RYOBI P4360 18 Volt Pole Saw User Manual

RYOBI P4360 18 Volt Pole Saw

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING:

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

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

• For safe operation, read and understand all in-structions before using this product. Be familiar with all controls and proper use of the machine. Follow all safety instructions. Failure to follow all safety instructions listed below, can result in serious personal injury.
• Do not allow children or untrained individuals to use this unit.
• Thoroughly inspect the area where the equip-ment is to be used and remove all foreign objects.
• Wear eye protection with side shields, which is marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1, along with head protection when operating this equipment.
• Dress Properly — Wear heavy long pants, long sleeves, boots, and gloves. Do not wear loose fitting clothing, short pants, sandals, or go bare-foot. Do not wear jewelry of any kind.
• Secure long hair above shoulder level to prevent entanglement in moving parts.
• Keep Children Away — Keep all bystanders, children, and pets at least 50 ft. away.
• Stay Alert — Watch what you are doing; use common sense. Do not operate this unit when you are tired, ill, upset, or under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.
• Do not operate in poor lighting.
• Use Safety Glasses — Always use face or dust mask if operation is dusty.
• Disconnect Appliance — Remove battery from appliance when not in use, before servicing , when changing accessories such as bar chain.
• Don’t Overreach — Keep proper footing and balance at all times. Overreaching can result in loss of balance or exposure to hot surfaces.
•  Keep all parts of your body away from any mov-ing part.
• Inspect the unit before each use for loose fasten-ers, etc. Replace any damaged parts before use.
• When not in use, product should be stored indoors in a dry, locked up place — out of the reach of children.
• Use only original manufacturer’s replacement parts. Failure to do so may cause poor perfor-mance, possible injury, and will void your war-ranty.
• Do not, under any circumstance, use any at-tachment or accessory on this product which was not provided with the product or identified as appropriate for use with this product in the operator’s manual.
• Avoid Dangerous Environments
• Do not use the product in damp or wet locations.
• Do not use in rain.
• Stop the motor, wait until all moving parts come to a complete stop, and remove the battery pack before cleaning or performing any maintenance.
• Never use water or any liquids to clean or rinse off your product and do not expose the product to rain or wet conditions. Store indoors in a dry area. Corrosive liquids, water, and chemicals can enter the product’s electronic components and/or battery compartment and damage elec-tronic components and/or the battery pack, which can result in a short circuit, increased risk of fire, and serious personal injury. Remove any buildup of dirt and debris by wiping the product clean with a dry cloth occasionally.
• Use the Right Appliance — Do not use the product for any job except that for which it is intended.
• Do not operate from steps, a ladder, rooftop, tree, or unstable support. Stable footing on a solid surface enables better control of the prod-uct in unexpected situations.
• Do not force the product. It will do the job better and with less likelihood of a risk of injury at the rate for which it was designed.
• DANGER — Keep hands away from cutting area. Keep both hands on handles when power is on.
• CAUTION — Blade coasts after being turned off.
• Do not grasp the exposed cutting blades or cutting edges when picking up or holding the product.
• Check Damaged Parts — Before further use of the product, a guard or other part that is dam-aged should be carefully checked to determine that it will operate properly and perform its intended function. Check for alignment of mov-ing 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.

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

• Kickback is a dangerous reaction that can lead to serious injury. Kickback may occur when the moving chain contacts an object at the upper portion of the tip of the guide bar or when the wood closes in and pinches the chain in the cut. Contact at the upper portion of the tip of the guide bar can cause the chain to dig into the object and stop the chain for an instant. The result is a lightning-fast, reverse reaction which kicks the guide bar up and back toward the operator. If the chain is pinched along the top of the guide bar, the guide bar can be driven rapidly back toward the operator, which can cause loss of control and may result in serious injury. Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built into the product.
  With a basic understanding of kickback, you can reduce or eliminate the element of surprise. Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.

• Use pole saw for cutting wood only. Do not use for cutting non-wood items.

• Make sure that the area in which you are cutting is free from obstructions. Do not let the nose of the guide bar contact a log, branch, fence, or any other obstruction while you are operating the unit. Have a planned retreat path.

• Cut only when visibility and light are adequate for you to see clearly.

• To protect yourself from electrocution, do not operate within 50 feet of overhead electrical lines.

• In an emergency situation, use the spring clips on the quick release shoulder harness to free yourself from the harness and the pole saw.

• WARNING — Do not operate near electrical power lines. The unit has not been designed to provide protection from electric shock in the event of contact with overhead electric lines. Consult local regulations for safe distances from overhead electric power lines and ensure that the operating position is safe and secure before operating the saw chain pole pruner.

• Before starting the motor, make sure the chain is not contacting any object.

• To protect yourself from falling branches, do not stand directly under the branch or limb being cut. This unit should not be held at an angle over 60° from ground level.

• Turn off the motor and make sure cutting attach-ment has stopped before setting unit down.

• Follow the sharpening and maintenance instruc-tions for the saw chain.

• Use only the replacement guide bars and low kickback chains specified for the unit.

•  Do not operate the saw with one hand! Serious injury to the operator, helpers, bystanders, or any combination of these persons may result from one hand operation. This

• w is intended for two-handed use.

• Use extreme caution when cutting small-sized brush and saplings because slender material may catch the saw chain and be whipped to-ward you or pull you off balance.

• When cutting a limb that is under tension, be alert for spring back so that you will not be struck when the tension in the wood fibers is released.

• To avoid accidental starting, never carry the unit with the battery installed or with your finger on the switch trigger.

• Maintain Product With Care — Keep cutting edge sharp and clean for best performance and to reduce the risk of injury. Follow instruc-tions for lubricating and changing accessories. Inspect the battery charger cord periodically, and if damaged, have it replaced or repaired by an authorized service dealer.

• Keep handles dry, clean, and free from oil and grease.

• Service on the product must be performed by qualified repair personnel only. Service or main-tenance performed by unqualified personnel could result in injury to the user or damage to the product.

• Battery operated units do not have to be plugged into an electrical outlet; therefore, they are al-ways in operating condition. Be aware of pos-sible hazards even when unit is not operating.

• Remove the battery pack from the pole saw before cleaning, servicing, storing, removing material from the unit, changing accessories such as the bar and chain, or when not in use.

• A battery pack must be recharged only with the specified charger for the battery pack. A charger that may be suitable for one type of battery pack may create a risk of fire when used with another battery pack. Use battery pack only with charger listed.

• Use this product only with batteries and char-gers listed in tool/appliance/battery pack/char-ger correlation supplement 987000-432.

• To reduce the risk of explosion and possible in-jury, do not place battery units or their batteries near fire or heat.

• Do not open or mutilate the battery pack. Re-leased electrolyte is corrosive and may cause damage to the eyes or skin. It may be toxic if swallowed.

• Do not charge appliance in the rain or in a wet or damp location. Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock.

• Do not dispose of batteries in a fire. The cell may explode. Batteries should be recycled, con-sult your local waste authority for information regarding available recycling and/or disposal options.

• Exercise care in handling batteries in order not to short terminals. 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 bat-tery pack terminals together may cause sparks, burns, or a fire.

• Save these instructions. Refer to them frequent-ly and use them to instruct others who may use this product. If you loan someone this product, loan them these instructions also to prevent misuse of the product and possible injury.

SYMBOLS

The following signal words and meanings are intended to explain the levels of risk associated with this product.

• 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:
  Indicates a hazardous situation, that, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.

• NOTICE:
  (Without Safety Alert Symbol) Indicates information considered important, but not related to a potential injury (e.g. messages relating to property damage).

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.

• Safety Alert Symbol
  Indicates a potential personal injury hazard.

• Read Operator’s Manual
  To reduce the risk of injury, user must read and understand operator’s manual before using this product.

• Wear Eye and Head Protection
  Always wear eye protection with side shields marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1, along with head protection when operating this equipment.

• Wet Conditions Alert
  Do not expose battery, battery compartment, or electronic components to rain, water, or liquids. Do not charge battery or expose product to rain or damp locations.

• Gloves
  Wear non-slip, heavy-duty protective gloves when handling the pole saw and the blade.

• Safety Footwear
  Wear non-slip safety footwear when using this equipment.

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.

• Keep Tool Away from Electrical Lines/Keep Bystanders Awa
  DANGER! Risk of electrocution! Keep tool 50 feet away from electrical lines. Keep all bystanders at least 50 ft. away.y

• Electric Shock
  Failure to use in dry conditions and to observe safe practices can result in electric shock.

• No Hands Symbol
  Failure to keep your hands away from the blade will result in serious personal injury.

• Recycle Symbol
  This product uses lithium-ion batteries. Local, state or federal laws may prohibit disposal of batteries in ordinary trash. Consult your local waste authority for information r egarding available recycling and/or disposal options.

• Volts
  Voltage

• Direct Current
  Type or a characteristic of current

FEATURES

• KNOW YOUR POLE SAW
  See Figure 1.
  The safe use of this product requires an under-standing of the information on the product and in this operator’s manual as well as a knowledge of the project you are attempting. Before use of this product, familiarize yourself with all operating features and safety rules.

• AUTOMATIC OILER SYSTEM
  Lubrication is provided by the automatic oiler sys-tem. The oiler is driven by the sprocket and adds lubrication only when the chain is moving.

• QUICK-VIEW OIL INDICATOR
  Semi-transparent bar lube reservoir that allows user to see when to add lubricant.

• SCABBARD
  The scabbard keeps the operator from coming in contact with the sharp blades when the tool is not in use. It also helps keep the blades from being nicked or damaged when the tool is in storage.

• TRIGGER LOCK-OUT
  The trigger lock-out prevents unintentional starting of the pole saw.

ASSEMBLY

UNPACKING
This product requires assembly.

• Carefully remove the product and any acces-sories from the box. Make sure that all items listed in the Packing List are included.

WARNING:
Do not use this product if any parts on the Packing List are already assembled to your product when you unpack it. Parts on this list are not assembled to the product by the manu-facturer and require customer installation. Use of a product that may have been improperly as-sembled could result in serious personal injury.

• 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 oper-ated the product.
• If any parts are damaged or missing, please call 1- 800-525-2579 for assistance.

PACKING LIST

• Cutting Head Pole
• Intermediate Pole
• Handle Pole
• Scabbard
• Combination Wrench
• Quick Release Shoulder Harness
• Operator’s Manual

WARNING:
If any parts are damaged or missing, do not operate this product until the parts are replaced. Use of this product with damaged or missing parts could result in serious personal injury.

WARNING:
Do not attempt to modify this product or create accessories not recommended for use with this product. Any such alteration or modification is misuse and could result in a hazardous condi-tion leading to possible serious personal injury.

WARNING:
To prevent accidental starting that could cause serious personal injury, always remove the bat-tery pack from the product when assembling parts.

CONNECTING THE POLES
See Figure 2.

• Insert the plug on the intermediate pole into the socket on the handle pole and push together until fully seated. The plug is larger on one side and will only install one way.
• Lower the collar on the handle pole to the threaded base on the intermediate pole and rotate clockwise to secure.
• Repeat this process to attach the intermediate pole to the cutting head pole.

NOTE: When assembled correctly, handle pole and cutting head pole should not be able to sepa-rate from the intermediate pole when pulled. Repeat above steps if poles can be separated from the intermediate pole.

WARNING
Failure to securely assemble and lock all poles together as directed above could cause the poles to separate and could result in serious personal injury or death.

ATTACHING THE QUICK RELEASE SHOULDER HARNESS
See Figure 3.
To prevent back and shoulder fatigue, always use the quick release shoulder harness when operat- ing this tool. If your back or shoulders become  sore, take a break and then adjust the position of the harness.

• Squeeze and hold the latch on the spring clip.
• Place the spring clip onto the strap hanger and release the latch.
• Repeat to secure second spring clip.
• Place the strap around your shoulder and adjust it to a comfortable position.

OPERATION

DANGER:

Never cut near power lines, electric cords, or other electric sources. If bar and chain jams on any electrical cord or line, DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR OR CHAIN! THEY CAN BECOME ELECTRICALLY LIVE AND VERY DANGEROUS. Continue to hold the pole saw by the insulated rear handle or lay it down and away from you in a safe manner. Disconnect the electrical service to the damaged line or cord before attempting to free the bar and chain from the line or cord. Contact with the bar, chain, other conductive parts of the pole saw, or live electric cords or lines will result in death by electrocution or seri-ous injury.

WARNING:

Do not allow familiarity with this product to make you careless. Remember that a careless fraction of a second is sufficient to inflict seri-ous injury.

WARNING:
Always wear eye protection with side shields marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1, along with head protection. Failure to do so could result in objects being thrown into your eyes and other possible serious injuries.

WARNING:

Do not use any attachments or accessories not recommended by the manufacturer of this prod-uct. The use of attachments or accessories not recommended can result in serious personal injury.

NOTICE:
Before each use, inspect the entire product for damaged, missing, or loose parts such as screws, nuts, bolts, caps, etc. Tighten securely all fasteners and caps and do not operate this product until all missing or damaged parts are replaced. Please contact customer service or an authorized service center for assistance.

APPLICATIONS
You may use this product for the purposes listed below:

OPERATION

ADDING BAR AND CHAIN LUBRICANT (NOT INCLUDED)
See Figure 4.
Use Premium Bar and Chain Lubricant (not includ-ed). It is designed for chains and chain oilers, and is formulated to perform over a wide temperature range with no dilution required.
NOTE: Pole saw comes from the factory with no bar and chain lubricant added. Level should also be checked after every 20 minutes of use and refilled as needed.

• Remove oil cap.
• Carefully pour the bar and chain lubricant into the bar lube reservoir.
• Wipe off excess oil.
• Check and fill the reservoir when quick view oil indicator is below the second to last indicator line.
• Repeat as needed.
  NOTE : Do not use dirty, used or otherwise contaminated oils. Damage may occur to the bar or chain.
  NOTE: It is normal for oil to seep from the saw when not in use. To prevent seepage, empty the oil tank after each use then run for one minute. When storing the unit for a long period of time (three months or longer) be sure the chain is lightly lubricated; this will prevent rust on the chain and bar sprocket.
  TO INSTALL/REMOVE BATTERY PACK
  See Figure 5.

WARNING:

Always remove battery pack from your tool when you are assembling parts, making adjust-ments, cleaning, carrying, transporting or when not in use. Removing battery pack will prevent accidental starting that could cause serious personal injury.

• NOTE: To avoid serious personal injury, always remove the battery pack and keep hands clear of the lock-out button when carrying or transporting the tool.

To install
Place the battery pack in the pole saw. Align raised rib on battery pack with groove in battery port.

WARNING
Make sure the latches on the battery pack snap in place and the battery pack is fully seated and secure in the battery port before beginning operation. Failure to securely seat the battery pack could cause the battery pack to fall out, resulting in serious personal injury.

To remove:
Locate latches on side of battery pack and de-press both sides to release the battery pack from the pole saw.
For complete charging instructions, see the opera-tor’s manuals for your battery pack and charger.

STARTING AND STOPPING
See Figure 6.
To start the motor

• Hold the pole saw as shown and ensure that you are well away from anything that may contact the blade.
• Press and hold the trigger lock-out.
• Depress the switch trigger.
• To stop the motor:
  Release the trigger to stop the pole saw. Upon release of the trigger, the trigger lock will auto-matically reset to the locked position.

PREPARATION FOR CUTTING
See Figures 7 – 8.

• Wear non-slip gloves for maximum grip and protection.
• motor is running. Use your right hand to firmly grip the rear handle while your left hand has a firm grip on the pole shaft.
• your left hand on the pole shaft and your right hand on the rear handle, so your body is to the left of the chain line. Never use a left-handed (cross-handed) grip, or any stance that places your body or arm across the chain line.
• Be certain the collars are fully tightened before operating equipment; check them periodically for tightness during use to avoid serious injury.

BASIC CUTTING PROCEDURE

• Follow the steps below to prevent damage to tree or shrub bark. Do not use a back-and-forth saw-ing motion.
• Make a shallow first cut (1/4 of limb diameter) on the underside of the limb close to the main limb or trunk.
• Make a second cut from the top side of the limb outboard from the first cut. Continue the cut through the limb until the limb separates from the tree. Be prepared to balance the weight of the tool when the limb falls.
• Make a final cut close to trunk.
• Release the trigger as soon as the cut is com-pleted.
• Failure to follow proper cutting procedures will result in the bar and chain binding and becom-ing pinched or trapped in the limb. If this should happen:
• Stop the motor and remove the battery pack.
• If the limb can be reached from the ground, lift the limb while holding the saw. This should release the “pinch” and free the saw.
• If the saw is still trapped, call a professional for assistance.

LIMBING AND PRUNING
See Figures 9 – 10.
This unit is designed for trimming small branches and limbs up to 6 in. in diameter. For best results, observe the following precautions.

• Plan the cut carefully. Be aware of the direction in which the branch will fall.
• Branches may fall in unexpected directions. Do not stand directly under the branch being cut.
• The most typical cutting application is to posi-tion the unit at an angle of 60° or less, depend-ing on the specific situation, as shown. As the angle of the pole saw shaft to ground increases, the difficulty of making the first cut (from the underside of limb) increases.
• Work slowly, keeping both hands on the saw with a firm grip. Maintain secure footing and balance.
• Keep the tree between you and the chain while limbing. Cut from side of tree opposite branch you are cutting.

WARNING:

Do not at any time let brake fluids, gasoline, petroleum-based products, penetrating oils, etc., come in contact with plastic parts. Chemicals can damage, weaken, or destroy plastic, which could result in serious personal injury.

All pole saw service, other than the items listed in these maintenance instructions, should be per-formed by competent pole saw service personnel. (For example, if improper tool is used to hold the flywheel in order to remove the clutch, structural damage to the flywheel could occur and subse-quently could cause the flywheel to burst).
REPLACING THE BAR AND CHAIN
See Figures 11 – 14.

ADJUSTING THE CHAIN TENSION
See Figures 15 – 16.

WARNING

Stop the motor, wait for all moving parts to stop, and remove the battery pack. Never touch or adjust the chain while the motor is running. The saw chain is very sharp. Always wear protective gloves when performing maintenance to the chain. Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury.

If adjustment is needed:

• Loosen the chain cover screw to finger tight.
• Turn the chain tensioning screw clockwise until the flats on the tie straps of the chain contact the bar, making sure the drive links are seated inside the bar groove.
• Tighten the chain cover screw securely.
• Verify the chain is now correctly tensioned using the guidelines above.

CHAIN MAINTENANCE
See Figure 18.

WARNING:

Remove the battery pack and make sure the chain has stopped before you do any work on the saw to avoid accidental starting and pos-sible serious personal injury.

• Improper filing angle of the side plate can in-crease the risk of a severe kickback.
• Depth gauge (or raker clearance) setting de-termines the height the cutter enters the wood and the size of the wood chip that is removed. Too much clearance increases the potential for kickback. Too little clearance decreases the size of the wood chip thus decreasing the chain’s cutting ability.
• If cutter teeth have hit hard objects such as nails and stones, or have been abraded by mud or sand on the wood, have service dealer sharpen chain.

HOW TO SHARPEN THE CUTTERS
See Figures 19 – 22.
Be careful to file all cutters to the specified angles and to the same length, as fast cutting can be obtained only when all cutters are uniform.

STORING THE PRODUCT
See Figure 23.

WARNING

Always remove the battery pack before trans-porting or storing chain saw. Place battery pack indoors in a dry, secure location out of the reach of children when storing. Failure to follow these instructions may lead to accidental starting or unauthorized use and result in serious personal injury.

• Clean all foreign material from the product. Store idle unit indoors in a dry, well-ventilated area that is inaccessible to children. Keep away from corrosive agents such as garden chemicals and de-icing salts.
• Fig. 23
  the scabbard, and carefully sliding it over the chain as shown. Use caution to avoid the sharp teeth of the chain.
  NOTE: The saw chain is very sharp. Always wear protective gloves when handling the chain.

TROUBLESHOOTING

References

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