Craftsman 247.370252 - Manual (Page 2)

IMPORTANT
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
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THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL
SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE
AHEMPTING TO OPERATE YOUR ELECTRIC LAW\I MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN
PERSONAL INJURY. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBO^ HEED ITS WARNING.
I
A
Your electric lawn mowi r was built to be operated according to the rules tor safe operation in this manu-
DANGER:
al. As with any type of lower equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in
serious injury. It you vio ate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.
A WARNING: When using electric lawn mo wers, basic
safety precautions should always be tollowed to
reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, ai d personal
injury, including the following:
TRAINING
Read all instructions carefully in their entirety before; ttempting to
assemble or operate this machine. Be completely familiar with the con­
trols and the proper use of this machine before operatinc it. Keep this
manual in a sate place for future and regular reference an i for ordering
replacement parts.
Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equipmei t, not a play­
thing. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times.
Use Right Appliance—Do not use lawn mower for any job i xcept that for
which it is intended.
Never allow children to operate a power mower. Only persons well
acquainted with these rules of safe operation should be a lowed to use
your mower.
No one should operate this unit while intoxicated or while t iking medica­
tion that impairs the senses or reactions.
Stay Alert—Watch what you are doing. Use common S3nse. Do not
operate lawn mower when you are tired.
Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, particularly ;mall children
and pets. Stop motor when they are in the vicinity of /our mower.
Although the area of operation should be completely clea ed of foreign
objects, an object may have been overlooked and could 13 accidentally
thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious f ersonal injury
to the operator or any others allowed in the area.
PREPARATION
Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be ised. Remove
all stones, sticks, wire, bones and other foreign objects w lich could be
picked up and thrown by the mower in any direction and ;ause serious,
personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in the rea.
Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during operatior or while per­
forming an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes from foreii n objects that
may be thrown from the machine in any direction. Alwaj s use face or
dust mask if operation is dusty.
Dress properly. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes. Ni ver operate a
unit in barefeet, sandals or sneakers. Do not wear loo: e clothing or
jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Use of rubtsr gloves and
footwear is recommended when working outdoors.
Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustr ent while the
motor is running.
Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light.
Avoid Dangerous Environment—Never operate the equipm snt in the rain
or in damp wet locations. Always be sure of your footing, ft slip and fall
can cause serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold on t le handle and
walk, never run. Do not over-reach—keep footing and aalance at all
times.
Warning—To prevent electric shock use only with a UL Li ;ted extension
cord set suitable for outdoor use, such as Type SW-A,-SI iW-A, STW-A,
STOW-A, SJW-A, SJOW-A, SJTW-A, or SJTOW-A.
Extension Cord—Make sure your extension cord set is in g 30d condition,
is heavy enough to carry the current your mower will draw, and is polar­
ized (one blade of plug is wider than the other). A 100' leni ith of 14 AW6
extension cord should be used. An acceptable substitute is a 50' length of
16 AWG cord. In applications where a longer cord is n reded, a 150'
length of 12 AWG cord may be used. An undersized corf will cause a
drop in line voltage resulting in loss of power and overheal ng. To reduce
the likelihood of disconnection of the extension cord set rom the lawn
mower, be sure to use the cord restraint provided or m. ke a know as
shown in the illustration in next column.
Extension Cord Appliance Cord
Connect Plug
and Receptacle
To reduce the risk of electric shock, your mower is equipped with a
polarized plug (one blade of plug is wider than the other). If the outlet on
the end of your extension cord does not fit fully into the plug on your
mower, reverse the outlet and try plugging it in again. The same is true
for the end of the extension cord you plug into your house outlet. If after
reversing the connections, either one still does not fit, contact a qualified
electrician to install the proper outlet and/or plug. Do not change the plug
on the mower in any way.
Inspect extension cord periodically and replace if damaged. Keep handles
dry, clean, and free from oil and grease.
Fuses—The mower should be operated on a 15 or 20 AMP circuit. If
difficulty in starting is experienced with a standard 15 AMP fuse or circuit
breaker, contact your nearest authorized service location. Do not use a
higher rated fuse without consulting your power company.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection should be provided on
the circuit(s) or outlet(s) to be used for the lawn mower. Receptacles are
available having built-in GFCI protection and may be used for this
measure of safety.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual to
measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly area. If the
slope is greater than 15° as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate
this unit on that area or serious injury could result.
OPERATION
Do not abuse cord—never pull lawn mower by cord or yank it to discon­
nect from receptacle. Keep cord from heat, oil, and sharp edges.
If extension cord is damaged in any manner while plugged in, disconnect
extension cord from house receptacle.
Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep clear of the
discharge opening at all times as the rotating blade can cause injury.
Stop the motor when you leave the mower and before crossing gravel
drives, walks or roads.
After striking a foreign object, shut off the motor, make absolutely sure
the blade and all moving parts have completely stopped, disconnect the
power cord to prevent accidental starting, then thoroughly inspect the
mower for any damage. Such damage must be repaired before restarting
and operating the mower.
If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the motor and
check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of
trouble.
Stop the motor, unplug the power cord, and wait for the blade and ail
moving parts to stop before cleaning or unclogging, repairing or inspect­
ing the mower. The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds
after the motor is shut off.
Do not force lawn mower. It will do the job better and safer at the rate for
which it was designed. Use right appliance—Do not use lawn mower for
any job except that for which it is intended.
Mow across the face of slopes, never up-and-down. Never cut grass by
pulling mower toward you. Exercise extreme caution when operating
mower on uneven terrain or changing direction on slopes. Do not mow
excessively steep slopes. Don’t overreach—Keep proper footing and bal­
ance at all times. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury.
Never operate mower without proper guards, plates or other safety pro­
tective devices in place and in working order.