EarthWise CST00012 User manual

EAR
o MANUAL
CORDLESS 18 VOLT STRING TRIMMER
This product is covered by U.S. patents and other international patents
Copyright. AH Rights Reserved.
CST00012
Your string trimmer has been engineered and manufactured to our high standard for dependability, ease of
operation, and operator safety. Properly cared for, it will give you years of rugged, trouble-free perfonnance.
BATTERY MUST BE CHARGED BEFORE FIRST USE.
Thank you for your purchase.
SAVE MANUAL FOR REFERENCE

WARNINGS
IMPORTANT
TO REDUCE RISK OF INJURY:
Before any use, be sure everyone using this tool reads and
understands all safety instructions and Dther information
contained in this manual.
CAUTION: Wear appropriate personal hearing protection
during use. Under some conditions and duration of use,
noise from this product may contribute to hearing loss.
Save these instructions and review frequently priDr to use and
in instructing others.
WARNI~IG: When using electric gardening appfiances, basic
safely precauuons should always be followed to reduce risk of
fire, electric shock, and personal Injury, Including thefollowing:
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS
GENERAL SAFETY
KEEP CHILDREN AWAY-All visitor.s, children and pets
should stay at a safe dislance from the work area.
DRESS PROPERLY -Don't
wear loose ciothing or jewelry,
Wear protective hair covering 10 contain fong hair. They can
be caught in moving parts. Use
of rubber gloves and sub-
slantial fool wear is recommended when working outdoors.
USE SAFETY GLASSES
-Wear safety glasses with side
shields or goggles that are marked to comply with ANSI
Z87.1 standard when operating this
product Use face or
dust mask
if operation is dusty.
USE RIGHT APPLIANCE Do not use appliance for anyjob
except that for which it is intended,
DISCONNECT STRING TRIMMER from the power supply
when not in use or when servicing or cleaning. Do not
leave unattended.
CHECK
DAJ'vlAGED PARTS-Before further use of the string
trimmer, a guard or other partthat
is damaged should be
carefully checked to determinethatitwill operate property and
perform its intended function. Check for alignment of moving
parts, binding of moving parls, 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 an authorized ,service centeruniess otherwise
indicated elsewhere in this manual.
LIGHTING -Only operate trimmer in daylight or good
artificiallighl,
DON'T OVERREACH-Keep properfooting and balance at
all times.
, WARNING: Do Not use the string trimmer with
accessory or attachment. Such usage might be hm?~,·rt~".
AVOID DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS -Don't use trim-
mer in rain, damp or wetlocations. Do not trimmer In
gaseous or explosive atmospheres. Motors these tools
normally spark, and the sparks might ignite fumes.
AVOID UNINTENTIONAL STARTING -Don't carry Ihe string
trimmer with finger on switch.
DANGER: Risk of cut. Keep hands awayfrom lines. Keep both
hands on handles when power is on.
DO NOT ATTEMPT 10 remove cut material or hold material to
be cut When lines are moving. Make sure trimmer switch Is off
when clearing jammed material from guard. Do not grasp the
guard or lines when picking up or holding the trimmer.
.L CAUTION: Lines coast after tumed off.
DON'T FORCE STRING TRIMMER
-It will do the job better
and with less likelihood of a risk of injury at the rate for which II
wa.s designed.
STAY ALERT-Watclh what you are doing, Use common
sense. Do not operate string trimmerwhen you are tired or
under theIn!luence of medications, drugs or alcohol.
STORE IDLE STRING TRIMMER INDOORS-When notin
use, your string trimmer should be stored indoors In a dry and
high orlocked.up place, out of reach
of children.
MAINTAIN TRIMMER WITH CARE -Keep guard and handles
clean for best performance and to reduce the risk of injury.
Keep handles dry and free from oil and grease.
WARNING: Some dust created by this product contains chemi-
cals known
10 the State of California to cause cancer, birth
defects
or other reproductive harm. Some examples of these
c1hemicels are:
-compounds in fertilizers
-compounds in insecticides, herbicides and pesticides
-arsenic and chromium from chemically treated lumber
To reduce your exposure
to Ihese chemicals, wear approved
safety equipment such as dust masks that are specially de-
signed
to filter out microscopic particles,

INSTRUCTIONS
PACKING LIST
String
Trimmer-
Guard
Charger and Battery Instruction Manual
! WARNING: Do not connect to power supply until assembly
_.- is complete. Failure to comply could result
in accidental
starting and possible serious personal injury.
WARNING: Do not operate Ihe trimmer INithOu! the guard
attached.
ATTACHING THE GUARD
Assemble the guard as shown as
belOW, over the lug on the
motor housing, then slide the guard forward to lock on the lug.
Then with the Phillips screw driver, screw the preassembled
screws in the guard into the motor housing.
TO TURN THE TOOL ON
Push the lock button in with your Ihumb and then
the with your fingers. (Once the tool is
can the lack button). To turn the tool OFF,
the trigger.
start the unil, meke sure Ihe trimmer is not
any object.
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 unil and guard are designed to reduce the danger.
CAUTION: lines coasts after turn off.
Do not use under wet conditions.
Do not use 'A~th damaged extension cord.
CAUTION: Inspect area to be trimmed and remove any
or string-like objects whicih could become
the rolating line or spool. Be particularly
avoid any wire 'I'Ihicih might be bent outwardly
into the path of the tool, such as barbs at the base of a
chain linkfence.
UNPACKING
This product requires some assembly.
CareluUy remove the product and any accessones from the box.
Make sure that
all items listed in the packing Hs! are included.
Inspect the product carefully to make sure no breakage
or
damage occurred during shipping.
Do not discard the packing material until you have carefully
inspected and satisfactorily operated
Ihe product
If anyparts are damaged or missing. please call
1-800-313-5111 for assistance.
AUXILIARY HANDLE ADJUSTMENT
Formaximum comfort and control, adjust the auxiliary
handle to suit your height. Shorter users adjust handle to a
lower position (away from you) and taller users adjust handle
to
an upper position (towards you). The handle should be
adjusted
so that your front amn is straight.
HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
The overall height of the trimmer can be adjusted by loosen-
ing the lock coliar and rotating
it opposite to the arrow
shown. The tubes can then be e"iended shorter or longer.
When the desired height is achieved by rotating the locking
collar back to the original tightened position.
_L WARNING: To g'Jard against injury, observe the following:
Read instruction manual before using. save
instruction manuaL
Keep hands away from lines.
Keep hands on handles. Don't overreach.
WARNING: Do not aUow familiarity with this type of product
to make you careless. Remember that a careless fraction of
a second is sufficient to innict serious injury.
If you strike or become entangled with a foreign object, stop
tool immediately, cneck for damage and have any damage
repaired before further operation is attempted. Do not
operate with a broken hub or spool.
WARNING: Do nat allow familiarity with this type of
product to make you careless. Remember that a
careless fraction of a second is sufficient to inflict
serious injury.
Do not operate a string trimmer in a tree, on a ladder,
or on a scaffold; this is extremely dangerous.
Wear non-slip gloves for maximum grip and protection.

OPERATING
CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
Proper Cutting Siance
Weight should be balanced with both reet on solid ground.
with elbow lOCKed in a "slraight
position to
\\i1!hstand any kickback force.
Basic Cutting Procedure
Slowly swing trimmer side-la-side as shown.
To convert for maintenance edging, turn
off
the tool. Holding the trimmer with one hand by the auxiliary
handle, grasp the collar and push in the direction
of arrow
and rotate the trimmer head unlillt stops (half tum), release
your hand, (rotate clockwise when viewed from the switch
end). The tool is locked in the edger position. Rotate the wire
edge guide forward and down into place before edging.
To operate as a maintenance edger, position trimmer above
sidewalk as shown.
.,
Return to trimming position by turning the tool off, push in
direction of arrow and rotating the trimmer head counter
clockwise until it stops. When using the tool in the trimmer
mode you may choose to fold the wire edge guide up out of
the way.
.) WARNING: Do not trim nearelectrical vMes or buildings.
LINE FEEDING
Your trimmer uses .065" (1.65mm) diameter nylon Une to cut
grass and weeds quickly and easily. In time, the tip of the
nylon line will become worn and the auto feed mechanism
will automaticallyfeed and trim a fresh length of line. The
cutting Une will wear faster Ifthe cutting is done
sidewalks or other abrasive surfaces are
being cut. The line will extend approximately ;I., in. with each
stop and start of the switch trigger untn the line reaches Ihe
length of !he grass deflector blade. Do not bump unit on
ground in attempt to feed line or for any other purpose.
REPLACING SPOOL I CLEARING JAMS AND
TANGLED LINES
From lime 10 lime, especiallywhen cutting thick or stocky
weeds, the line feeding hub may become clogged with sap
or other material and the line will become jammed as a
resuH. To clearthe jam, follow these steps.
-Tum offthe trimmer and remove the battery.
Press the release tabs on the line spool cover and remove
Ihe cover
by pulling it straight off.
Lift the spool of nylon line out of the hub and clear any
broken line or cutting debris from the spool area.
In case ofjams and tangled line, unwrap about one foot
(30cm) of line to ensure that it is undamaged, If it is OK.
rewind it and insert the line end through the eyelet in the
spool hub. Pull the line through the hole
to maintain tension
while placing the spool down in to the hub with the notched
side e)''Posed.
Press the spool down GENTLY and rotate it until you feel it
drop into place.
(When in place, the
spOol will turn a few degrees left and
right freely.)
Snap the spool cover back on, insert the battery and turn
the tool on. In a few seconds or less you'll hear the line
being cut automatically to the proper length.
REWINDING SPOOL FROM BULK LINE
(USE ONLY .065" DIAMETER LINE)
Bulk line for yourtrimmer/edger is available at extra cos! farm
your local dealer or service center. Toinstall, follow steps:
Turn off the trimmer and remove
the battery.
Press the release tabs
on the line
spool cover as shown, and remove
the cover by pulling it straight off.
Remove the spool from the tool
and remove and discard all
Une on
the spool.
Insert one end
of the bulk line into the hole in the spool
as shown.
Hold the line in the hole and pull the rest
of the line Ihrough
the slot in the spool as shown.
Snugly and evenlywind the bulk line onto the spool in the
direction
of the arrow until il is full.
Insert the line end through the in the spool hub as
shown. Pull the line through the to maintain tension
while placing the spool down into the hub with the notched
side exposed.
Press the spool down GENTLY and rotate it unfit you feel
it
drop into place.
(When in place, the spool will turn a few degrees lef! and
lightfreely.)
Snap the spool cover oack on, insert the battery and tum the
tool on. In a few seconds or less you'll hear the nylon line
being cut automatically to the proper length.

CHARGING THE BATTERY PACK
Charge the battery pack only with the charger provided.
Allow
at least 5-6 hours of charge time before initial use
of the trimmer.
Make sure the power supply is normal household voltage,
1ZQ\IOlts, 60Hz, AC only
The battery charger should
be operated in temperatures
between 23 and 104 degrees F
The battery should be charged in a cool, dry place,
2 to 3 initial charging/discharging cycles
may be required
to achieve maximum run timel('.apacity,
Do notattempt to open the charger or the unit. There are
no customerseNiceable paris inside. Return to any
authorized Earlhwise
™service center.
DO NOTincinerate battery packs even
if they are
severely damaged or completely worn
out They can
explode in a fire causing injury.
Use the battery chargerindoors only.
Disconnect charger from the power supply when not in use
to prevent damage to the charger during a power surge.
\ilJhen fully charged, the battery can be safely stored in
temperatures dawn to -40 degrees F for a period of up to
two weeks, before requiring charging.
Fully charge battery pack every 30 days.
If over a peliod of time the battery pack quickly runs down
after a full 5-6 hour charging period, a replacement
battery pack is needed,
To prevent permanent damage to the battery, never store
in a discharged condition.
WINTER STORAGE -Fully recharge for the 5-6 hours
before storage
and then again every 30 days,
Since the battery will
not develop a memory. it does not
have to be fully discharged before recharging,
A small leakage
of liquid from the battery cells may occur
under el<treme usage, charging or temperature
conditions. This does not indicate a failure,
However,
if the outer seal is broken and this leakage gets
on your skin.
a. Wash qUickly with soap and water.
b. Neutralize with a mild acid such as lemon juice
of vinegar.
c
If the battery liquid gets In your eyes, flush them
with clean water for a minimum
of 10 minutes
and seek immediate medical attention.
TO CHARGE
Plug the chargerinto a standard household electrical outlet. TO
lNSTALL8ATTERY PACK
Place the battery pack in your trimmer (see
Place battery pack in charger. When properly connected, picture). Ensure the latches on side
of the battery
the red charger indicator light (LED) will glow. pack snap in place and battery pack is securely
connected to string tlimmer.
NOTE: The charger indicator light will glow red
continuously while charging, then when
lully charged will
glow green.
TO INSTALL BATTERY PACK
Place the battery pack in your trimmer (see
picture). Ensure the latches on side
of the battery
pack snap in place and battery pack is securely
connected to string trimmer.
RECHARGING
the battery as soon as the cutting power of
your string tlimmer is no longer effective.
Avoid running the battery into full discharge (draining the
battery completely).
Follow the procedure outlined.
Recharging the battery pack according
to these
instructions should ensure maximum battery lile.
BATTERY DISPOSAL
Remove the battery pack from the string trimmer. Cover the terminals with heavy duty adhesive tape.
Do not attempt
to destroy or disassemble battery pack orremove any components.
This productcontains nickel-cadmium balleries which must be recycled
or disposed of proper1y.
Local, state
or federal laws may prohibit disposal of these batteries in ordinary trash.
The RBRC sea! on the nickel-cadmium battery pack Indicates that the costs to recycle the battery pack at the end of its useful life has already been
paid by The GreatStatesCorporation/American Lawn MowerCompany.
It IS illegal to place spent nt-cad batteries In lhe local municipal solid waste or
in the trash, RBRe in cooperation 'With The Great States CorporatiDn/American Lawn Mower Company has provided an environmentally friendly and
easy
way tn recyde spent n[~cad batteries. Just contact an authorized Earthwlse
Thl
service center, your focal recycling center Of call
1.BOO.B.BAT1ERY for infurmation
on where to drop off the spentbattery.

CAUTION: Do not at any time lei brake tluids, gasoline, IMPORTANT: To assure product SAFETY and
petroleum based products, penetrating oils, etc" come in RELIABILITY, repairs, maintenance and adjustment should
contact with
plasTIc parts. They contain chemicals that can be perfoflTled by an authorized service center Of other
damage, weaken or destroy plastic. qualified service organization, always using identical
replacement parts.
Make sure the battery is detached from the unit, then use
only mild soap and a damp cloth
to clean the 1001. Never let If you drop the trimmer, carefully inspect it for damage. If the
any liquid get inside the tool; neverimmerse any part of the blade is
bent housing cracked, or handles broken or if you
tool into a liquid. see any other condition that
may affectthe trimmer's
operation, contact your local Authorized Service Center for
Fertilizers and other garden chemicals contain agents which repairs before putting it back into use.
greatly accelerate the corrosion of metals
Do not store the
tool on or adjacent to fertilizers or chemicals.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem Possible Cause Possible
Solution
Unit does not run • Battery not marJng contact -Check battery is fully inserted
-Lock offno!fully operated -Check that lock off is funy forward prior to
moving trigger
Battery not installed properly -Check battery installation
Battery not charged -Check battery charging requirements
• Line won't feed -Line tangled in spool -Unwrap 24" of line and rewind
Line fails to cut off • Line cutter in guard is damaged or missing -Return to service center for replacement/repair
-Line extends past guard -Rewind or trim line cutter
-Battery win not charge Battery notinserted into charger -Insertbattery into charger until red LED appears
-Plug charger into a working outlet
-Charger not plugged in Check current at receptacte by plugging in a
lamp or other appliance
-Check to see if receptacle is connected to a
light switch which turns poweroff when you
turn out the lights
-Surrounding air temperature too hot or too cold Move charger and tool to a surrounding air
temperature of above 40 degree F
(4,5 degree C) or below 105 degree F
( +40,5 degree C)
CALL US FIRST !!
Call us first with questions abollt operating or maintaining your string trimmer
at 1.800.313.5111 between 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 Eastern Standard Time,
or send emails

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
CST00012
input .18 V, DC only
Speed 8500 RPM
Cutting Width
...... 12 in
Weight.
..5.3Ib
.065 Single Line -Semi Automatic Feed -Edging Function 3 Position Adjustable Head
REAR HANDLE
SAFETY
LOCK·OF" BUTTON
BATTERY PACK
FRONT HANDLE /
TRIGGER SWITCH
LOCKING COLLAR
EDGER GUIDE
~
TELESCOPIC TUBE
GRASS DEFLECTOR

LIMITED WARRANTY FOR CORDLESS ELECTRIC MODELS
This product is manufactured for The Great States Corporation/American Lawn Mower Company. The Great States
Corporation/American Lawn Mower Company, Shelbyville, Indiana, has been making lawn mowers for over 100 years and
it warrants to the original owner that each new product and service part is free from defects in material and workmanship
and agrees
to repair or replace under this warranty any defective product or part from the original date of purchase for one
(2) years except for the conditions and circumstances listed below. Proof of purcha.se (Original dated sales receipt) must
accompany
all warranty claims.
THIS WARRANTY IS NOT TRANSFERABLE AND DOES NOT COVER:
Products sold damaged or incomplete, sold "as is". sold Expendable items that become worn during normal use.
reconditioned,
or used as rental equipment. Cosmetic defectsIhatdo not interfere with tool functionality.
Delivery, installation,
or normal adjustments explained in
the operator's manual. Freight cosls from customerto vendor.
Damage
or liability caused by shipping, improper Repair and transportation costs
of products orparts
handling, improper installation, incorrect voltage
or
determined not to be defective.
improper wiring, improper maintenance, improper
modification.
or the use of accessories andior
ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
attachments not specifically recommended. LOSS, DAMAGE, OR EXPENSE THAT MAY RESULT
FROM ANY DEFECT, FAILURE, OR MALFUNCTION
Repairs necessary because
of operator abuse or
OF THE PRODUCT. Some states do not allow the
negligence,
or the failure to install, operate, maintain, exclusion or limitation on how long an implied warranty
or store the product according to the instructions in the lasts, so the above iimitations may not apply to you.
operator's manual. ANY NON-RESIDENTIAL USE OR COMMERCIAL
Damage caused by cold, heat, rain, excessive USE VOIDS ALL WARRANTIES.
humidity, corrosive environments and materials, or
other contaminants.
The Great States Corporation
American
Lawn Mower Company
830 WebsterStreet
Shelbyville,
IN 46176
Phone [phone]
'iV¥NI.reelin.com/earthv'I"ise
In a continued commitment to improve quality, the Manufacturer reserves the right to
make component changes
or design changes When necessary.