Whirlpool RC8100XA User manual

UseAndCare
ELECTRIC COOKTOP
MODELS RC8110XA RC8100XA
GUIDE
ANote To You 2
Important Safety
Instructions 3
Parts And Features 5
Using Your Cooktop 6
Caring For
Your Cooktop 9
If You Need
Assistance
Or Service 12
Warranty 16
1-800-253-1301
Call us with questions or comments.

2
A Note To You
Thank you for buying a Whirlpool appliance.
You have purchased a quality, world-class home appliance. Years of engineering experience
have gone into its manufacturing. To ensure that you will enjoy many years of trouble-free
operation, we have developed this Use and Care Guide. It is full of valuable information on
how to operate and maintain your appliance properly and safely. Please read it carefully.
Also, please complete and mail the Ownership Registration Card provided with your appli-
ance. This will help us notify you about any new information on your appliance.
Your safety is important to us.
This guide contains safety symbols and statements. Please pay special attention to these
symbols and follow any instructions given. Here is a brief explanation of the use of each
symbol.
!!!INSERT WARNING HERE!!!
This symbol will help alert you to such
dangers as personal injury, burns, fire and
electrical shock.
Our Consumer Assistance Center number, 1-800-253-1301,
is toll-free, 24 hours a day.
If you ever have a question concerning your appliance’s operation, or if you need service, first
see “If You Need Assistance Or Service” on page 12. If you need further help, feel free to call
our Consumer Assistance Center. When calling, you will need to know your appliance’s
complete model number and serial number. You can find this information on the model and
serial number plate (see diagram on page 5). For your convenience, we have included a
handy place below for you to record these numbers, the purchase date from the sales slip
and your dealer’s name and telephone number. Keep this book and the sales slip together in
a safe place for future reference.
A NOTE TO YOU
Model Number _________________________
Serial Number _________________________
Purchase Date _________________________
Dealer Name __________________________
Dealer Phone __________________________
WARNING
!!!INSERT CAUTION HERE!!!
This symbol will help you avoid actions
which could cause product damage
(scratches, dents, etc.) and damage to your
personal property.
AC UTION

3
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Important Safety Instructions
WARNING
To reduce the risk of fire, electrical shock, injury to
persons, or damage when using the cooktop,
follow basic precautions, including the following:
General
•Read all instructions before
using the cooktop.
•Install or locate the cooktop
only in accordance with the
provided Installation Instruc-
tions. The cooktop must be
installed by a qualified installer.
The cooktop must be properly
connected to electrical supply
and grounded.
•CAUTION: Do not store things
children might want above the
cooktop. Children could be
burned or injured while climb-
ing on it.
•Do not leave children alone or
unattended in area where the
cooktop is in use. They should
never be allowed to sit or stand
on any part of the cooktop.
They could be burned or in-
jured.
•Do not operate the cooktop if it
is damaged or not working
properly.
•Do not use the cooktop for
warming or heating the room.
Persons could be burned or
injured, or a fire could start.
•Use the cooktop only for its
intended use as described in
this manual.
•DO NOT TOUCH SURFACE
UNITS OR AREAS NEAR
UNITS. Surface units may be
hot even though they are dark
in color. Areas near surface
units become hot enough to
cause burns. During and after
use, do not touch, or let cloth-
ing or other flammable materi-
als contact surface units or
areas near units until they
have had sufficient time to
cool.
•Do not wear loose or hanging
garments when using the
cooktop. They could ignite if
they touch a hot surface unit
and you could be burned.
•Use only dry potholders. Moist
or damp potholders on hot
surfaces may result in burns
from steam. Do not let
potholder touch hot surface
units. Do not use a towel or
bulky cloth for a potholder.
It could catch on fire.
•Do not heat unopened contain-
ers. They could explode. The
hot contents could cause burns
and container particles could
cause injury.
•Do not store flammable materi-
als on or near the cooktop. The
fumes can create an explosion
and/or fire hazard.
continued on next page

4
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
When using the cooktop
•Make sure the reflector bowls
are in place during cooking.
Cooking without reflector bowls
may subject the wiring and
components underneath them
to damage.
•Do not line reflector bowls with
aluminum foil or other liners.
Improper installation of these
liners may result in a risk of
electrical shock or fire.
•Select a pan with a flat bottom
that is about the same size as
the surface unit. If pan is
smaller than the surface unit,
some of the heating element
will be exposed and may result
in the igniting of clothing or
potholders. Correct pan size
also improves cooking
efficiency.
•Check to be sure glass cooking
utensils are safe for use on the
cooktop. Only certain types of
glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic,
earthenware or other glazed
utensils are suitable for cook-
tops without breaking due to the
sudden change in temperature.
•Never leave surface units unat-
tended at high heat settings.A
boilover could result and cause
smoking and greasy spillovers
that may ignite.
•Turn pan handles inward, but
not over other surface units.
– SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS –
This will help reduce the
chance of burns, igniting of
flammable materials, and spills
due to bumping of the pan.
Grease
•Grease is flammable. Do not
allow grease to collect
around cooktop. Wipe
spillovers immediately.
•Do not use water on grease
fires. Never pick up a flaming
pan. Smother flaming pan on
range by covering with a
well-fitted lid, cookie sheet or
flat tray. Flaming grease
outside of pan can be extin-
guished with baking soda or,
if available, a multipurpose
dry chemical or foam-type
extinguisher.
Care and cleaning
•Do not soak removable heat-
ing elements in water. The
element will be damaged and
shock or fire could result.
•Do not repair or replace any
part of the cooktop unless
specifically recommended in
this manual. All other servic-
ing should be referred to a
qualified technician.
•Disconnect the electrical
supply before servicing the
cooktop.

5
PARTS AND FEATURES
Parts And Features
This section contains captioned illustrations of your cooktop. Use them to become familiar
with the location and appearance of all parts and features.
Control panel
Model and serial number
plate (under cooktop) Control panel
Surface units
Surface unit
indicator light
Left surface
unit control
knob
Right surface unit
control knob
Surface unit
marker

6
Using Your Cooktop
In This Section Page Page
Using the surface units..................... 6Energy saving tips .............................8
To obtain the best cooking results possible, you must operate your cooktop properly. This
section gives you important information for efficient and safe use of your cooktop.
Using the surface units
Push in control knobs before turning
them to a setting. You can set them any-
where between HI and OFF.
Surface unit markers
The solid dot in the Surface Unit Marker
shows which surface unit is turned on by that
knob.
Surface unit indicator light
The Surface Unit Indicator Light on the
control panel will glow when a surface unit
is on.
!!!INSERT WARNING HERE!!!
Burn and Fire Hazard
Be sure all control knobs are turned to
OFF and all indicator lights are OFF
when you are not cooking.
Someone could be burned or a fire
could start if a surface unit is acciden-
tally left ON.
USING YOUR COOKTOP
WARNING

7
!!!INSERT WARNING HERE!!!
Product Damage Hazard
•If a surface unit stays red for a long
time, the bottom of the pan is not flat
enough or is too small for the surface
unit. Prolonged usage of incorrect
utensils can result in damage to the
surface unit, cooktop, wiring and
surrounding areas. To prevent dam-
age, use correct utensils, start cooking
on HI and turn control down to con-
tinue cooking.
•Do not leave an empty utensil, or one
which has boiled dry, on a hot surface
unit. The utensil can overheat and may
damage the utensil or surface unit.
USING YOUR COOKTOP
SETTING
HI
MED-HI
MED
MED-LO
LO
RECOMMENDED USE
•To start foods cooking.
•To bring liquids to a boil.
•To hold a rapid boil.
•To fry chicken or pan-
cakes.
•For gravy, pudding and
icing.
•To cook large amounts of
vegetables.
•To keep food cooking
after starting it on a higher
setting.
•To keep food warm until
ready to serve.
Until you get used to the settings, use
the following as a guide. For best results,
start cooking at the high setting; then turn
the control knob down to continue cooking.
AC UTION
Cookware tips
•Select a pan that is about the same size
as the surface unit.
•NOTE: For best results and greater
energy efficiency, use only flat-bottomed
utensils that make good contact with the
surface units. Utensils with rounded,
warped, ribbed (such as some porcelain
enamel-ware) or dented bottoms could
cause severe overheating, which damages
the utensil and/or surface unit.
Woks, canners and teakettles with flat
bottoms suitable for use on your cooktop
are now available in most stores that sell
housewares.
•The pan should have straight sides and a
tight-fitting lid.
•Choose medium to heavy gauge (thick-
ness) pans that are fairly lightweight.
•The pan material (metal or glass) affects
how fast heat transfers from the surface
unit through the pan material and how
evenly heat spreads over the pan bottom.
Choose pans that provide the best cooking
results.
•Handles should be made of sturdy, heat-
resistant material and be securely attached
to the pan.

8
USING YOUR COOKTOP
Home canning information
The large diameter of most water-bath or
pressure canners combined with high heat
settings for long periods of time can shorten
the life of regular surface units and cause
damage to the cooktop.
If you plan to use the cooktop for canning,
we recommend the installation of a Canning
Kit. Order the kit (Part No. 242905) from
your Whirlpool dealer or authorized
WhirlpoolSM service company.
To protect your range:
•Use flat-bottomed canners/pans for best
results.
•Use the largest surface unit for best
results. Also, use a canner/pan which can
be centered over the surface unit and
which does not extend more than one inch
outside surface unit area. Large diameter
canners/pans, if not properly centered,
trap heat and can cause damage to the
cooktop.
•Do not place canner on two surface units
at the same time. Too much heat will build
up and will damage the cooktop.
•Start with hot water. This reduces the
time the control is set on high. Reduce
heat setting to lowest position needed to
keep water boiling.
•Keep reflector bowls clean for best heat
reflection.
•To prolong the life of the elements:
–Prepare small batches at a time.
–Do not use elements for canning all
day.
Energy saving tips
Although the energy used for cooking is
usually a very small percentage of the total
energy used in the home, cooking energy
can be used efficiently. Here are some tips
to help you save energy when using your
cooking product.
•Use pans with flat bottoms, straight sides
and tight-fitting lids.
•Match the pan to the surface unit size.
•Cook with a minimum of liquid or fat to
help shorten cooking time.
•Preheat pans only when recommended
and for the shortest time possible.
•Start food on higher heat settings, then set
surface unit control on low or off to finish
cooking. Use retained heat for cooking
when possible.
•Turn on the surface unit only after placing
filled pan on the unit.
•Plan your meals for the most efficient use
of the cooktop.
•Keep reflector bowls clean for best heat
reflection.

9
CARING FOR YOUR COOKTOP
Caring For Your Cooktop
In This Section Page Page
Removing surface units Cleaning chart .................................11
and reflector bowls ........................ 9
Your cooktop is designed for ease of care.
You can do most cleaning with items found
around your home. Cleaning your cooktop
whenever spills or soiling occurs will help to
keep it looking and operating like new.
Removing surface units and reflector bowls
Removing
1. Make sure all control knobs are turned
off and cool before removing surface
units and reflector bowls.
2. Lift the edge of the unit, opposite the
receptacle, just enough to clear the
reflector bowl.
3. Pull the surface unit straight away from
the receptacle.
!!!INSERT WARNING HERE!!!
Burn and Electrical Shock Hazard
Make sure all controls are off and the
cooktop is cool before cleaning or
servicing.
Failure to do so could result in burns or
electrical shock.
WARNING

10
4. When the terminal is pushed into the
receptacle as far as it will go, the surface
unit will fit into the reflector bowl.
NOTE: Reflector bowls reflect heat back to the
utensils on the surface units. They also help
catch spills. When they are kept clean, they
reflect heat better and look new longer.
If a reflector bowl gets discolored, some of
the utensils may not be flat enough, or some
may be too large for the surface unit. In either
case, some of the heat that’s meant to go into
or around a utensil goes down and heats the
reflector bowl. This extra heat can discolor it.
CARING FOR YOUR COOKTOP
4. Lift out the reflector bowl. See “Cleaning
chart” on page 11 for cleaning instruc-
tions.
Replacing
1. Make sure all control knobs are turned
off and cool before replacing surface units
and reflector bowls.
2. Line up openings in the reflector bowl
with the surface unit receptacle.
3. Hold the surface unit as level as possible
with the terminal just started into the
receptacle. Push the surface unit terminal
into the receptacle.