Hercules HC04 Original instruction manual

12V/20V Lithium-ion Fast Charger
Model
HC04
WARNING: To prevent serious injury, User must read and
understand Owner’s Manual. SAVE THIS MANUAL.
When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact and
undamaged. If any parts are missing or broken, please call
1-888-866-5797 as soon as possible. Reference 63379.
Owner’s Manual &
Safety Instructions
REV 17a

Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 63379
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Read all safety warnings and all instructions.
Failure to follow the warnings and instructions may
result in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury. Save
all warnings and instructions for future reference.
The warnings, precautions, and instructions discussed
in this instruction manual cannot cover all possible
conditions 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.
1. The battery Charger gets hot during use.
The Charger’s heat can build up to unsafe
levels and create a fire hazard if it does
not receive adequate ventilation, due to
an electrical fault, or if it is used in a hot environment.
Do not place the Charger on a flammable surface.
Do not obstruct any vents on the Charger.
Especially avoid placing the Charger on carpets
and rugs; they are not only flammable, but they
also obstruct vents under the Charger. Place the
Charger on a stable, solid, nonflammable surface
(such as a stable metal workbench or concrete floor)
at least 1 foot away from all flammable objects, such
as drapes or walls. Keep a fire extinguisher and a
smoke detector in the area. Frequently monitor the
Charger and Battery Pack while charging.
2. Charge only designated battery packs;
others may overheat, leak, or burst.
3. Follow charging instructions.
4. Do not insert damaged battery pack.
5. Check frequently while charging.
6. Wear ANSI-approved safety goggles during use.
7. Use chargers only with specifically designated
battery packs. Use of any other battery
packs may create a risk of injury and fire.
8. When battery pack is not in use, keep it away
from other metal objects, like paper clips,
coins, keys, nails, screws or other small metal
objects, that can make a connection from one
terminal to another. Shorting the battery pack
terminals together may cause burns or a fire.
9. Under abusive conditions, liquid may be
ejected from the battery pack; avoid contact.
If contact accidentally occurs, flush with water.
If liquid contacts eyes, additionally seek
medical help. Liquid ejected from the
battery pack may cause irritation or burns.
10. Do not expose to rain or wet conditions.
Indoor use only.
11. Inspect before every use; do not use
if parts are loose or damaged.
12. Use as intended only.
13. Unplug after use and before
service, cleaning or storage.
14. Maintain labels and nameplates on
the Charger. These carry important safety
information. If unreadable or missing, contact
Harbor Freight Tools for a replacement.
15. This product is not a toy.
Keep it out of reach of children.
16. People with pacemakers should consult their
physician(s) before use. Electromagnetic fields in
close proximity to heart pacemaker could cause
pacemaker interference or pacemaker failure.
In addition, people with pacemakers should properly
maintain and inspect to avoid electrical shock.
17. WARNING: The cord of this product contains
lead and/or di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP),
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer, and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
Lithium Battery Safety Warnings
LITHIUM BATTERIES
STORE A LARGE AMOUNT
OF ENERGY AND WILL
VENT FIRE OR EXPLODE IF MISTREATED:
1. Keep Battery Pack dry.
2. DO NOT DO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING
TO THE BATTERY PACK:
• Open,
• Drop,
• Short-circuit,
• Puncture,
• Incinerate, or
• Expose to temperatures greater than 140°F.
3. Charge Battery Pack only according to instructions.
4. Inspect Battery Pack before every use;
do not use or charge if damaged.
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS

Page 3For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 63379
Grounding
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK AND
DEATH FROM INCORRECT GROUNDING:
Check with a qualified electrician if you
are in doubt as to whether the outlet is
properly grounded. Do not modify the power cord
plug provided with the charger. Do not use the
charger if the power cord or plug is damaged.
If damaged, have it repaired by a service facility
before use. If the plug will not fit the outlet,
have a proper outlet installed by a
qualified electrician.
Extension Cords
Extension cords must not be used with this Charger.
Warning Symbols and Definitions
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.
Indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not
avoided, will result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not
avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not
avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.
Addresses practices not
related to personal injury.
Symbology
Canadian Standards Association
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
VVolts
Direct Current
~Alternating Current
AAmperes
WARNING marking concerning Risk
of Eye Injury. Wear ANSI-approved
safety goggles with side shields.
Read the manual before
set-up and/or use.
WARNING marking
concerning Risk of Fire.
Do not cover Charger ventilation ducts.
Charge on fireproof surface only.
WARNING marking concerning
Risk of Explosion.
Do not puncture, short, or open
battery packs and do not charge
damaged battery packs.
WARNING marking concerning
Risk of Electric Shock.
Properly connect Charger’s power
cord to appropriate outlet.

Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 63379
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
1. Bay
2. Charge Terminals
3. Vents
4. Release Button
5. Battery Terminals
6. Charge Gauge
Button
7. Charge Gauge
8. Charge Indicators:
CHARGING
Red Constant
Green Flashing
CHARGED
Red Off
Green Constant
HOT/COLD DELAY
Red Flashing
Green Flashing
PROBLEM PACK OR CHARGER
Red Flashing
Green Off
SPECIFICATIONS
Input Rating 120VAC / 60Hz / 4.0A
Output 12 or 20 VDC
Battery Type Li-ion
1 2 8
3
5
6
7
4

Page 5For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 63379
BATTERY PACK OPERATION
Charge Gauge
Press the Charge Gauge Button on the
Battery to check its remaining run time.
Remaining run time (approximate)
0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
Note: If the Charge Gauge does not
display when the Charge Gauge Button is
pressed, charge the Battery Pack.
The Battery Pack will shut itself off
once it is fully discharged. Charge the
Battery Pack when this happens.
Cold Weather
To warm up a Battery Pack that is very cold,
operate the tool slowly or in a light application for
a few minutes until the Battery Pack warms-up.
Battery Storage
To prevent serious injury, do not do any
of the following to the Battery Pack:
• Open,
• Drop,
• Short-circuit,
• Puncture,
• Incinerate, or
• Expose to temperatures greater than 140°F.
1. Store batteries in a dry, indoor area
at room temperature out of reach of
children and away from metal objects
(i.e., paperclips, coins) to prevent shorting.
NOTICE: Battery may be damaged if stored
at high temperatures (over 120° F).
2. Recharge the Battery Pack at least once a year.

Page 6 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 63379
CHARGER OPERATION
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.
When to Charge
1. Charge the Battery Pack when convenient.
2. The Battery Pack does not need to be completely
discharged before charging. It will not develop
a “memory” if charged while still partially full.
3. To help protect the Battery Pack, it must
be charged when the charge level is near
empty. If a lithium-ion battery is allowed to
discharge completely, it can be ruined.
Charging
CHARGING
Red Constant
Green Flashing
CHARGED
Red Off
Green Constant
HOT/COLD DELAY
Red Flashing
Green Flashing
PROBLEM PACK OR CHARGER
Red Flashing
Green Off
Figure A: Charge Indicators
1. Place the Battery Pack on a dry fireproof surface in a
room where the temperature is between 50–104° F.
Note: If recharging a newly spent Battery Pack,
allow it to cool completely before charging.
2. Examine the Battery Pack. It must be
undamaged, and a 12 or 20 volt, Lithium-ion
type Battery Pack. Do not charge a cracked,
open, or leaking Battery Pack, or charge a
non-recommended type of Battery Pack.
3. The Battery Pack’s terminals are designed to fit
this Charger specifically. If the Battery Pack does
to not fit the Charger properly, do not try to insert it.
Do not force a Battery Pack into the Charger.
4. Plug the Charger into a grounded,
120VAC, 60Hz receptacle.
5. Slide the Battery Pack onto the Charger.
• A fully discharged 2.5 Ah Battery Pack
will take about 60 minutes to fully charge.
• A fully discharged 5.0 Ah (XP) Battery Pack
will take about 90 minutes to fully charge.
Note: If the Battery Pack is hot or cold, the Charge
Indicators may both flash, indicating that the Charger
is waiting for the temperature to normalize before
Charging. Charging will start automatically once the
Battery Pack reaches the correct temperature.
6. While charging, the Battery Pack and Charger
may become warm to the touch. This is
normal, and does not indicate a problem.
7. The red LED will light constantly and the green
LED will flash when the Battery Pack is charging.
The green LED will light constantly and the red
LED will turn off when the battery is charged.
Unplug the Charger and disconnect it
from the Battery Pack when finished.
8. Allow the Battery Pack to cool
completely before using it.
9. Press the Release Button to release
Battery Pack from the Charger.

Page 7For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 63379
CHARGER MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING
Procedures not specifically explained
in this manual must be performed
only by a qualified technician.
TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY
FROM ACCIDENTAL OPERATION:
Remove the Battery Pack and unplug the
charger before performing any inspection,
maintenance, or cleaning procedures.
TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY FROM TOOL
FAILURE: Do not use damaged equipment.
If damage is noted, have the problem
corrected before further use.
1. BEFORE EACH USE, inspect the general
condition of the charger. Check for:
• loose hardware,
• misalignment or binding of moving parts,
• cracked or broken parts,
• damaged electrical wiring, and
• any other condition that may
affect its safe operation.
2. AFTER USE, wipe external surfaces
of the charger with clean cloth.
3. Disconnect Battery Pack and store Charger
and any Battery Packs in a dry, indoor
area at room temperature out of reach
of children and away from metal objects
(i.e., paperclips, coins) to prevent shorting.
WARNING! TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY AND
DEATH FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK:
Do not open Charger. Do not service internal parts.

3491 Mission Oaks Blvd. • PO Box 6009 • Camarillo, CA 93011 • 1-888-866-5797
LIMITED 90 DAY WARRANTY
Harbor Freight Tools Co. makes every effort to assure that its products meet high quality and durability
standards, and warrants to the original purchaser that this product is free from defects in materials
and workmanship for the period of 90 days from the date of purchase. This warranty does not apply to
damage due directly or indirectly, to misuse, abuse, negligence or accidents, repairs or alterations outside
our facilities, criminal activity, improper installation, normal wear and tear, or to lack of maintenance.
We shall in no event be liable for death, injuries to persons or property, or for incidental, contingent,
special or consequential damages arising from the use of our product. Some states do not allow the
exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation of exclusion
may not apply to you. THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS.
To take advantage of this warranty, the product or part must be returned to us with transportation charges
prepaid. Proof of purchase date and an explanation of the complaint must accompany the merchandise.
If our inspection verifies the defect, we will either repair or replace the product at our election or we may
elect to refund the purchase price if we cannot readily and quickly provide you with a replacement. We will
return repaired products at our expense, but if we determine there is no defect, or that the defect resulted
from causes not within the scope of our warranty, then you must bear the cost of returning the product.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
Email our technical support at: [email protected]
For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797
Record Product’s Serial Number Here:
Note: If product has no serial number, record month and year of purchase instead.
Replacement parts are not available.
Copyright© 2016 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.