GE Dishwasher Use and Care Manual

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Your Direct Line to General Electric The GE Answer CenteF800.626.2000

GE NE RAL@EIECTRIC

Help US

helpyou...

Readthisbook carefully.

Itis intended to help you operate

and maintain your new dishwasher

properly.

Keep it handy for answers to your questions.

If you don’t understand something or need more help, write (include

your phone number):

Consumer Affairs General Electric Company

Appliance Park

Louisville, KY 40225

Writedown the model and

serialnurnm’sm

You’ll find them on a label on the

left side of the dishwasher just inside the door.

These numbers are also on the

Consumer Product Ownership

Registration Card that comes with your dishwasher. Before sending in this card, please write these

numbers here:

If you received a damaged dishwasher, immediately contact

the dealer (or builder) that sold you

the dishwasher.

Save time and money ...

befow you call for service,

check the Problem Solver (pages

11-13).It lists minor causes of operating problems that you can correct yourself. It could save you

an unnecessary service call.

To obtain Hispanic version of

this book, call The GE Answer CenteF

800.626.2000 consumer information service.

Toll-free.

Para obtener la version en espafiol de este manual,

IIame gratis a The GE Answer Center?

servicio de information

para el consumidor, telefono 800.626.2000.

Model Number

serial Number

Use these numbers in any correspondence or service calls concerning your dishwasher.

ImportantSafety Instructions

Read all instructions before using this appliance

WARNING–when using this

appliance, always exercise basic safety precautions, including the following:

● Use this appliance only for W

intended purpose as described in the Operating Instructions and this Use and Care Book.

. This dishwasher must be properly installed and located in accordance with the installation Instructions before it k used. If

you did not receive an {installation Instructions sheet with your dishwasher you can obtain one by contacting the service location nearest you.

—This appliance must be connected to a grounded metal, permanent, wiring system or an equipment-grounding conductor must be run with the circuit conductors and connected to the equipment-grounding terminal or lead of the appliance.

—Connect to a properly rated, protected and sized power-supply circuit to avoid electrical overload.

● Use only detergents or wetting

agents recommended for use in a

dishwasher.

● Do not wash plastic items unless

marked “dishwasher safe” or the equivalent. For plastic items not so marked, check the manufacturer’s recommendations.

●Load light plastic items so they

will not become dislodged and

drop to the bottom of the dishwasher—they might come into contact with the heating unit and be damaged.

To minimize the possibility of injury.

. When loading items to be washed:

A. Locate sharp items so that they are not likely to damage

door seal, and

the B. Load sharp knives with the

handles up to reduce a risk of cut-type injuries.

. Do not touch the heating element during or immediately after use.

* Do not operate your dishwasher unless all enclosure panels are properly in place.

● Do not tamper with controls.

● Do not abuse, sit on, or stand

on the door or dish rack of the dishwasher.

● Close supervision is necessary if

this appliance is used by or near children. Do not allow children to play inside, on or with this appliance or any discarded appliance. Dispose of discarded appliances

and shipping or packing material properly. Before discarding a dishwasher, remove the door of the washing compartment.

● Keep all washing detergents and

wetting agents out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. container labels to avoid personal injury.

c HYDROGEN GAS is produced by the chemical action within your water heater and the gas can accumulate in the water heater andlor water pipes if hot water has not been used for a period of two weeks or longer. HYDROGEN GAS IS EXPLOSN/E. So to prevent the

possibility of damage or injury, if you have not used hot water for two weeks or more, or move into a residence in which the hot water system may not have been used for some time, turn on aii hot water faucets and allow them to run for severai minutes before using any

Observe all warnings on

electrical appiiance which is con-

nected to the hot water system. This wiil allow any hydrogen gas to escape. Of course, since the gas is flammable, do not smoke or use an open flame or appliance during this process.

SAVETHESE

INSTRUCTIONS

Good dishwashing starts with HOT water.

To get dishes clean and dry, you need hot water. To help you get water of the proper temperature, your General Electric dishwasher automatically senses the temperature of the water in the wash cycle and heats it, if necessary, to the proper temperature. For good washing and drying, the entering water must beat least 120°F. To prevent dishware damage, inlet water should not exceed 150°F.

How to test water temperature:

Check your water temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. Turn on the hot water faucet nearest the dishwasher. Put the thermometer in a glass and let the water run

continuously into the glass until the temperature stops rising. if the water temperature is below 120°F., adjust your water heater.

Helpful hints: If the outside temperatures are unusually low, or if your water travels a long distance from heater to dishwasher, you may need to set your heater’s thermostat up. If you have not used hot water for some time, the water in the pipes will be cold. Turn on the hot

water faucet at the sink and allow it to run until the water is hot. Then start the dishwasher. If you’ve recently done laundry or run hot water for showers, give your water heater time to recover before operating the dishwasher.

You can help prevent spotting with a rinse agent.

A rinse agent makes water flow off dishes quicker than usual. This

lessens water spotting. Makes

drying faster, too.

Rinse agents come in either liquid or solid form. Your dishwasher’s dispenser uses the liquid form.

Here’s how to fill the rinse agent dispenser. Unscrew the cap.

Add the liquid rinse agent until

it just reaches the bottom of the

lip inside the dispenser opening.

Replace the cap. The dispenser automatically releases the rinse agent into the final rinse water.

If you accidentally spill: Wipe up the rinse agent with a damp cloth.

Don’t leave the spill in the dishwasher. It can keep your detergent from working.

If you can’t find any rinse agent,

write:

ECONOMICS LABORATORY, INC.

(“JET DRY”)

Osborn Building

St. Paul, Minnesota 55102

Your dishwasher’s rinse agent container holds 4% ounces. This should last about 3 months. Fill as needed.

Do not overfill.

How to choose and use

detergent.

First, use only detergent specifically made for use in dishwashers. Other types will cause oversudsing.

Second, check the phosphate

content. Phosphate helps prevent

hard-water materials from forming

spots or film on your dishes. If your

water is hard (7 grains or more),

your detergent has to work harder.

Detergents with a higher phosphate level will probably work better. If

the phosphate content is low (8.79’o

or less), you’ll have to use extra

detergent with hard water.

If your water company says your

water is hard, try detergent with a

higher phosphate content.

Your water department can tell

you how hard your water is. So

can your rural county agent. Or your area’s water softener com-

pany. Just call and ask them how

many “grains” of hardness is in

your water.

How much detergent should you

use? That depends. Is your water

“hard” or “soft?” With hard water,

you need extra detergent to get

dishes clean. With soft water, you

need less detergent.

Too much detergent with soft

water not only wastes money, it

can be harmful. It can cause a

permanent cloudiness of glassware, called “etching.” An outside layer of glass is etched away! Of course, this takes some time. But why take a chance when

it’s easy to find out the hardness of your water.

Keep your detergent fresh and ~ dry. Under the sink isn’t a good

place to store detergent. Too much moisture. Don’t put detergent into the dispenser until you’re ready to wash dishes, either. (It won’t be fresh OR dry.)

How to prepare the

dishes for washing.

If your detergent gets old or lumpy, throw it away. Itwon’t

wash well. Old detergent loses its power. Lumpy detergent often won’t dissolve.

You’ll find two detergent

dispensers on the inside door of your dishwasher. Two, because

some cycles use two washes.

OPEN CUP

See “Detergent Usage Guide”

below. (Be sure the Cycle Indicator

Dial is at OFF position bekve adding detergent. Otherwise, the detergent cup lid will not close and latch

properly)

GRASP HANDLE, ROTATE AND CLOSE TIGHTLY

If this is your first dishwashe~ or if you’re replacing a much older model, you may wonder how much pre-preparation your dishes need. Actually very little. Pre-rinsing of normal food soils is not necessary. With common sense and a little practice you’ll soon know what foods to remove. Here are some guidelines:

1. Scrape off bones, seeds, skins, toothpicks and other hard solids. It is also best to remove hard shelled vegetables, meat trimmings, leafy

vegetables and crusts. Remove

excessive quantities of oil or grease.

2. Remove large quantities of any food. Your dishwasher has a built-

in soft food disposer that pulver-

izes soft food bits and flushes them away. It can handle sma// amounts of soft foods, but large amounts of food as soft as mashed potatoes or applesauce will be difficult to handle.

3. Try to remove food scraps and place dishes in dishwasher before

soil has a chance to dry and

become hard. Dishes with dried-on

soil are more difficult to wash and

may not come clean in the Normal

Cycle. Remember to use your

Rinse & Hold or Rinse Only Cycle

for small “holding” loads.

Note: The foods mentioned above are for examples only. Other foods not mentioned may also need to be removed from your dishes. You may also want to consider removing foods such as mustard,

mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice and other foods that can cause discoloration of stainless steel if allowed to remain on dishes for a long period of time.

When using the POTSCRUBBER

cycle (on models so equipped)

less preparation is required before loading. The Potscrubber cycle can wash heavi Iy-soiled dishes and remove dried-on and baked-on soi Is from pots, pans and casseroles. Items with burned-on soils

will not come clean. And the dishwasher cannot remove burn

marks or restore fading caused by

overheating during cooking.

Always close the main cup tightl~

When it is firmly latched, you will

hear a clicking sound. It is not

necessary to overtighten.

NOTE: Detergent cup may be

opened manually with no harm.

Turn handle counterclockwise until it releases. A snapping sound is normal when it opens.

Detergent Usage Guide

SOFT WATER (O-3grains hardness)

CYCLES Main Cup

I Open Cup Main

POTWRUBBERand 1Tablespoon ~ 1Tablespoon NORMAL

SHORTcycle

RIRISE&HOLDor RINSEONLY cycles

*12 grains and up is extremely hard wate~ A water softener is recommended. Without it,

lime can build up in the water valve. The water valve may stick while open and cause flooding.

*Fi//ed Main Cup holds 3 tablespoons; Filled Open Cup holds 2 tablespoons.

~CkX

minimum

1Tablespoon None minimum

Use no detergent Use nodetergent Use no detergent

MEDIUM WATER (3-7grains)

Cup I Open Cup Main Cup$

Half Full

Half Full None

~ Half Full g:lnpletely

HARD WATER (7.-12grains”)

I Open Cup*

J G3npletely

Completely None Full -

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