chemicals: work in
a well ventilated area, and work with
approved safety equipment, such as
those dust masks that are specially

particles. (California Health & Safety
Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
WARNING:17. Handling the cord on
this product will expose you to lead,
a chemical known to the State of
California to cause cancer, and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. (Califor-
nia Health & Safety Code § 25249.5,
et seq.)
The warnings, precautions, and in-18. structions discussed in this instruction
manual cannot cover all possible con-
ditions 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.
Vibration Safety
This tool vibrates during use. Re-
peated or long-term exposure to

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 7
vibration may cause temporary or
permanent physical injury, particularly
to the hands, arms and shoulders. To
reduce the risk of vibration-related
injury:
Anyone using vibrating tools regu-1. larly or for an extended period should

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, ner-
vous system disorders, diabetes, or
Raynaud’s Disease should not use
this tool. If you feel any medical or
physical symptoms related to vibra-
tion (such as tingling, numbness, and

advice as soon as possible.
Do not smoke during use. Nico-2. tine reduces the blood supply to the

of vibration-related injury.
Wear suitable gloves to reduce the3. vibration effects on the user.
Use tools with the lowest vibration4. when there is a choice between dif-
ferent processes.
Include vibration-free periods each5. day of work.
Grip tool as lightly as possible (while6.

the tool do the work.
To reduce vibration, maintain the tool7. as explained in this manual. If any
abnormal vibration occurs, stop use
immediately.
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS.
GROUNDING
TO PREVENT
ELECTRIC SHOCK
AND DEATH FROM
INCORRECT GROUNDING
WIRE CONNECTION:
Check with a qualied
electrician if you are in doubt
as to whether the outlet is
properly grounded. Do not
modify the power cord plug
provided with the tool. Never
remove the grounding prong
from the plug. Do not use the
tool if the power cord or plug
is damaged. If damaged, have
it repaired by a service facility
before use. If the plug will not
t the outlet, have a proper
outlet installed by a qualied
electrician.
Grounded Tools: Tools with Three
Prong Plugs
Tools marked with “Grounding Re-1. quired” have a three wire cord and
three prong grounding plug. The
plug must be connected to a properly
grounded outlet. If the tool should

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 8
electrically malfunction or break
down, grounding provides a low
resistance path to carry electricity
away from the user, reducing the risk
of electric shock. (See 3-Prong Plug
and Outlet.)
The grounding prong in the plug is2. connected through the green wire in-
side the cord to the grounding system
in the tool. The green wire in the cord
must be the only wire connected to
the tool’s grounding system and must
never be attached to an electrically
“live” terminal. (See 3-Prong Plug
and Outlet.)
The tool must be plugged into an3. appropriate outlet, properly installed
and grounded in accordance with all
codes and ordinances. The plug and
outlet should look like those in the
preceding illustration. (See 3-Prong
Plug and Outlet.)
Double Insulated Tools: Tools
with Two Prong Plugs
Tools marked “Double Insulated” do1. not require grounding. They have
a special double insulation system

and complies with the applicable
-
tories, Inc., the Canadian Standard
Association, and the National Electri-
cal Code. (See Outlets for 2-Prong
Plug.)
Double insulated tools may be used2. in either of the 120 volt outlets shown
in the preceding illustration. (See
Outlets for 2-Prong Plug.)
Extension Cords
Grounded1. tools require a three wire
extension cord. Double Insulated
tools can use either a two or three
wire extension cord.
As the distance from the supply outlet2. increases, you must use a heavier
gauge extension cord. Using exten-

wire causes a serious drop in voltage,
resulting in loss of power and pos-
sible tool damage.
(See Table A.)
The smaller the gauge number of the3. wire, the greater the capacity of the
cord. For example, a 14 gauge cord
can carry a higher current than a 16
gauge cord. (See Table A.)
When using more than one exten-4. sion cord to make up the total length,
make sure each cord contains at

(See Table A.)
If you are using one extension cord5. for more than one tool, add the
nameplate amperes and use the sum
to determine the required minimum
(See Table A.)
If you are using an extension cord6. outdoors, make sure it is marked with

indicate it is acceptable for outdoor
use.

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 9
Make sure the extension cord is prop-7. erly wired and in good electrical con-
dition. Always replace a damaged
extension cord or have it repaired by

Protect the extension cords from8. sharp objects, excessive heat, and
damp or wet areas.
RECOMMENDED MINIMUM WIRE
GAUGE FOR EXTENSION CORDS*
(120/240 VOLT)
NAMEPLATE
AMPERES
(at full load)
EXTENSION CORD
LENGTH
25’ 50’ 75’
100’ 150’
0 – 2.0 18 18 18 18 16
2.1 – 3.4 18 18 18 16 14
3.5 – 5.0 18 18 16 14 12
5.1 – 7.0 18 16 14 12 12
7.1 – 12.0 18 14 12 10 -
12.1 – 16.0 14 12 10 - -
16.1 – 20.0 12 10 - - -
TABLE A * Based on limiting the line
voltage drop to ve volts at
150% of the rated amperes.
Symbology
Double Insulated
Canadian Standards Association

V~ Volts Alternating Current
AAmperes
n0xxxx/min. 
(RPM)
SPECIFICATIONS
Power Source 1.3Ah Battery, 10.8v

Charge Time 3-5 Hours (after initial
charge)
Charger Input 
Charger Output 15V DC, 400mA
Chuck Type 3/8” Jacobs® Keyless
Max. Torque 100 in./lb.
Torque Settings 22 Clutch Settings
Variable Speed 0-600 RPM
Reversible Yes
 Yes
Weight 2 lb. (Drill Only)
UNPACKING
When unpacking, make sure the item
is intact and undamaged. If any parts
are missing or broken, please call Harbor
Freight Tools at the number shown on the
cover of this manual as soon as possible.
Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT
SAFETY INFORMATION
section at the beginning of this
manual including all text under
subheadings therein before set
up or use of this product.
TO PREVENT
SERIOUS INJURY
FROM ACCIDENTAL
OPERATION: Turn the Power
Switch of the tool to its “OFF”
position and unplug the tool
from its electrical outlet
before assembling or making
any adjustments to the tool.
Note: For additional information regarding
the parts listed in the following pages,
refer to the Assembly Diagram near
the end of this manual.

SKU 98544 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 10
Lithium Battery Safety and
Charging Instructions
Do not leave Drill/Driver unattended1. while charging.
Battery charging should be done by2. adults only.
3.

items.
Turn charger off when battery is4. charged, and unplug charger from
battery-powered device.
Disconnect AC wall chargers from5. outlets while not in use.
If battery-powered device has been6. damaged, immediately stop use,
unplug, and safely move away from

Follow instructions for charging7. battery. Do NOT charge longer than
recommended.
Charging
The Battery Pack (44) requires charg-1. ing before the initial use. The recom-
mended initial charge time is eight
hours, prior to initial use of the Cord-
less Drill/Driver. Place the Charger
on a solid surface such as a garage

Note: Always switch to a fresh battery
when tool performance begins to
diminish. Severe heat is destructive

the faster the battery will lose power.
A battery that gets too hot can be
permanently damaged. Never over-
discharge a battery by using the tool
after performance decreases. Never
attempt to discharge a battery by
continuing to pull the trigger. When
tool performance begins to diminish,
stop the tool, recharge the battery,
and use a fully charged battery for
optimal performance.
When the Battery Pack-after initial2. charge-requires recharging, it must

to operate at full power.
Charging room temperature: 50° F. –3. 104° F.
Depress both buttons at the rear of4. the Battery Pack and slide the unit
down to detach from the Drill/Driver.
5. 
Charger (57) in one position, insert
into Charger, plug Charger into
Adapter (60), and plug Adapter into
any standard electrical outlet.
While charging, the Battery6. Pack, Charger, and Adapter may be-
come warm to the touch. This is nor-
mal, and does not indicate a problem.
When the Battery Pack is in the Char-7. ger, both the red and green lights on
the Charger will be illuminated while
charging, when the Battery Pack is
fully charged the red light will turn
off, indicating that the Battery Pack is
ready for use. Once the Battery Pack