Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2725-20 User manual

Cat. No. 2725-20
M18™ FUEL™ STRING TRIMMER
OPERATOR'S MANUAL
WARNING To reduce the risk of injury, user must read and understand operator's manual.

2
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING
Read all safety warnings, instruc-
tions, illustrations and specica-
tions provided with this power tool. Failure tofollow
allinstructionslistedbelow mayresult inelectric shock,
re and/or serious injury. Save all warnings and in-
structions for future reference.
READALL INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE USE
WORK AREA SAFETY
•Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or
dark areas invite accidents.
•Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-
spheres, 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 bystanders away while operat-
ingapowertool.Distractionscancauseyoutolose
control.
•Do not allow to be used as a toy. Close attention
is necessary when used by or near children.
Store idle power tools out of the reach of chil-
dren and do not allow persons unfamiliar with
the power tool or these instructions to operate
the power tool. Power tools are dangerous in the
hands of untrained users.
•Do not use the tool near anything that is burning or
smoking such as cigarettes, matches, or hot ashes.
•To reduce the risk of health hazards from vapors
or dust, do not use tool near tool toxic, carcino-
genic or other hazardous materials such as as-
bestos, arsenic, barium, beryllium, lead, pesticides
or other health endangering materials.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
•Do not expose power tools to rain or wet condi-
tions. Do not immerse in water or spray with a
hose.Donotcleanwithapressure washer.Water
enteringapowertoolwillincreasetheriskofelectric
shock. Store tool indoors.
PERSONAL SAFETY
•Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use
commonsensewhen operating a powertool.Do
notuse a powertool while youare tired orunder
the inuence of drugs, alcohol or medication. A
moment of inattention while operating power tools
may result in serious personal injury.
•Always wear eye protection. Use of this tool can
result in foreign objects being thrown into eyes,
which can result in eye damage.
•Wear a face or dust mask when working in dust
situations. Dust particles can harm your lungs.
•Use personal protective equipment. Protective
equipment such as hearing protection, protective
clothing, and non-skid safety shoes used for ap-
propriate conditions will reduce personal injuries.
•Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or
jewelry. Keep your hair and clothing away from
moving parts. Loose clothes, jewelry or long hair
can be caught in moving parts.
•Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and bal-
ance at all times. This enables better control of the
power tool in unexpected situations.
•Use the power tool, accessories, etc. in ac-
cordance with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions and the work
to be performed. Use of the power tool for opera-
tions different from those intended could result in a
hazardous situation.
•Preventunintentionalstarting.Ensuretheswitch
is in the off-position before connecting to power
source and/or battery pack, picking up or carrying
the tool. Carrying power tools with your nger on
the switch or energizing power tools that have the
switch on invites accidents.
•Do not let familiarity gained from frequent use
of tools allow you to become complacent and
ignoretoolsafetyprinciples.Acarelessactioncan
cause severe injury within a fraction of a second.
POWER TOOL USE AND CARE
•Do not force the power tool. Use the correct
powertool foryour application. Thecorrectpower
tool will do the job better and safer at the rate for
which it was designed.
•Use tool only as described in this manual. Use
only manufacturer’s recommended attachments.
•Do not use the power tool if the switch does not
turn it on and off. Any power tool that cannot be
controlledwiththeswitchis dangerousand mustbe
repaired.
•Disconnect the plug from thepowersource and/
or remove the battery pack, if detachable, from
the power tool before making any adjustments,
changing accessories, or storing power tools.
Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk of
starting the power tool accidentally.
•Storeidlepowertoolsoutof the reachofchildren
and do not allow persons unfamiliar with the
power tool or these instructions to operate the
powertool.Powertoolsaredangerousinthehands
of untrained users.
•Donotstorethepowertoolonorneartofertilizers
or chemicals.
•Maintain power tools and accessories. Check
for misalignment or binding of moving parts,
breakage of parts and any other condition that
mayaffectthepowertool’soperation.Ifdamaged,
have the power tool repaired before use. Many
accidents are caused by poorly maintained power
tools.
•Use the power tool, accessories, etc. in ac-
cordance with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions and the work
to be performed. Use of the power tool for opera-
tions different from those intended could result in a
hazardous situation.
•Keep handles and grasping surfaces dry, clean
andfreefromoilandgrease.Slippery handles and
graspingsurfacesdonotallowforsafehandlingand
control of the tool in unexpected situations.
BATTERY TOOL USE AND CARE
•Remove the battery pack from the power tool
before making any adjustments, changing ac-
cessories, storing, or any time the power tool is
notinuse. Such preventive safety measures reduce
the risk of starting the power tool accidentally.

3
•Turn off power tool before removing battery
pack.
• Do not handle battery pack, tool, or charger
(including charger plug and terminals) with wet
hands.
•Before using the battery pack or charger read
the operator’s manuals, and any labels on the
battery pack, charger and tool.
• Recharge only with the charger specied by the
manufacturer.Achargerthatissuitableforonetype
of battery pack may create a risk of re when used
with another battery pack.
•Use power tools only with speci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, 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 terminals together
may cause burns or a re.
•Under abusive conditions, liquid may be ejected
from the battery; avoid contact. If contact ac-
cidentally occurs, flush with water. If liquid
contacts eyes, additionally seek medical help.
Liquid ejected from the battery may cause irritation
or burns.
•Do not use a battery pack or tool that is dam-
aged or modied. Damaged or modied batteries
may exhibit unpredictable behavior resulting in re,
explosion or risk of injury.
•Do not expose a battery pack or tool to re or
excessive temperature. Exposure to re or tem-
perature above 265°F (130°C) may cause explosion.
•Followallcharginginstructionsanddonotcharge
the battery pack or tool outside the temperature
range specied in the instructions. Charging
improperly or at temperatures outside the specied
rangemaydamagethebatteryand increasetherisk
of re.
SERVICE
• Have your power tool serviced by a qualied
repair person using only identical replacement
parts. This will ensure that the safety of the power
tool is maintained.
• Never service damaged battery packs. Service
of battery packs should only be performed by the
manufacturer or authorized service providers.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES FOR
STRING TRIMMERS
• Keep bystanders at least 50' away during use.
Objects may be thrown or ricochet in all directions.
•Brace for unexpected movement when contact
is made with a hard object. Loss of control could
result in serious injury.
•Do not use blades, brush cutting wheels,
accessories, or attachment other than those
recommended by MILWAUKEE. Serious injury or
product damage may occur.
•Do not operate the tool without the guard in
place. The guard must be attached properly
when trimming. Operating the trimmer without the
guard will cause serious injury.
•Do not use tool with a damaged trimmer head.
Cracked or broken pieces can be thrown.
•Do not operate the tool without the front handle
in place. The front handle must be attached
properly for use when trimming. Using one hand
could cause loss of control and result in serious injury.
• Carry the trimmer by the front handle. Proper
handling of the trimmer will prevent injury.
•Use both hands when operating the trimmer.
Maintain a rm grip. Using one hand could cause
loss of control and result in serious injury.
•Inspect the area before using the tool. Remove
all debris and hard objects such as rocks, glass,
wire, etc. that can ricochet, be thrown, or otherwise
cause injury or damage during operation.
•Keepface,handsandfeetclearofrotatinglineat
alltimes.Rotating line can cause severe lacerations.
• Thrown objects may ricochet off of hard surfaces,
suchaswalls, trees, androcksand cause injury.
When possible, do trimming by hand in closed in
areas.
•When replacing the line, use only .080" monola-
ment or .095" braided (2 mm or 2.4 mm) diameter
line. Any other size can degrade performance or
cause damage to the trimmer.
•Usecarewhentrimmingarounddecorativeplants
and other obsticles. Rotating line will cut/damage
many materials.
•Always turn off the tool between cuts or when
transporting from one location to another. Do
not carry tool with nger on the trigger. Accidental
starting can cause serious personal injury.
•Do not use tool as an edger. Do not tilt tool to
createa rightangle to the ground. Keep trimmer
headandlineparallel to theground.Guardcannot
protect against ying debris in this orientation.
•Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry
important information. If unreadable or missing,
contact a MILWAUKEE service facility for a free
replacement.
•
WARNING
Some dust created by power sanding,
sawing, grinding, drilling, and other
construction activities contains chemicals known to
cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Some examples of these chemicals are:
•lead from lead-based paint
•crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other
masonry products, and
•arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated
lumber.
Yourriskfromtheseexposuresvaries,dependingon
how often you do this type of work. To reduce your
exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated
area,andworkwithapprovedsafetyequipment,such
as those dust masks that are specially designed to
lter out microscopic particles.
READANDSAVEALL
INSTRUCTIONSFOR
FUTUREUSE

4
SYMBOLOGY
Volts
Direct Current
RPM
Safety Alert Symbol
Read Operator's Manual
Always wear eye protection and
hearing protection.
Always wear gloves and personal
protective equipment.
Always wear protective clothing
and footwear
Minimum
50’15m Keep bystanders 50' away during use.
Objects may be thrown or ricochet in
all directions.
Do not use in rain or wet locations.
Do not use blades or brush cutting
wheels.
CUS
UL Listing for Canada and U.S.
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
1. Trimmer pole
2. Front handle
3. Speed control button
4. Lock-off lever
5. Handle
6. Trigger
7. Trimmer head
8. Guard
9. Line blade
10. Spool tab
11. Line
12. Spool housing
1
4
3
5
6
7
9
10
8
12
11
2
SPECIFICATIONS
Cat. No...................................................... 2725-20
Volts.............................................................. 18 DC
Battery Type .................................................M18™
Charger Type................................................M18™
RPM ........................................... 0 - 4600 / 0 - 5800
Cutting Line ................................ 25' x 0.080" spiral
................................................... 20' x 0.095" spiral
Replacement Line 0.080".................. 49-16-2712
0.095".................. 49-16-2713
ASSEMBLY
WARNING
Do not operate the tool without the
guard in place. The guard must be
attached properly when trimming. Operating the
trimmer without the guard will cause serious
injury. Installing the Guard
The guard is shipped unin-
stalled and must be
installed before use.
1. Lineupthe guardbrack-
et with the holes in the
guard.
2. Insert four screws
through the guard and
into the bracket.
3. Tighten the screws
securely using the in-
cluded key.
WARNING
Do not operate the tool without the
front handle in place. The front
handle must be attached properly for use when
trimming. Using one hand could cause loss of
control and result in serious injury.
Installing the Front Handle
Thefront handleisshipped uninstalled
and must be installed before use.
1. Place the two nuts into the front
handle detents.
2. Insert one bracket into the handle.
3. Alight the front handle with the top
of the warning sticker, just above
the "Place Handle Here" marking.
4. Wrap the other bracket around the
back of the shaft.
5. Insert the two screws through the
lower bracket and into the side
handle.
6. Tighten the screws securely using
the included key.

5
Adjusting the Cutting Diameter
14”
16”
14”
16”
To change the cutting diameter from 14" to 16":
1. Remove the battery pack.
2. Remove the two screws holding the line cut-off
blade.
3. Rotate the blade 180° and reinstall the screws.
Tighten securely.
WARNING
Recharge only with the charger
specied for the battery. For spe-
cic charging instructions, read the operator’s
manual supplied with your charger and battery.
Removing/Inserting the Battery
To remove the battery, push in the release buttons
and pull the battery pack away from the tool.
WARNING
Always remove battery pack before
changingor removing accessories.
To insert the battery, slide the pack into the body
of the tool. Make sure it latches securely into place.
WARNING
Do not use blades, brush cutting
wheels, accessories, or attach-
ment other than those recommended by
MILWAUKEE. Serious injury or product damage
may occur.
Replacing the Cutting Line
Use only MILWAUKEE trimmer line (see Specica-
tions). Replace the cutting line with either 20' of
.095 line or 25' of .080 line. Note, when used near
abrasive surfaces or in dense growth, the cutting
line will wear faster.
1. Remove the battery pack.
2. Clean any grass or debris from the trimmer head.
3. Measure out 20' of .095 line or 25' of .080 line.
CAUTION: When replacing the line, use only
MILWAUKEE .080" or .095" (2 mm or 2.4 mm)
diameter line. Any other line can degrade perfor-
mance or cause damage to the trimmer.
4. Rotate the cap to align the red indi-
cators on the cap with the red indi-
cators above the eyelets.
5. Insert the line through either eyelet
and push through the head so an
equal amount of line extends from
each eyelet.
6. Beginwindingthelinebyrotating
the cap in the direction of the
arrows. Continue twisting until 4"
to 6" of line extends from the
eyelets.
7. Check that the exposed line
extends no further than the line
blade. If the exposed line is too
long, continue winding the cap or trim before use.
8. Under normal operation, the remaining string
should be thrown from the spinning head during
use. If any string remains in the head, or to remove
a length of string to replace with a different type,
turnthetrimmerheadoverand
press the release tabs. Pull the
cover away from the head (2).
Discard any short line rem-
nants. Snap the cover back
onto the trimmer head.
Selecting the Speed
Usethe speedcontrol buttonto selectLow High
Low
or High speeds. Use low speed for larger
jobs where extended battery life is needed.
Usehigh speed for densegrowth applica-
tions.

OPERATION
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, always
wear safety goggles or glasses
with side shields.
Do notoperate thetool without the guardin place.
The guard must be attached properly when trim-
ming. Operating the trimmer without the guard
will cause serious injury.
Use both hands when operating the trimmer.
Maintain a rm grip. Using one hand could cause
loss of control and result in serious injury.
Inspect the area before use. Remove all debris
and hard objects such as rocks, glass, wire, etc.
that can ricochet, be thrown, or otherwise cause
injury or damage during operation.
Trimming
1. Grasp the tool rmly by both handles.
2. To start the trimmer, squeeze the lock-off lever
and pull the trigger.
3. To vary thespeed, increase ordecrease the pres-
sure on the trigger. The further the trigger is pulled,
the greater the speed up to the maximum set by
the speed control button.
4. Allow the trimmer to angle down, keeping at least
12" between the trimmer head and any body part.
Hold the trimmer just above the ground
and swing the head side to side.
12" MINIMUM
5. WARNING! Do not use tool as an edger. Do not tilt
tool to create a right angle to the ground. Keep trim-
mer head and line parallel to the ground. Guard can-
not protect against ying debris in this orientation.
6. To feed out the line, bump it against the ground
gently while running a normal speed. NOTE: When
used near abrasive surfaces or in dense growth,
the cutting line will wear faster and require "bump-
ing" more often.
7. To stop the trimmer, release the trigger. Make sure
the tool comes to a complete stop before laying
the tool down. Cutting Tips
•Allow the ends of the line to do the cutting.
• Contact between the line and solid objects willcause
extra line wear and breakage.
•Do not drag the spool cover along the ground or
bump it too hard. Only bump spool on the ground.
Do not bump against rocks, driveways, etc.
• Make multiple passes in long growth.
• Avoid ornamental trees, shrubs, and plantings. Avoid
contact with siding, fence posts, etc. They can all
be damaged by the trimmer.
MAINTENANCE
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, always
unplug the chargerand remove the
battery pack from the charger or tool before
performing any maintenance. Never disassemble
the tool, battery pack or charger. Contact a
MILWAUKEE service facility for ALL repairs.
Maintaining Tool
Keep your tool, battery pack and charger in good
repair by adopting a regular maintenance program.
Inspect your tool for issues such as undue noise,
misalignmentor bindingof movingparts, breakageof
parts, or any other condition that may affect the tool
operation. Return the tool, battery pack, and charger
to a MILWAUKEE service facility for repair. After six
months to one year, depending on use, return the
tool, battery pack and charger to a MILWAUKEE
service facility for inspection.
If the tool does not start or operate at full power with
a fully charged battery pack, clean the contacts on
the battery pack. If the tool still does not work prop-
erly, return the tool, charger and battery pack, to a
MILWAUKEE service facility for repairs.
Gearcase Lubrication
After about 50 hrs of use, the
gearcase should be lubricated to
increase performance and extend
the life of the tool. Place the trimmer
headon its side and removethe hex
head screw. Add up to 10g of Type
Y grease (Cat. No. 49-08-5270) to
the cavity. Do not overll. Replace
the hex head screw and tighten securely.
Maintaining Line
Store extra line in a sealed plastic bag with a table-
spoon of water to avoid drying or cracking. Periodi-
cally sharpen the line cutter to ensure the line does
not extend too long from the spool, which can cause
motor overload.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal in-
jury and damage, never immerse
your tool, battery pack or charger in liquid or
allow a liquid to ow inside them.
Cleaning
Clean dust and debris from vents. Keep handles
clean, dry and free of oil or grease. Use only mild
soap and a damp cloth to clean, since certain clean-
ing agents and solvents are harmful to plastics and
other insulated parts. Some of these include gasoline,
turpentine,lacquer thinner, paint thinner,chlorinated
cleaning solvents, ammonia and household deter-
gents containing ammonia. Never use ammable or
combustible solvents around tools.
Repairs
Forrepairs, return the tool, battery packandcharger
to the nearest service center.
ACCESSORIES
WARNING
Use only recommended accesso-
ries. Others may be hazardous.
Rely only on high-grade power tools on our virtual shelves.