GE A3309 Owner’s Manual & Installation Instructions

197D5984P002 49-60403 10-05 JR

Safety Information

Connecting Electricity . . . . . . . . . . 3

Extension Cords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Operating Instructions

Care and Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 8

Shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 6

Storage Drawer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Temperature Controls . . . . . . . . . . .4

Installation Instructions

Preparing to Install

the Refrigerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Reversing the Door Swing . . . 10–13

Troubleshooting Tips

Before You Call

For Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15, 16

Normal Operating Sounds . . . . . .14

Consumer Support

Consumer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Product Registration . . . . . . . . 17, 18

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Write the model and serial numbers here:

Model # __________________

Serial # __________________

You can find them on a label on the lower left side of the fresh food compartment.

Refrigerators

Owner’s Manual and Installation Instructions

Model Americana A3309

Printed in the United States Printed on Recycled Paper

Top-Freezer

www.AmericanaAppliances.com

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.

WARNING!

Use this appliance only for its intended purpose as described in this Owner’s Manual.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should be followed, including the following:

■

■ This refrigerator must be properly installed

and located in accordance with the Installation Instructions before it is used.

■

■ Do not allow children to climb, stand or hang

on the shelves in the refrigerator. They could damage the refrigerator and seriously injure themselves.

■

■ Do not touch the cold surfaces in the freezer

compartment when hands are damp or wet. Skin may stick to these extremely cold surfaces.

■

■ Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable

vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.

■

■ Keep fingers out of the “pinch point” areas;

clearances between the doors and between the doors and cabinet are necessarily small. Be careful closing doors when children are in the area.

■

■ In refrigerators with automatic icemakers,

avoid contact with the moving parts of the ejector mechanism, or with the heating element that releases the cubes. Do not place fingers or hands on the automatic icemaking mechanism while the refrigerator is plugged in.

■

■ Unplug the refrigerator before cleaning and

making repairs.

NOTE: We strongly recommend that any servicing be performed by a qualified individual.

■

■ Turning the control to the 0 position does

not remove power to the light circuit.

■

■ Do not refreeze frozen foods which have

thawed completely.

PROPER DISPOSAL OF THE REFRIGERATOR

Child entrapment and suffocation are not problems of the past. Junked or abandoned refrigerators are still dangerous…even if they will sit for “just a few days.” If you are getting rid of your old refrigerator, please follow the instructions below to help prevent accidents.

Before You Throw Away Your Old Refrigerator or Freezer:

■ Take off the doors.

■ Leave the shelves in place so that children

may not easily climb inside.

Refrigerants

All refrigeration products contain refrigerants, which under federal law must be removed prior to product disposal. If you are getting rid of an old refrigeration product, check with the company handling the disposal about what to do.

USE OF EXTENSION CORDS

Because of potential safety hazards under certain conditions, we strongly recommend against the use of an extension cord.

However, if you must use an extension cord, it is absolutely necessary that it be a UL-listed, 3-wire grounding type appliance extension cord having a grounding type plug and outlet and that the electrical rating of the cord be 15 amperes (minimum) and 120 volts.

DANGER! RISK OF CHILD ENTRAPMENT

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Operating Instructions

Safety Instructions Installation Instructions

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WARNING!

HOW TO CONNECT ELECTRICITY

Do not, under any circumstances, cut or remove the third (ground) prong from the power cord. For personal safety, this appliance must be properly grounded.

The power cord of this appliance is equipped with a 3-prong (grounding) plug which mates with a standard 3-prong (grounding) wall outlet to minimize the possibility of electric shock hazard from this appliance.

Have the wall outlet and circuit checked by a qualified electrician to make sure the outlet is properly grounded.

Where a standard 2-prong wall outlet is encountered, it is your personal responsibility and obligation to have it replaced with a properly grounded 3-prong wall outlet.

The refrigerator should always be plugged into its own individual electrical outlet which has a voltage rating that matches the rating plate.

This provides the best performance and also prevents overloading house wiring circuits which could cause a fire hazard from overheated wires.

Never unplug your refrigerator by pulling on the power cord. Always grip plug firmly and pull straight out from the outlet.

Repair or replace immediately all power cords that have become frayed or otherwise damaged. Do not use a cord that shows cracks or abrasion damage along its length or at either end.

When moving the refrigerator away from the wall, be careful not to roll over or damage the power cord.

READ AND FOLLOW THIS SAFETY INFORMATION CAREFULLY.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

About the temperature control dial.

Control Settings

Temperature Control Dial

The temperature control dial has nine settings plus 0. 1 is the warmest. 9 is the coldest. At first, set the dial at 5.

After using the refrigerator, adjust the dial if necessary.

Insert a coin into the slot in the middle of the dial and you can turn the dial to the setting that’s best suited to your needs.

Allow 24 hours for the refrigerator to get cold.

Turning the dial to 0 stops cooling in both compartments—fresh food and freezer. It does not shut off power to the refrigerator.

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Troubleshooting Tips

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Installation Instructions

About the fresh food compartment shelves.

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Shelf supports at various levels allow you to custom-space your shelves. Not all features are on all models.

Full-Width Shelves

The wire sliding shelves can be moved to another place in the fresh food compartment.

The full-width shelf has rear stop-locks. When placed correctly on the shelf supports, the shelf will not tilt when you place food on it or remove food from it.

To remove the full-width shelves, fully open the fresh food door, lift the rear of the shelf and pull forward.

About the freezer compartment shelf.

Freezer Shelf

The freezer shelf is adjustable to either upper or lower position.

The full-width shelf has rear stop-locks. When placed correctly on the shelf supports, the shelf will not tilt when you place food on it or remove food from it.

To remove the full-width shelf, fully open the freezer door, lift the rear of the shelf and pull forward.

About the storage drawer.

Not all features are on all models.

Fruit and Vegetable Drawer

Excess water that may accumulate in the bottom of the drawer should be emptied and the drawer wiped dry.

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About storage drawer and cover removal.

Not all features are on all models.

Drawer and Cover Removal

Drawer can be removed easily by grasping the sides and lifting up slightly while pulling.

Full-Width Drawer with Cover

To remove the cover, pull it straight out

of the side supports.

To replace the cover, align it with the side supports and carefully slide it toward the back of the compartment.

Consumer SupportTroubleshooting Tips

Operating InstructionsSafety Instructions

Installation Instructions

Care and cleaning of the refrigerator.

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Cleaning the Outside

The door handles and trim (on some

models). Clean with a cloth dampened with soapy water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Keep the outside clean. Wipe with a clean cloth lightly dampened with kitchen appliance wax or mild liquid dish detergent. Dry and polish with a clean, soft cloth.

The stainless steel panels and door handles

(on some models) can be cleaned with a commercially available stainless steel cleaner. Do not use appliance wax or polish on the stainless steel.

Do not wipe the refrigerator with a soiled dish cloth or wet towel. These may leave a residue that can erode the paint. Do not use scouring pads, powdered cleaners, bleach or cleaners containing bleach because these products can scratch and weaken the paint finish.

Cleaning the Inside

To help prevent odors, leave an open box

of baking soda in the fresh food and freezer compartments.

Unplug the refrigerator before cleaning.

If this is not practical, wring excess moisture out of sponge or cloth when cleaning around switches, lights or controls.

Use warm water and baking soda solution—about a tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda to a quart (1 liter) of water. This both cleans and neutralizes odors. Rinse and wipe dry.

After cleaning the door gaskets, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the door gaskets at the hinge side. This helps keep the gaskets from sticking and bending out of shape.

Avoid cleaning cold glass shelves (on some models) with hot water because the extreme temperature difference may cause them to break. Handle glass shelves carefully. Bumping tempered glass can cause it to shatter.

Do not wash any plastic refrigerator parts in the dishwasher.

Care and cleaning of the refrigerator.

Behind the Refrigerator

Be careful when moving the refrigerator away from the wall. All types of floor coverings can be damaged, particularly cushioned coverings and those with embossed surfaces.

Turn the leveling legs at each front corner of the refrigerator counterclockwise until the rollers support the refrigerator. Pull the refrigerator straight out and return it to position by pushing it straight in. Moving the refrigerator in a side direction may result in damage to the floor covering or refrigerator.

When pushing the refrigerator back, make sure you don’t roll over the power cord.

After rolling the refrigerator back into place, turn the front leveling legs clockwise until the legs again bear the weight of the refrigerator.

Light Bulb Replacement

To replace a burned-out bulb, unplug the refrigerator from its electrical outlet, unscrew the bulb when cool and replace it with an appliance bulb of the same or lower wattage.

Turning the control to the 0 position does not remove power to the light circuit.

Preparing for Vacation

For long vacations or absences, remove food and unplug the refrigerator. Move the temperature control dial to the 0 position, and clean the interior with a baking soda solution of one tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda to one quart (1 liter) of water. Leave the doors open.

Preparing to Move

Secure all loose items such as grille, shelves and drawer by taping them securely in place to prevent damage.

Be sure the refrigerator stays in an upright position during moving.

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Read these instructions completely and carefully.

•

IMPORTANT – Save these

instructions for local inspector’s use.

•

IMPORTANT – Observe all

governing codes and ordinances.

• Note to Installer – Be sure to leave these

instructions with the Consumer.

• Note to Consumer – Keep these instructions

for future reference.

• Skill level – Installation of this appliance requires basic mechanical skills.

• Completion time – Refrigerator Installation

15 minutes Reversing the Door Swing

1 hour

• Proper installation is the responsibility of the installer.

• Product failure due to improper installation is not covered under the Warranty.

• Do not install the refrigerator where the temperature will go below 60°F (16°C) because it will not run often enough to maintain proper temperatures.

• Install it on a floor strong enough to support it fully loaded.

REFRIGERATOR LOCATION

If you have questions, call 1.800.432.2737

Installation

Refrigerator

Instructions

Model 8.8

Allow the following clearances for ease of installation, proper air circulation and plumbing and electrical connections.

• Sides 3/4″ (19 mm)

• Top 1″ (25 mm)

• Back 1″ (25 mm)

CLEARANCES

Leveling legs near each front corner of the refrigerator are adjustable. They firmly position the refrigerator and prevent it from moving when the doors are opened. Leveling legs should be set so the front of the refrigerator is raised just enough that the doors close easily when opened about halfway.

Turn the leveling legs clockwise to raise the refrigerator, counterclockwise to lower it.

Rollers next to the leveling legs allow you to move the refrigerator away from the wall for cleaning.

Turn the legs counterclockwise until the weight of the refrigerator is transferred from them to the rollers. After rolling the refrigerator back into place, turn the legs clockwise until the legs again bear the weight of the refrigerator.

ROLLERS AND LEVELING LEGS

1.1 Unplug the refrigerator from its electrical outlet.

BEFORE YOU START

2.1 Tape the door shut with masking tape.

REMOVE THE FREEZER DOOR

1.2 Empty all door shelves, including the dairy compartment.

CAUTION: Do not let either door drop to the floor. To do so could damage the door stop.

2.2 Remove the hinge cap from the top hinge with a putty knife or a thin-blade screwdriver. With a 5/16″ hex-head socket driver, remove the screws that hold the top hinge to the cabinet.

Installation Instructions

REVERSING THE DOOR SWING

When reversing the door swing:

• Read the instructions all the way through before starting.

• Handle parts carefully to avoid scratching paint.

• Set screws down by their related parts to avoid using

them in the wrong places.

• Provide a non-scratching work surface for the doors.

IMPORTANT: Once you begin, do not move the cabinet until door-swing reversal is completed.

These instructions are for changing the hinges from the right side to the left side—if you ever want to change the hinges back to the right side, follow these same instructions and reverse all references to left and right.

IMPORTANT NOTES

Phillips screwdriver

TOOLS REQUIRED

Masking tape

T20 or T25 Torxdriver, (needed for some models)

5/16″ hex-head socket driver

5/16″ open-end wrench

Putty knife or thin-blade screwdriver

Hinge Cap

2.3 Lift the hinge (and the shim glued to it) straight up to free the hinge pin from the socket in the top of the door and set it aside, along with its screws.

Installation Instructions

REMOVE THE FREEZER DOOR

(CONT.)

Top Hinge

2.5 Set the door on a non-scratching surface with the outside up.

2.4 Remove the tape and tilt the door away from the cabinet. Lift it off the center hinge pin.

2.6 Transfer the 2 screws from the opposite side of the cabinet to the screw holes vacated by the top hinge removal. Transfer the two plug buttons to the holes where the screws were removed.

3.1 Tape the door shut with masking tape.

REMOVE THE FRESH FOOD DOOR

3.3 Remove the tape and tilt the door away from the cabinet. Lift the door from the pin in the bottom hinge bracket. (If the washer sticks to the door bottom, put it back on the hinge.)

3.2 Using a 5/16″ hex-head socket screwdriver and a 5/16″ open-end wrench, remove the two screws holding the center hinge (and the shim glued to it) to the cabinet. Lift the center hinge to free its pin from the socket in the top of the door, and set hinge and screws aside. Be careful

not to lose the center hinge spacer and washer.

3.4 Set the door outside-up on a non-scratching

surface.

3.5 Transfer the two screws from the opposite side of the cabinet to the screw holes vacated by the center hinge removal. Transfer the three plug buttons to the holes where the screws were removed.

REVERSING THE HARDWARE

Installation Instructions

REVERSING THE DOOR SWING (CONT.)

4.1 Remove the bottom hinge bracket and washer from the right side. Install the supplied left hinge on the left side. Transfer the three plug buttons to the holes where the screws were removed.

Washer

Hinge Bracket

Washer

Hinge Bracket

4.2 Transfer fresh food and freezer

door stops

Remove the door stop from the right side of the doors. Install them on the left side of both doors.

Door Stop

Left Side

Hinge Pin

5.1.2 Insert the pin on the center hinge into the socket in the top of the door. Place the spacer, then the washer, on the hinge pin.

5.1 Rehang the fresh food door

5.1.1 Lower the fresh food door onto the bottom hinge pin. Be sure the washer

is in place on the pin.

REHANGING THE DOORS

Washer

Hinge Bracket

5.1.3 Tilt the door toward the cabinet. As the door is brought into position, slide the hinge under the head of the screw which earlier had been partly driven into the outermost hole. Insert the remaining screw, then tighten both screws securely.

Door Stop

Right Side

Left Side

Right Side

Washer and Spacer

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