Kobalt KST 2180-06 Straight Shaft String Trimmer Manual

Kobalt KST 2180-06 Straight Shaft String Trimmer

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

PACKAGE CONTENTS

HARDWARE CONTENTS

SYMBOLS

Some of the following symbols may be used on this product. Please study them and learn their meaning. Proper interpretation of these symbols will allow you to operate the product better and safer.

WARNING

• To avoid serious personal injury, do not attempt to use this product until you have read this owner’s manual thoroughly and understand it completely. If you do not understand the warnings and instructions in this owner’s manual, do not use this product. Call 888-356-2258 for assistance.
• The operation of any product can result in foreign objects being thrown into your eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Before operating a product, always wear safety goggles, safety glasses with side shields, or a full-face shield when needed. A Wide Vision Safety Mask is recommended for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses with side shields. Always use eye protection that is marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Please read and understand this entire manual before attempting to assemble, operate or install the product.

WARNING: Read and understand all instructions. Failure to follow all instructions listed below may result in electric shock, fire, and/or serious personal injury.

• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools create sparks that may ignite the dust or fumes.
• Do not allow children or untrained individuals to use this unit.
• Don’t expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water entering a power tool will increase the risk of electric shock.
• Do not handle the battery or tool with wet hands.
• Never allow children to operate the equipment. Never allow adults to operate the equipment without proper instruction.
• Always wear safety glasses with side shields that are marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1. Everyday glasses have only impact-resistant lenses. They are NOT safety glasses. Following this rule will reduce the risk of eye injury. Use a face mask if the operation is dusty.
• Don’t use in the rain. Store indoors.
• Do not operate in poor lighting.
• Keep all parts of your body away from any moving parts.
• Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the switch is in the off-position before connecting to battery pack, picking up, or carrying the appliance. Carrying the appliance with your finger on the switch or energizing an appliance that has the switch on invites accidents.
• Do not force tools. Use the correct tool for your application. The correct tool will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it is designed.
• Do not operate the equipment while barefoot or when wearing sandals or similar lightweight footwear. Wear protective footwear that will protect your feet and improve your footing on slippery surfaces.
• Keep firm footing and balance. Do not overreach. Overreaching can result in loss of balance.
• Check Damaged Parts – Before further use of the appliance, a guard or other part that is damaged should be carefully checked to determine that it will operate properly and perform its intended function. Check for alignment of moving parts, binding of moving parts, 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 center unless indicated elsewhere in this manual.
• Keep guards in place and in working order.
• Keep hands and feet away from the cutting area.
• Do not allow it to be used as a toy. Close attention is necessary when used by or near children.
• Do not use the tool if the switch does not turn it on or off. Any tool that cannot be controlled with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
• Keep all bystanders, children, and pets at least 50 ft. away.
• Do not operate this unit when you are tired, ill, or under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.
• Do not put any objects into openings. Do not use with any opening blocked; keep openings free.
• Check the work area before each use. Remove all objects such as rocks, broken glass, nails, wire, or string that can be thrown or become entangled in the machine.
• Use only identical manufacturer’s replacement parts and accessories. Use of any other parts may create a hazard or cause product damage.
• Do not charge the battery in the rain, or damp or wet locations. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock.
• For household use only.
• Battery tools do not have to be plugged into an electrical outlet; therefore, they are always in operating condition. Be aware of possible hazards when not using your battery tool or when changing accessories. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
• Remove or disconnect battery before servicing, cleaning or removing material from the gardening appliance.
• Use only KOBALT 80-volt batteries. (KB 280C-06, KB 2580C-06, KB 480-06, KB 580C-06, KB 680C-06).
• Do not modify or attempt to repair the appliance or the battery pack (as applicable) except as indicated in the instructions for use and care
• Ambient temperature range:
  • String trimmer storage temperature range: -4°F (-20°C) – 158°F (70°C)
  • String trimmer operation temperature range: -4°F (-20°C) – 104°F (40°C)
  • Battery charging temperature range: 39°F (4°C) – 104°F (40°C)
  • Charger operation temperature range: 39°F (4°C) – 113°F (45°C)
    •  Battery storage temperature range: 1 year: 32°F (0°C) – 73°F(23°C)
    • 3 month: 32°F (0°C) -113°F (45°C)
    • 1 month: 32°F (0°C) -140°F (60°C)
  • Battery discharging temperature range: 6.8°F (-14°C) – 113°F (45°C)

Child safety
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not aware of the presence of children.

• Keep children out of the working area and under the watchful care of a responsible adult.
• Do not allow children under the age of 14 to operate this trimmer. Children who are 14 years of age or older must read and understand the operating instructions and safety rules in this manual and must be trained and supervised by a parent.
• Stay alert and turn the trimmer off if a child or any other person enters the working area.
• Look behind and down for small children before and while cutting backward.
• Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure your view of a child who may run into the path of the trimmer.

SERVICE
Servicing requires extreme care and knowledge and should be performed only by a qualified service technician. For service, it is suggested you return the product to your nearest AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPARTMENT for repair. When servicing, use only identical replacement parts.

PREPARATION

Before beginning assembly of product, make sure all parts are present. Compare parts with package contents list and hardware contents list. If any part is missing or damaged, do not attempt to assemble the product.
Estimated Assembly Time: 5 – 10 minutes
Tools Required for Assembly (not included): Phillips Screwdriver

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING
To avoid injury and to reduce the risk of electrical shock or fire:

• Replace the battery or charger immediately if the battery case or charger cord is damaged.
• Always make sure the string trimmer switch is OFF before inserting or removing the battery.
• Always make sure the battery is removed and the switch is turned OFF before inspecting, adjusting, or maintaining any other part of the string trimmer.
• Read, understand, and follow the Battery Charger instructions.

Installing the guard

CAUTION
To avoid injury, always remove the battery before installing the guard, changing a cutting line, or making any adjustments. If the guard is damaged, do not use the grass trimmer until it is replaced.

Note: Install the protective guard before operating the grass trimmer. It should not be removed or disassembled.

• Invert the grass trimmer to access the trimmer head.
• Using a phillips head screwdriver (not included), remove the pre-installed screws (AA) from the trimmer guard.
• Place the guard (L) onto the trimmer head.
• Align the screw holes on the guard with the screw holes on the trimmer head.
• Insert the screws into the trimmer head and tighten to fasten the guard in place.

Connecting upper / lower trimmer tubes

• Push in the release button located on the lower tube (H).
• Align the release button with the positioning hole on the upper tube (F) and slide the two tubes together.
• Rotate the lower tube until the release button locks into the positioning hole.
• Tighten the screw with the hex wrench (DD).

Hardware Used

WARNING
To avoid injury, adjust the auxiliary handle for optimum control and balance. Do not overreach when operating grass trimmer. Keep proper balance at all times for better control of the tool in unexpected situations.

Installing the front / auxiliary handle

Position the front / auxiliary handle (E) onto the upper tube (F).

• Place the fixed block (EE) into the slot on the handle.

Align the hole on the handle with the hole on the fixed block, then slide the bolt (CC) through the top of the handle and secure with the fastening knob (BB).

• The front handle can be adjusted to a suitable position.
• Tighten until there is no movement in the handle.
  Note: Do not overtighten the fastening knob. It could cause the fixed block to break.

Hardware Used

Removing / installing the cutting line

A spool of cutting line is pre-installed on the trimmer. When the cutting line needs replacing, rewind new line onto existing spool.

CAUTION

To avoid injury, always remove the battery before installing the guard, changing a cutting line, or making any adjustments

To remove the cutting line

Turn the string trimmer over to access the spool.

• Remove the spool cover (M) by pressing on the two tabs parallel to each other on the sides of the spool cover.
• Remove the spool cover (M) from the spool housing (R) and remove any excess line.
• Reinstall the spool cover (M) and spool housing (R).

To Install the cutting line

Note: For 0.095 in. (2.4 mm) nylon line, do not put more than 23 feet (7 m) of cutting line in at a time.

• Line up the slots on the spool cover (M) with the slots on the spool housing (R).
• Insert line through the eyelet. Push line until it exits the opposite string head hole
• Pull the line through until there is an equal amount of line on each side.
• Push and turn the spool cover (M) clockwise to wind the string into the string head (J). Leave approximately 5 inches (13 mm) of string protruding out of each side of the head.

Replacing the spool

Note: For normal use, head disassembly is not necessary. However, if circumstances require disassembly, follow these instructions

Turn the string trimmer over to access the spool.

• Remove the spool cover (M) by pressing on the two tabs parallel to each other on the sides of the spool cover.
• Remove the spool cover (M) from the spool housing (R) and remove any excess line.
• Remove screws (Q), spool (P), slot cover (O), and location housing (N) from the spool cover (M). Replace with a new spool.
• Reinstall the spool cover (M) and spool housing (R).

Adjusting the cutter-off blade

This trimmer is equipped with a line cut-off blade on the guard. Advance line when trimming efficiency diminishes. This will maintain best performance and keep line long enough to advance properly. This trimmer is currently set at the 15 in. (381 mm) cutting swath. To adjust to a cutting swath of 17 in. (432 mm):

• Remove both screws on the cut-off blade (K) with a phillips head screwdriver.
• Rotate the cut-off blade 180°.
• Replace both screws in the cut-off blade.
  Note: Set the cut-off blade to 15 in. (381 mm) for greater runtime. Set the cut-off blade to 17 in. (432 mm) for greater cutting area.

Installing/removing the battery

IMPORTANT
The battery is not charged when it is purchased. Before using the trimmer for the first time, place the battery in the battery charger and charge.

To install the battery

• Align the battery with the cavity in the string trimmer housing.
• Insert the battery into the handle until the battery release button (A) locks into place.
• Push down on the battery until it locks into place. You should hear a “click” once it is installed.

To remove the battery

• Press the battery release button (A) on the string trimmer. This will cause the battery to raise out of the tool slightly.
• Grasp the trimmer firmly and pull the battery out of the handle.
  Note: The battery fits into the handle snugly in order to prevent accidental dislodging.

WARNING
Follow these instructions in order to avoid injury and to reduce the risk of electric shock or fire:

• Replace the battery immediately if the battery case is damaged.
• Verify that the switch is in the OFF position before inserting or removing the battery.
• Verify that the battery is removed and the switch is in the OFF position before inspecting, adjusting, or performing maintenance on any part of the string trimmer.

Starting/stopping the product

• Slide the speed switch (D) to the desired operating speed. Slide the speed switch to position 1 for low speed or position 2 for high speed.
• Press the lock-off lever (C). Squeeze the trigger (B) to start.
• Release the trigger to stop.

CAUTION
Always allow 5 seconds or more for the cutting line spool to stop rotating after releasing the trigger. Do not invert the grass trimmer or place your hands under the protective guard until the grass trimmer spool has come to a complete stop.

Lengthening the line

While the string trimmer is operating, the cutting line gets worn down and becomes shorter. This trimmer is equipped with bump feed line advancement, which advances additional line once the head is bumped on the ground while rotating. The cut-off blade will cut the line to keep an accurate cutting swath.

Trimmer tips

Before each use:

• Make sure the protective guard is tightly installed. If not, tighten the guard screws.
• Before trimming, inspect the area for string, wire, branches or other material that may become entangled in the cutting line and thrown.

Storage tips:

• Do not store the grass trimmer in sunlight, in an excessively warm place, or near a furnace.
• The battery life will be shortened.

During use:

• Trim only when the grass and weeds are dry.
• Do not trim grass at night. Always make sure you have adequate lighting.
• Hold the grass trimmer by both the switch handle and the auxiliary handle for best control and balance.
• Stand with the cutting head tipped down at an angle in front, guiding the grass trimmer in a semicircular motion around you.
• If possible, guide the grass trimmer to the left to cut. The line will cut as soon as it leaves the guard, and the clippings are thrown away from you.
• To produce a smoothly trimmed area, move the grass trimmer out of the area being cut with consistent speed and height.
• Use only the tip of the cutting line to do the trimming, especially near walls and fences. Trimming with the side of the cutting line may overload the motor, wear out the line faster, and break the line more often.
• Do not rest the trimmer spool on the ground while trimming. This will cause spool wear and battery drain.
• If the grass is higher than 6 in. (15 cm), trim in small stages.
• When the grass trimmer is turned off and the spool stops rotating, the cutting line will relax and may recede. Feed the extra cutting line before storing the trimmer to prevent losing the line completely into the spool.
• If the diameter of the cutting area gets smaller, the line is worn down and needs to be advanced more often.
• If the grass trimmer is not cutting correctly, the cutting line may not be feeding properly.
• Remove and rewind the line spool.

Trimmer guard and motor maintenance

Note: Before performing maintenance, remove battery from the tool.

• Remove dirt and debris from guard using a paint brush (not included).
• Clean dirt and debris off of motor cover and connection joints.
• Clean line cutter blades by using a wire brush and spraying with an appropriate degreaser.
• Inspect the spool cover and line to ensure that there is an adequate amount of line and that no damage is present on the spool cover.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you still have questions or an unresolved issue after going through this troubleshooting guide, or just want to speak to a KOBALT product expert, please call our KOBALT customer service department at 888-356-2258.

WARRANTY

5-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

This KOBALT 80 V String Trimmer is warranted to the original purchaser from the original purchase date for five (5) years subject to the warranty coverage described herein. This KOBALT 80 V String Trimmer is warranted for the original user to be free from defects in material and workmanship.

If you believe that the KOBALT 80V String Trimmer is defective at any time during the specified warranty period, simply return the 80 V String Trimmer along with proof of purchase to the place of purchase for a free replacement or refund, or call 888-3KOBALT (888-356-2258) for warranty service. This warranty is void if: defects in materials or workmanship or damages result from repairs or alterations which have been made or attempted by others or the unauthorized use of nonconforming parts; the damage is due to normal wear, damage is due to abuse (including overloading of the tool beyond capacity), improper maintenance, neglect or accident; or the damage is due to the use of the tool after partial failure or use with improper accessories or unauthorized repair or alteration. This warranty excludes the spool.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from state to
state.

REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

For replacement parts, call our customer service department at 888-356-2258, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., EST, Monday – Sunday. You may also contact us at ascs@lowes.com.

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Kobalt KST 2180-06 Straight Shaft String Trimmer-FAQs