DeWALT DC021 User Manual

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WALT TOOL,

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When using DC021 and DC022 worklight/chargers, basic 

precautions should always be followed, including the following:

a. Read all the instructions before using the DC021 and DC022 worklight/chargers.
b. To reduce the risk of injury, close supervision is necessary when a worklight/charger is

used near children.

c. Do not contact moving parts.

d. Only use attachments recommended or sold by the manufacturer.
e. Do not use outdoors.

f. To disconnect, turn all controls to the off (“O”) position, then remove plug from outlet.

g. Do not unplug by pulling on cord. To unplug, grasp the plug, not the cord.
h. Unplug from outlet when not in use and before servicing or cleaning.

i. Do not operate any worklight/charger with a damaged cord or plug, or after the

worklight/charger malfunctions or is dropped or damaged in any manner. Return work-
light/charger to the nearest authorized service facility for examination, repair, or electrical
or mechanical adjustment.

j. To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not put worklight/charger in water or other liquid.

Do not place or store worklight/charger where it can fall or be pulled into a tub or sink.

k. Use only the charger supplied by the manufacturer to recharge.

l. Always unplug before replacing the bulb. Replace bulb with same type rated 38 Watts.

m. Connect to a properly grounded outlet. Refer to Grounding Instructions.

WARNING: Burn hazard. Do not operate flashlight or charger near flammable liquids or in

gaseous or explosive atmospheres. Internal sparks may ignite fumes causing personal injury. 

WARNING: Shock hazard. Remove battery pack before replacing the fluorescent bulb.

•

Vision may be impaired when looking directly into fluorescent light.

•

Do not expose light or charger to wet or damp areas. Do not expose light or charger to rain
or snow. 

•

Do not wash light or charger with water or allow water to get inside light or charger. Do not
submerge light in water at any time.

•

Do not operate without lens cover assembly attached.

•

Before using battery and 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. Electric shock or electrocution may result.

WARNING: Shock hazard. Do not allow any liquid to get inside worklight/charger. Electric

shock may result.

CAUTION:  Burn hazard. To reduce the risk of injury, charge only D

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WALT rechargeable 

batteries. Other types of batteries may burst causing personal injury and damage.

CAUTION: Under certain conditions, with the worklight/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
worklight/charger before attempting to clean.
•

DO NOT attempt to charge the battery pack with any chargers other than the ones in this
manual. The worklight/charger and battery pack are specifically designed to work together. 

•

rechargeable batteries. Any other uses may result in risk of fire, electric shock or
electrocution.

•

•

Pull by plug rather than cord when disconnecting worklight/charger. This will reduce risk
of damage to electric plug and cord.

•

•

Do not use an extension cord unless it is absolutely necessary. Use of an 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.

•

•

Do not operate worklight/charger with a damaged cord or plug — have them  replaced
immediately.

•

Do not operate the worklight/charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped, or
otherwise damaged in any way. Take it to an authorized service center.

•

Do not disassemble worklight/charger. Take it to an authorized service center when
service or repair is required. Incorrect reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock,
electrocution or fire.

•

Disconnect the worklight/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.

•

This worklight/charger is designed to operate on 120 Volts, 60 Hz AC. It also operates on
direct current (DC) through a fully charged battery pack. Do not use any other voltage.

CAUTION: Burn hazard. To reduce the risk of injury, charge only D

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WALT batteries. Other

types of batteries may burst causing personal injury and damage.
•

The label on your worklight/charger may include the following symbols. The symbols and
their definitions are as follows:

V ..................volts

A ....................amperes

Hz ................hertz

W ....................watts

min ..............minutes

..................alternating current (AC)

............direct current (dc)

no....................no load speed

................Class I Construction

....................earthing terminal

....................

(grounded)

....................safety alert symbol

..................Class II Construction 

…/min ............revolutions or reciprocation

....................

(double insulated)

........................

per minute

F ..................fahrenheit temp.

BPM................beats per minute

C ..................celsius temp.

The DC021 and DC022 worklight/chargers must be grounded. In the event of malfunction or
breakdown, grounding provides a path of least resistance for electric current to reduce the risk
of electric shock. The worklight/chargers are equipped with a cord having an equipment-
grounding conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an appropriate 
outlet that is properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances. 

DANGER: Improper connection of the equipment grounding conduct or can result in a risk 

of electric shock. The conductor with insulation having an outer surface that is green with or 
without yellow stripes is the equipment grounding conductor. If repair or replacement of the cord
or plug is necessary, do not connect the equipment-grounding conductor to a live terminal.
Check with a qualifed electrician or serviceman if the grounding instructions are not completely
understood, or if in doubt as to whether the worklight/charger is properly grounded. Do not 
modify the plug provided with the worklight/charger – if it will not fit the outlet, have a proper 
outlet installed by a qualifed electrician.

FOR GROUNDED, CORD-CONNECTED WORKLIGHT/CHARGERS RATED LESS THAN
15A AND INTENDED FOR USE ON A NOMINAL 120V SUPPLY CIRCUIT
The worklight/charger is for use on a nominal 120V circuit, and has a grounding plug that looks
like the plug illustrated in sketch a. A temporary adaptor, which looks like the adaptor illustrated
in sketches b and c, may be used to connect this plug to a 2-pole receptacle as shown in sketch
b if a properly grounded outlet is not available. The temporary adaptor should be used only until
a properly grounded outlet can be installed by a qualifed electrician. The green colored rigid ear,
lug, and the like, extending from the adaptor must be connected to a permanent ground such as
a properly grounded outlet box cover. Whenever the adaptor is used, it must be held in place by
the metal screw.

On the DC022, all 15 Amp receptacles are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
The GFCI shuts off the power to the receptacle when it senses small imbalances caused by 
current leakage to ground. 
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is provided for use with the worklight/charger.
Receptacles are available having built in GFCI protection and may be used for an added 
measure of safety. When using an extension cord, a GFCI should be installed to the power 
supply before the extension cord.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury, the GFCI should be tested for proper operation every

time the worklight/charger is used.

1. Plug the DC022 power cord into power outlet. The LED indicator on top of the charger

housing should turn green (L).

2. Press the test button (N) on the GFCI outlets on the side of the worklight. The green LED

indicator should disappear.

3. Press reset button (M) for use. Do not use if above test fails.

Only use grounded extension cords that are rated for outdoor use and equipment with a third-
wire ground. 
When a long extension cord is used to connect a worklight/charger or tool to a generator, a 
voltage drop occurs. The longer the cord, the greater the voltage drop. This results in less volt-
age being supplied to the worklight/charger or tool and increases the amount of current (amp)
draw or reduces performance. A heavier cord with a larger wire size will reduce the voltage drop.
Be sure to choose a cord that will supply enough voltage to operate your tool or worklight/charg-
er. The tables below indicate appropriate gauge for extension cords and the voltage drop caused
by the use of extension cords, given different electrical loads.

WARNING: Keep electrical cords in good condition. Do not use worn, bare, or frayed cords

because they can cause electrical shock.

WARNING: Operating equipment at low voltage can cause it to overheat. Using an 

excessively long extension cord can cause the cord to overheat.

120V

0–25

26–50

51–100

101–150

240V

0–50

51–100

101–200

201–300

0–10 (A)

16

16

14

14

10–13 (A)

16

16

14

12

13–16 (A)

14

14

12

12

16–25 (A)

12

12

12

10

25–30 (A)

10

10

10

Not Recommended

10A

2.0

1.3

0.8

0.5

25

15A

3.0

1.9

1.2

0.8

Foot

20A

4.0

2.5

1.6

1.1

30A

6.0

3.8

2.3

1.6

10A

4.0

2.5

1.6

1.1

50

15A

6.0

3.8

2.3

1.6

Foot

20A

8.0

5.0

3.1

2.1

30A

12.0

7.5

4.7

3.2

a

b

c

d

grounding pin

grounded

outlet 

box

grounding

means

grounding pin

adapter

INSTRUCTIVO DE OPERACIÓN, CENTROS DE SER

VICIO 

Y

PÓLIZA

DE GARANTÍA. 

LÉASE ESTE

INSTRUCTIVO 

ANTES DE USAR EL

PRODUCT

O. 

D

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WALT Industrial Tool Co., 701 East Joppa Road, Baltimore, MD 21286

(AUG06)     Form No. 646937-00        DC021, DC022       Copyright © 2006 D

E

WALT

The following are trademarks for one or more D

E

WALT power tools: the yellow and black color

scheme; the “D” shaped air intake grill; the array of pyramids on the handgrip; the kit box 
configuration; and the array of lozenge-shaped humps on the surface of the tool.

The definitions below describe the level of severity for each signal word. Please read the
manual and pay attention to these symbols.

DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result

in death or serious injury.

WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could

result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result

in minor or moderate injury.
CAUTION: Used without the safety alert symbol indicates a potentially hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, may result in property damage.