DeWalt DC550 Instruction Manual page 2

FIG. 1
FIG. 5
G
D
FIG. 7
Important Safety Instructions for Battery Chargers
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS: This manual contains important safety instructions for
battery chargers.
• Before using charger, read all instructions and cautionary markings on charger, battery
pack, and product using battery pack.
DANGER: Electrocution hazard. 120 volts are present at charging terminals. Do not probe
with conductive objects.
WARNING: Shock hazard. Do not allow any liquid to get inside charger.
CAUTION: Burn hazard. To reduce the risk of injury, charge only D
batteries. Other types of batteries may burst causing personal injury and damage.
CAUTION: Under certain conditions, with the charger plugged in to the power supply, the
exposed charging contacts inside the charger can be shorted by foreign material. Foreign
materials of a conductive nature such as, but not limited to, steel wool, aluminum foil, or any
buildup of metallic particles should be kept away from charger cavities. Always unplug the
charger from the power supply when there is no battery pack in the cavity. Unplug charger
before attempting to clean.
• DO NOT attempt to charge the battery pack with any chargers other than the
ones in this manual. The charger and battery pack are specifically designed to work
together.
• These chargers are not intended for any uses other than charging D
rechargeable batteries. Any other uses may result in risk of fire, electric shock or elec-
trocution.
• Do not expose charger to rain or snow.
• Pull by plug rather than cord when disconnecting charger. This will reduce risk of
damage to electric plug and cord.
• Make sure that cord is located so that it will not be stepped on, tripped over, or
otherwise subjected to damage or stress.
• Do not use an extension cord unless it is absolutely necessary. Use of improper
extension cord could result in risk of fire, electric shock, or electrocution.
• An extension cord must have adequate wire size (AWG or American Wire Gauge)
for safety. The smaller the gauge number of the wire, the greater the capacity of the
cable, that is 16 gauge has more capacity than 18 gauge. When using more than one
extension to make up the total length, be sure each individual extension contains at least
the minimum wire size.
Recommended Minimum Wire Size for Extension Cords
Total Length of Cord
25 ft. 50 ft. 75 ft. 100 ft.
7.6 m 15.2 m 22.9 m 30.5 m
Wire Size AWG
18 18 16
• Do not place any object on top of charger or place the charger on a soft surface
that might block the ventilation slots and result in excessive internal heat. Place
the charger in a position away from any heat source. The charger is ventilated through
slots in the top and the bottom of the housing.
• Do not operate charger with damaged cord or plug — have them replaced immedi-
ately.
• Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped, or other-
wise damaged in any way. Take it to an authorized service center.
• Do not disassemble charger; take it to an authorized service center when service
or repair is required. Incorrect reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock, elec-
trocution or fire.
• Disconnect the charger from the outlet before attempting any cleaning. This will
reduce the risk of electric shock. Removing the battery pack will not reduce this risk.
• NEVER attempt to connect 2 chargers together.
• The charger is designed to operate on standard household electrical power (120
Volts). Do not attempt to use it on any other voltage. This does not apply to the
vehicular charger.
Using Automatic Tune-Up™ Mode
The Automatic Tune-Up™ Mode equalizes or balances the individual cells in the battery
pack allowing it to function at peak capacity. Battery packs should be tuned up weekly or
after 10 charge/discharge cycles or whenever the pack no longer delivers the same amount
of work. To use the Automatic Tune-Up™, place the battery pack in the charger and leave
it for at least 8 hours. The charger will cycle through the following modes.
1. The red light will blink continuously indicating that the 1-hour charge cycle has started.
2. When the 1-hour charge cycle is complete, the light will stay on continuously and will no
longer blink. This indicates that the pack is fully charged and can be used at this time.
3. If the pack is left in the charger after the initial 1-hour charge, the charger will begin the
Automatic Tune-Up mode. This mode continues up to 8 hours or until the individual
cells in the battery pack are equalized. The battery pack is ready for use and can be
removed at any time during the Tune-Up mode.
4. Once the Automatic Tune Up mode is complete, the charger will begin a maintenance
charge; the red indicator will remain lit.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE USE
Chargers
Your tool uses a D WALT Charger. Your battery can be charged in D
E
Chargers, 15 Minute Chargers or Vehicular 12 volt charger. Be sure to read all safety
instructions before using your charger. Consult the chart on the back cover of this man-
ual for compatibility of chargers and battery packs.
Charging Procedure (Fig. 1)
DANGER: Electrocution hazard. 120 volts are present at charging terminals. Do not probe
with conductive objects.
1. Plug the charger into an appropriate outlet before inserting battery pack.
2. Insert the battery pack into the charger, as shown in Figure 1, making sure the pack is
fully seated in charger. The red (charging) light will blink continuously indicating that the
charging process has started.
FIG. 2 FIG. 3
E
FIG. 6
F
C
WALT rechargeable
E
125 ft. 150 ft. 175 ft.
38.1 m 45.7 m 53.3 m
16 14 14
FIG. 4
A
3. The completion of charge will be indicated by the red light remaining ON continuously.
The pack is fully charged and may be used at this time or left in the charger.
Indicator Light Operation
C
Charge Indicators
Some chargers are designed to detect certain problems that can arise with battery packs.
Problems are indicated by the red light flashing at a fast rate. If this occurs, re-insert bat-
tery pack into the charger. If the problem persists, try a different battery pack to determine
if the charger is OK. If the new pack charges correctly, then the original pack is defective
and should be returned to a service center or other collection site for recycling. If the new
battery pack elicits the same trouble indication as the original, have the charger tested at
an authorized service center.
HOT/COLD PACK DELAY
Some chargers have a Hot/Cold Pack Delay feature: when the charger detects a battery
that is hot, it automatically starts a Hot Pack Delay, suspending charging until the battery
has cooled. After the battery has cooled, the charger automatically switches to the Pack
Charging mode. This feature ensures maximum battery life. The red light flashes long, then
short while in the Hot Pack Delay mode.
PROBLEM POWER LINE
Some chargers have a Problem Power Line indicator. When the charger is used with some
portable power sources such as generators or sources that convert DC to AC, the charger
may temporarily suspend operation, flashing the red light with two fast blinks followed
by a pause. This indicates the power source is out of limits.
LEAVING THE BATTERY PACK IN THE CHARGER
The charger and battery pack can be left connected with the red light glowing indefinitely.
The charger will keep the battery pack fresh and fully charged.
NOTE: A battery pack will slowly lose its charge when kept out of the charger. If the battery
pack has not been kept on maintenance charge, it may need to be recharged before use.
A battery pack may also slowly lose its charge if left in a charger that is not plugged into an
appropriate AC source.
WEAK BATTERY PACKS: Chargers can also detect a weak battery. Such batteries are
still usable but should not be expected to perform as much work. In such cases, about
10 seconds after battery insertion, the charger will beep rapidly 8 times to indicate a
weak battery condition. The charger will then go on to charge the battery to the highest
capacity possible.
Important Charging Notes
WALT
E
1. Longest life and best performance can be obtained if the battery pack is charged when
the air temperature is between 65°F and 75°F (18°- 24°C). DO NOT charge the battery
pack in an air temperature below +40°F(+4.5°C), or above +105°F (+40.5°C). This is
important and will prevent serious damage to the battery pack.
2. The charger and battery pack may become warm to touch while charging. This is a
normal condition, and does not indicate a problem. To facilitate the cooling of the battery
pack after use, avoid placing the charger or battery pack in a warm environment such
as in a metal shed, or an uninsulated trailer.
3. If the battery pack does not charge properly:
a. Check current at receptacle by plugging in a lamp or other appliance
b. Check to see if receptacle is connected to a light switch which turns power off when
you turn out the lights.
c. Move charger and battery pack to a location where the surrounding air temperature
is approximately 65°-75°F (18°-24°C).
d. If charging problems persist, take the tool, battery pack and charger to your local
service center.
4. The battery pack should be recharged when it fails to produce sufficient power on jobs
which were easily done previously. DO NOT CONTINUE to use under these conditions.
Follow the charging procedure. You may also charge a partially used pack whenever
you desire with no adverse affect on the battery pack.
12
5. Under certain conditions, with the charger plugged into the power supply, the exposed
charging contacts inside the charger can be shorted by foreign material. Foreign mate-
rials of a conductive nature such as, but not limited to, steel wool, aluminum foil, or any
buildup of metallic particles should be kept away from charger cavities. Always unplug
the charger from the power supply when there is no battery pack in the cavity. Unplug
charger before attempting to clean.
6. Do not freeze or immerse charger in water or any other liquid.
WARNING: Shock hazard. Do not allow any liquid to get inside charger.
CAUTION: Never attempt to open the battery pack for any reason. If the plastic housing
of the battery pack breaks or cracks, return to a service center for recycling.
Installing and Removing the Battery Pack
NOTE: Make sure your battery pack is fully charged.
CAUTION: Make sure the switch is in the off position before removing or installing
battery.
To install the battery pack into the tool handle, align the base of the tool with the notch
inside the tool's handle (Fig. 2) and slide the battery pack firmly into the handle until you
hear the lock snap into place (Fig. 3).
To remove the battery pack from the tool, press the release buttons (A) and firmly
pull the battery pack out of the tool handle. Insert it into the charger as described in the
charger manual.
To Maintain Safe Tool Control
• Make sure the work surface is free of nails or screws. Cutting into a nail or screw
may cause the tool to jump, damaging the bit.
• Never operate the tool with one hand while holding the workpiece with the other
hand. Always clamp the material and guide the tool with both hands.
• Do not cut material lying on a hard surface. Clearance behind material to be cut must
be allowed for protruding bit.
• Disconnect battery from tool before making adjustments, changing bits, or cleaning
tool.
• Do not start the tool with bit engaged in the material. The bit may grab the material.
Switch (Fig. 4)
To start the motor, slide the switch (B) to "I" position. To stop the motor, slide the switch to
"O" position.
Depth Guide (Fig. 5, 6)
CAUTION: Turn off tool and remove battery before making any adjustments or
WALT 1 Hour removing/installing attachments or accessories.
E
Depth guide (C) snaps onto locators as shown. Keep depth guide in place at all times dur-
ing operation of the tool. For best results, adjust the guide using knob (D) to allow the bit to
protrude about 1/8" past the material to be cut.
Installing and Removing the Bit
This tool has a tool-free bit change system. To change bits, FIRST turn off the tool and dis-
connect the battery from the tool. Remove the depth guide (C).
1. To replace bit, depress both spindle lock (E) and collet lock (F) and turn collet grip coun-
terclockwise.
2. Insert or remove bit.
WARNING: The bits are sharp and should be handled with great care.
B