GE JEM31 User manual

Microwave Oven
164D3370P228 49-40279 06-02 JR
JEM31
Owner’s Manual
Safety Instructions . . . . . . .2–11
Operating Instructions
Auto Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Care and Cleaning . . . . . .30, 31
Changing Power Level . . . . . .14
Features of Your
Microwave Oven . . . . . . . .12, 13
Microwave Terms . . . . . . . . . .29
Other Features . . . . . . . . . 26–28
Sensor Features . . . . . . . . .22–25
Time Features . . . . . . . . .15–20
Troubleshooting Tips . . . .32, 33
Things That Are Normal With
Your Microwave Oven . . . . . . .33
Consumer Support
Consumer Support . .Back Cover
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Write the model and serial numbers here:
Model # ________________________
Serial # ________________________
You can find them on a label inside of
the oven.
GEAppliances.com

■Read and follow the specific
precautions in the Precautions
to Avoid Possible Exposure to
Excessive Microwave Energy
section above.
■This appliance must be
grounded. Connect only
to a properly grounded
outlet. See the Grounding
Instructions section on page 8.
■Install or locate this
appliance only in accordance
with the provided Installation
Instructions.
■Be certain to place the front
surface of the door three
inches or more back from
the countertop edge to avoid
accidental tipping of the
appliance in normal usage.
■Do Not Attempt to operate
this oven with the door open
since open-door operation
can result in harmful
exposure to microwave
energy. It is important not
to defeat or tamper with the
safety interlocks.
■Do Not Place any object
between the oven front
face and the door or allow
soil or cleaner residue to
accumulate on sealing
surfaces.
■
Do Not Operate the oven if it
is damaged. It is particularly
important that the oven door
close properly and that there
is no damage to the:
door (bent),
hinges and latches
(broken or loosened),
door seals and sealing
surfaces.
■The Oven Should Not be
adjusted or repaired by
anyone except properly
qualified service personnel.
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PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID
POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO
EXCESSIVE MICROWAVE ENERGY
Safety InstructionsOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
2
For your safety, the information in this manual must be
followed to minimize the risk of fire or explosion, electric
shock, or to prevent property damage, personal injury, or
loss of life.
WARNING!
This microwave oven is not approved or tested for
marine use.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

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Consumer Support
Troubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Instructions
Use this appliance only for its intended purpose as
described in this Owner’s Manual.
■Do not mount this appliance
over a sink.
■Do not mount the microwave
oven over or near any
portion of a heating or
cooking appliance.
■Do not store anything
directly on top of the
microwave oven surface
when the microwave oven
is in operation.
■Do not operate this
appliance if it has a damaged
power cord or plug, if it is
not working properly, or if
it has been damaged or
dropped. If the power cord is
damaged, it must be replaced
by General Electric Service or
an authorized service agent
using a power cord available
from General Electric.
■Do not cover or block any
openings on the appliance.
■Use this appliance only for its
intended use as described in
this manual. Do not use
corrosive chemicals or vapors
in this appliance. This
microwave oven is specifically
designed to heat, dry or cook
food, and is not intended for
laboratory or industrial use.
■Do not store this appliance
outdoors. Do not use this
product near water—for
example, in a wet basement,
near a swimming pool or
near a sink.
■Keep power cord away from
heated surfaces.
■Do not immerse power cord
or plug in water.
■Do not let power cord hang
over edge of table or counter.
■To reduce the risk of fire in
the oven cavity:
– Do not overcook food.
Carefully attend appliance
if paper, plastic or other
combustible materials are
placed inside the oven while
cooking.
– Remove wire twist-ties and
metal handles from paper
or plastic containers before
placing them in the oven.
– Do not use the oven for
storage purposes. Do not
leave paper products,
cooking utensils or food in
the oven when not in use.
– If materials inside the oven
should ignite, keep the oven
door closed, turn the oven
off and disconnect the power
cord, or shut off power at the
fuse or circuit breaker panel.
If the door is opened, the fire
may spread.
■See door surface cleaning
instructions in the Care and
cleaning of the microwave
oven
section of this manual.
■This appliance should be
serviced only by qualified
service personnel. Contact
nearest authorized service
facility for examination,
repair or adjustment.
■As with any appliance, close
supervision is necessary when
used by children.
GEAppliances.com

Arcing is the microwave term
for sparks in the oven. Arcing
is caused by:
■Metal or foil touching the
side of the oven.
■Foil not molded to food
(upturned edges act like
antennas).
■Metal, such as twist-ties,
poultry pins, or gold-rimmed
dishes, in the microwave.
■Recycled paper towels
containing small metal pieces
being used in the microwave.
■Do not pop popcorn in your
microwave oven unless in
a special microwave popcorn
accessory or unless you use
popcorn labeled for use in
microwave ovens.
■Some products such as
whole eggs and sealed
containers—for example,
closed jars—will explode
and should not be heated
in this microwave oven.
Such use of the microwave
oven could result in injury.
■Do not boil eggs in a
microwave oven. Pressure
will build up inside egg yolk
and will cause it to burst,
possibly resulting in injury.
■Operating the microwave
with no food inside for more
than a minute or two may
cause damage to the oven
and could start a fire.
It increases the heat around
the magnetron and can
shorten the life of the oven.
■Foods with unbroken outer
“skin” such as potatoes,
hot dogs, sausages, tomatoes,
apples, chicken livers and
other giblets, and egg yolks
should be pierced to allow
steam to escape during
cooking.
FOODS
Safety InstructionsOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
4
WARNING!
If you see arcing, press the CLEAR/OFF pad and correct
the problem.
ARCING

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Consumer Support
Troubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Instructions
■SUPERHEATED WATER
Microwaved water and other
liquids do not always bubble
when they reach the boiling
point. They can actually get
superheated and not bubble
at all.
Superheated liquid will bubble
up out of the cup when it is
moved or when something like
a spoon or tea bag is put into it.
To prevent this from happening
and causing injury, do not
heat any liquid for more than
2 minutes per cup. After
heating, let the cup stand in
the microwave for 30 seconds
before moving it or putting
anything into it.
■Avoid heating baby food in
glass jars, even with the lid
off. Make sure all infant food
is thoroughly cooked. Stir
food to distribute the heat
evenly. Be careful to prevent
scalding when warming
formula. The container may
feel cooler than the formula
really is. Always test the
formula before feeding
the baby.
■Don’t defrost frozen
beverages in narrow-necked
bottles (especially carbonated
beverages). Even if the
container is opened, pressure
can build up. This can cause
the container to burst,
possibly resulting in injury.
■Spontaneous boiling—Under
certain special circumstances,
liquids may start to boil
during or shortly after
removal from the microwave
oven. To prevent burns
from splashing liquid, we
recommend the following:
before removing the
container from the oven,
allow the container to stand
in the oven for 30 to 40
seconds after the oven has
shut off. Do not boil liquids
in narrow-necked containers
such as soft drink bottles,
wine flasks and especially
narrow-necked coffee cups.
Even if the container is
opened, excessive steam can
build up and cause it to burst
or overflow.
■Hot foods and steam can
cause burns. Be careful when
opening any containers of
hot food, including popcorn
bags, cooking pouches and
boxes. To prevent possible
injury, direct steam away
from hands and face.
■Do not overcook potatoes.
They could dehydrate and
catch fire, causing damage
to your oven.
■Cook meat and poultry
thoroughly—meat to at
least an INTERNAL
temperature of 160°F
and poultry to at least an
INTERNAL temperature
of 180°F. Cooking to these
temperatures usually protects
against foodborne illness.

Make sure all cookware used in
your microwave oven is suitable
for microwaving. Most glass
casseroles, cooking dishes,
measuring cups, custard cups,
pottery or china dinnerware
which does not have metallic
trim or glaze with a metallic
sheen can be used. Some
cookware is labeled “suitable
for microwaving.”
■If you are not sure if a dish is
microwave-safe, use this test:
Place in the oven both the
dish you are testing and
a glass measuring cup filled
with 1 cup of water—set the
measuring cup either in or
next to the dish. Microwave
30–45 seconds at high. If the
dish heats, it should not be
used for microwaving.
If the dish remains cool and
only the water in the cup
heats, then the dish is
microwave-safe.
■If you use a meat
thermometer while cooking,
make sure it is safe for use
in microwave ovens.
■Do not use recycled paper
products. Recycled paper
towels, napkins and waxed
paper can contain metal
flecks which may cause arcing
or ignite. Paper products
containing nylon or nylon
filaments should be avoided,
as they may also ignite.
■Some styrofoam trays (like
those that meat is packaged
on) have a thin strip of metal
embedded in the bottom.
When microwaved, the metal
can burn the floor of the
oven or ignite a paper towel.
■Do not use the microwave to
dry newspapers.
■Not all plastic wrap is suitable
for use in microwave ovens.
Check the package for
proper use.
■Paper towels, waxed paper
and plastic wrap can be used
to cover dishes in order to
retain moisture and prevent
spattering. Be sure to vent
plastic wrap so steam can
escape.
■Cookware may become hot
because of heat transferred
from the heated food.
Pot holders may be needed
to handle the cookware.
MICROWAVE-SAFE COOKWARE
Safety InstructionsOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
6
WARNING!

GEAppliances.com
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Consumer Support
Troubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Instructions
■“Boilable” cooking pouches
and tightly closed plastic bags
should be slit, pierced or
vented as directed by
package. If they are not,
plastic could burst during or
immediately after cooking,
possibly resulting in injury.
Also, plastic storage
containers should be at least
partially uncovered because
they form a tight seal. When
cooking with containers
tightly covered with plastic
wrap, remove covering
carefully and direct steam
away from hands and face.
■Use foil only as directed in
this guide. TV dinners may
be microwaved in foil trays
less than 3/4″high; remove
the top foil cover and return
the tray to the box. When
using foil in the microwave
oven, keep the foil at least
1″away from the sides
of the oven.
■Plastic cookware—Plastic
cookware designed for
microwave cooking is very
useful, but should be used
carefully. Even microwave-
safe plastic may not be as
tolerant of overcooking
conditions as are glass or
ceramic materials and
may soften or char if
subjected to short periods
of overcooking. In longer
exposures to overcooking,
the food and cookware
could ignite.
Follow these guidelines:
Use microwave-safe
plastics only and use
them in strict compliance
with the cookware
manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Do not microwave empty
containers.
Do not permit children
to use plastic cookware
without complete
supervision.
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This appliance must be grounded. In the event of an electrical
short circuit, grounding reduces the risk of electric shock by
providing an escape wire for the electric current.
This appliance is equipped with a power cord having a grounding
wire with a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an
outlet that is properly installed and grounded.
Consult a qualified electrician or service technician if the grounding
instructions are not completely understood, or if doubt exists as to
whether the appliance is properly grounded.
If the outlet is a standard 2-prong wall outlet, it is your personal
responsibility and obligation to have it replaced with a properly
grounded 3-prong wall outlet.
Do not under any circumstances cut or remove the third (ground)
prong from the power cord.
We do not recommend using an extension cord with this appliance.
If the power cord is too short, have a qualified electrician or service
technician install an outlet near the appliance. (See WARNING—
EXTENSION CORDS section.)
For best operation, plug this appliance into its own electrical outlet
to prevent flickering of lights, blowing of fuse or tripping of circuit
breaker.
GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS
Safety InstructionsOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
8
WARNING!
Improper use of the grounding plug can result in a risk of
electric shock.

GEAppliances.com
Consumer Support
Troubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Instructions
Usage situations where appliance’s power cord will be disconnected
infrequently.
Because of potential safety
hazards under certain conditions,
we strongly recommend against the
use of an adapter plug. However,
if you still elect to use an adapter,
where local codes permit, a
TEMPORARY CONNECTION may
be made to a properly grounded
two-prong wall receptacle by the
use of a UL-listed adapter which is
available at most local hardware stores.
The larger slot in the adapter must be aligned with the larger slot
in the wall receptacle to provide proper polarity in the connection
of the power cord.
CAUTION: Attaching the adapter ground terminal to the wall receptacle
cover screw does not ground the appliance unless the cover screw is
metal, and not insulated, and the wall receptacle is grounded through
the house wiring.
You should have the circuit checked by a qualified electrician to
make sure the receptacle is properly grounded.
When disconnecting the power cord from the adapter, always hold
the adapter with one hand. If this is not done, the adapter ground
terminal is very likely to break with repeated use. Should this
happen, DO NOT USE the appliance until a proper ground has
again been established.
Usage situations where appliance’s power cord will be disconnected
frequently.
Do not use an adapter plug in these situations because frequent
disconnection of the power cord places undue strain on the
adapter and leads to eventual failure of the adapter ground
terminal. You should have the two-prong wall receptacle replaced
with a three-prong (grounding) receptacle by a qualified electrician
before using the appliance.
ADAPTER PLUGS
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Ensure proper ground
and firm connection
before use.
TEMPORARY
METHOD
Align large
prongs/slots
(Adapter plugs not
permitted in Canada)

Safety InstructionsOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
10
WARNING!
A short power supply cord is provided to reduce the risks resulting
from becoming entangled in or tripping over a longer cord.
Extension cords may be used if you are careful in using them.
If an extension cord is used—
The marked electrical rating of the extension cord should be
at least as great as the electrical rating of the appliance;
The extension cord must be a grounding-type 3-wire cord and
it must be plugged into a 3-slot outlet;
The extension cord should be arranged so that it will not drape
over the countertop or tabletop where it can be pulled on by
children or tripped over unintentionally.
If you use an extension cord, the interior light may flicker and the
blower sound may vary when the microwave oven is on. Cooking
times may be longer, too.
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EXTENSION CORDS