GE JES1246 User manual

www.GEAppliances.com
164D3370P257 49-40323 02-03 JR
Microwave Oven
JES1246
Owner’s Manual
Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . .2–11
Operating Instructions
Care and Cleaning . . . . . . .31, 32
Changing the Power Level . . . .16
Convenience Features . . . .23–26
Features of Your
Microwave Oven . . . . . . . .12–15
Microwave Terms . . . . . . . . . . .30
Other Features . . . . . . . . . .27–29
Time Features . . . . . . . . . .17–22
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . .33, 34
Things That Are Normal
With Your Microwave Oven . . .34
Consumer Support
Consumer Support . . .Back Cover
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Write the model and serial numbers here:
Model # ________________________
Serial # ________________________
Find these numbers on a label inside
the oven.

■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 InformationOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.
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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!
When using electrical appliances basic safety precautions
should be followed, including the following:
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

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Consumer SupportTroubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Information
Use this appliance only for its intended purpose as described
in this Owner’s Manual.
■This microwave oven is not
approved or tested for
marine use.
■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.
■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, near
a sink or in similar locations.
■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
when 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
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.
■GE does not support any
servicing of the microwave.
We strongly recommend that
you do not attempt to service
the microwave yourself.
■As with any appliance, close
supervision is necessary when
used by children.
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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—
are able to 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.
■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.
FOODS
Safety InformationOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
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WARNING!
If you see arcing, press the CLEAR/OFF pad and correct
the problem.
ARCING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.

Consumer SupportTroubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Information
■SUPERHEATED WATER
Liquids, such as water, coffee or
tea are able to be overheated
beyond the boiling point without
appearing to be boiling. Visible
bubbling or boiling when the
container is removed from the
microwave oven is not always
present. THIS COULD RESULT IN
VERY HOT LIQUIDS SUDDENLY
BOILING OVER WHEN THE
CONTAINER IS DISTURBED OR
A SPOON OR OTHER UTENSIL
IS INSERTED INTO THE LIQUID.
To reduce the risk of injury to
persons:
— Do not overheat the liquid.
— Stir the liquid both before and
halfway through heating it.
— Do not use straight-sided
containers with narrow necks.
— After heating, allow the
container to stand in the
microwave oven for a short
time before removing the
container.
— Use extreme care when
inserting a spoon or other
utensil into the container.
■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.
■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.
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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,
since 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 InformationOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
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WARNING!
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.

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Consumer SupportTroubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Information
■“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 InformationOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
8
Improper use of the grounding plug can result in a risk of
electric shock.
WARNING!
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.

Consumer SupportTroubleshooting TipsOperating InstructionsSafety Information
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
2-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, 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 3-prong
(grounding) receptacle by a qualified electrician before using the
appliance.
ADAPTER PLUGS
9
Ensure proper ground
and firm connection
before use.
TEMPORARY
METHOD
Align large
prongs/slots
(Adapter plugs not
permitted in Canada)
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Safety InformationOperating InstructionsTroubleshooting TipsConsumer Support
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
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.