GE GFDS375 (01) PDF Document

To reduce the risk of fire, explosion, electric shock, or injury when using your GE GFDS375 dryer, follow these basic precautions:

• Read all instructions before using the appliance.

• DO NOT dry articles that have been previously cleaned in, washed in, soaked in or spotted with gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents, or other flammable or explosive substances, as they give off vapors that could ignite or explode.

• DO NOT allow children to play on or in this appliance. Close supervision of children is necessary when this appliance is used near children. Before the appliance is removed from service or discarded, remove the door to the drying compartment.

• DO NOT reach into the appliance if the drum is moving.

• DO NOT install or store this appliance where it will be exposed to the weather.

• DO NOT tamper with controls, repair or replace any part of this appliance or attempt any servicing unless specifically recommended in the user maintenance instructions or in published user repair instructions that you understand and have the skills to carry out.

• DO NOT use fabric softeners or products to eliminate static unless recommended by the manufacturer of the fabric softener or product.

• DO NOT use heat to dry articles containing foam rubber or similarly textured rubber-like materials.

• Clean lint screen before or after each load. DO NOT operate the dryer without the lint filter in place.

• Do not store combustible materials, gasoline or other flammable liquids near the dryer. Keep the area around the exhaust opening and adjacent surrounding areas free from the accumulation of lint, dust, and dirt. Keep the dryer area clear and free from items that would obstruct the flow of combustion and ventilation air.

• The interior of the appliance and exhaust duct should be cleaned periodically by qualified service personnel.

• DO NOT place items exposed to cooking oils in your dryer. Items contaminated with cooking oils may contribute to a chemical reaction that could cause a load to catch fire.

• Keep the floor around your appliances clean and dry to reduce the possibility of slipping.

• Unplug the appliance or turn off the circuit breaker before servicing. Pressing the Power or Start/Pause button DOES NOT disconnect power.

• DO NOT operate this appliance if it is damaged, malfunctioning, partially disassembled, or has missing or broken parts, including a damaged cord or plug.

• DO NOT spray any type of aerosol into, on or near the dryer at any time. Do not use any type of spray cleaner when cleaning the dryer interior. Hazardous fumes or electrical shock could occur.

• See “Electrical Connection” located in the Installation Instructions for grounding instructions.

Explosion Hazard:

• Keep flammable materials and vapors, such as gasoline, away from the dryer.

• DO NOT dry anything that has ever had anything flammable on it (even after washing).

• Failure to do so can result in death, explosion, or fire.

Fire Hazard:

• No washer can completely remove oil.

• Do not dry anything that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking oils).

• Items containing foam, rubber, or plastic must be dried on a clothesline or by using an air dry cycle.

• Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or fire.

1. Press the Power button. If the screen is dark, a press of the Power button will “wake up” the display.

2. Select a dry cycle. (Defaults are set for each cycle. These default settings can be changed. See Control settings for more information.)

3. Press the Start/Pause button.

The dry cycle on your GE GFDS375 dryer controls the length and tumble speed of the drying process. The chart below will help you match the dry setting with your laundry loads.

You can change the temperature of your dry cycle by pressing the Temp button. The available settings are:

The sensor continuously monitors the amount of moisture in the load. When the moisture in your clothes reaches your selected dry level, the dryer will stop. The Sensor Dry Level only works with Cottons, Normal, Active Wear, Delicates, Speed Dry, Bulky, Towels/Sheets, Sanitize and Steam Dewrinkle cycles.

The My Cycle feature allows you to set up your favorite combination of settings and save them for one-touch recall.

To store a My Cycle combination of settings:

1. Select your drying cycle.

2. Change Temp and Level settings to fit your needs.

3. Select any drying options you want.

4. Press and hold the My Cycle button for 3 seconds to store your selection. A beep will sound and the button will light up.

To recall your stored My Cycle combination:

Press the MY CYCLE button before drying a load.

To change your stored My Cycle combination:

Repeat steps 1–4.

Your GE GFDS375 dryer has several options to customize your drying cycle:

• Steam Refresh Cycle: For slightly wrinkled dry garments. Significantly reduces wrinkles on up to 5 garments. After the cycle, the unit will beep and display “0:00.” If the unit is not turned off or the door is not opened, the dryer will continue to tumble for 30 minutes.

• Detangle: Activates reverse tumbling to reduce tangling, dry more evenly, and improve drying times. Typical loads such as bed and bath mixed loads, where sheets, towels and pillow cases are laundered together, benefit from this capability.

• eDry: Reduces the total energy consumption of specific dryer cycles by adjusting certain heat settings. NOTE: Cycle times will change when e-Dry is selected. This can be used with Cottons, Normal, Active Wear, Delicates, Speed Dry, Bulky, Towels-Sheets, Sanitize and Steam Dewrinkle.

• Extended Tumble: Minimizes wrinkles by adding approximately 60 minutes of no-heat tumbling after clothes are dry. The beeper will sound every five minutes as a reminder to remove the clothes.

• Damp Alert: This option causes the dryer to beep when clothes have dried to a damp level. Remove items that you wish to hang dry. The Damp Alert will only beep when this option is selected. Removing clothes while damp can reduce the need for ironing.

• Delay Dry: Use this to delay the start of your dryer. Choose your cycle and options, then press Delay Dry to set the delay time in 1-hour increments. Press Start/Pause to begin the countdown.

• Light: Press the button to turn on the light in the dryer. Press it again to turn the light off. This only controls the light when the door is shut. The light will turn off by itself after one minute when the door is shut.

• Volume: Alerts you that the cycle is complete. Press Volume to select low, medium, or high volume, or to turn the beeper off.

• Lock Control: You can lock the controls to prevent any selections from being made. To lock or unlock the dryer controls, press and hold the Lock Control button for 3 seconds. The indicator light above the button will illuminate when the controls are locked. The Power button can still be used when the machine is locked.

• eMonitor: The eMonitor lights display the relative energy use of your selected cycle and options, ranging from Good (1 light) to Better (5 lights). Cycle time, dryness level, temperature, and additional tumble options can affect your energy efficiency.

• Clean Filter Message: This message is a reminder and does not always appear when the filter needs cleaning. The filter should be cleaned after every drying cycle. The message disappears after the Start/Pause button is pressed.

• Display: Displays the approximate time remaining until the end of the cycle. As the cycle begins, you will see an initial approximate time. Then, lights will “race” in the display, indicating the dryer is monitoring moisture. Once a low level of moisture is sensed, the dryer will calculate and display the approximate remaining time.

Always follow the fabric manufacturer’s care label when laundering. Below are some hints for sorting and loading:

• As a general rule, if clothes are sorted properly for the washer, they are sorted properly for the dryer. Try also to sort items according to size. For example, do not dry a sheet with socks or other small items.

• Do not overload. This wastes energy and causes wrinkling.

• Do not add fabric softener sheets once the load has become warm. They may cause fabric softener stains.

A handy drying rack may be used for drying delicate items such as washable sweaters. Place items flat on the drying rack and block items like wool sweaters and delicate fabrics. Dry with low heat.

To install the drying rack: Extend the drying rack into the dryer drum. Rest the front two legs on the front angled ledge and then rest the rear two legs on the rear angled edge.

NOTES:

• The drying rack is designed for use with the Time Dry cycles. Use with sensor cycles may result in damp items or extended cycle times.

• Do not use this drying rack when there are other clothes in the dryer that are not placed on the rack.

• The Exterior: Wipe or dust any spills or washing compounds with a damp cloth. Dryer control panel and finishes may be damaged by some laundry pretreatment soil and stain remover products. Apply these products away from the dryer.

• The Lint Filter: Clean the lint filter before each use. Pull out the lint filter. Moisten your fingers and remove the captured lint. Once clean, slide the filter back into position. Have a qualified technician vacuum the lint from the dryer once a year. NEVER OPERATE THE DRYER WITHOUT ITS FILTER IN PLACE.

• Stainless Steel: To clean stainless steel surfaces, use a damp cloth with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner suitable for stainless steel surfaces. Remove the cleaner residue and then dry with a clean cloth.

• Dryer Interior and Duct: The interior of the appliance and exhaust duct should be cleaned once a year by qualified service personnel.

• The Exhaust Duct: Inspect and clean the exhaust ducting at least once a year to prevent clogging. A partially clogged exhaust can lengthen the drying time.

• The Exhaust Hood: Check with a mirror that the inside flaps of the hood move freely when operating. Make sure that there is no wildlife (birds, insects, etc.) nesting inside the duct or hood.

Some shaking/noise is normal. However, if it seems excessive, the dryer may be sitting unevenly. To fix this, move the dryer to an even floor space, or adjust the leveling legs as necessary until it is even.

There are several possible reasons for long drying times:

• Improper or obstructed ducting: Check the Installation Instructions to ensure the dryer venting is correct. Make sure the ducting is clean, free of kinks, and unobstructed. Also, check that the outside wall damper operates easily.

• Improper sorting: Separate heavy items from lightweight items. A well-sorted washer load is a well-sorted dryer load.

• Large loads of heavy fabrics: Large, heavy fabrics contain more moisture and take longer to dry. Separate them into smaller loads to speed up drying time.

• Controls improperly set: Match the control settings to the load you are drying.

• Lint filter is full: Clean the lint filter before every load.

If your dryer doesn’t start, check the following:

• Control panel is “asleep”: This is normal. Press Power to activate the control panel.

• Dryer is unplugged: Make sure the dryer plug is pushed completely into the outlet.

• Fuse is blown/circuit breaker is tripped: Check the building’s fuse/circuit breaker box and replace the fuse or reset the breaker. Electric dryers use two fuses or breakers.

• Dryer was accidentally paused: If the light on the Start/Pause button is flashing, the dryer is paused. Press Start/Pause to restart the countdown if in Delay Dry mode.

If the dryer tumbles but does not heat, check the building’s fuse/circuit breaker box. Replace both fuses or reset both breakers. Your dryer may tumble if only one fuse is blown or one breaker is tripped.

This can happen for a few reasons:

• The door was opened mid-cycle: A dry cycle must be reselected each time a new load is put in.

• Small load: When drying 3 items or less, choose Speed Dry or Time Dry.

• Load was already dry except for collars and waistbands: Choose Speed Dry or Time Dry to dry damp collars and waistbands. In the future, when drying a load with collars and waistbands, choose More Dry.

• Dryer is not level: Move the dryer to an even floor space or adjust the leveling legs as necessary until even.

To prevent wrinkled clothes, try the following:

• Overdrying: Select a shorter drying time. Remove items while they still hold a slight amount of moisture by selecting Less Dry or Damp.

• Letting items sit in dryer: Remove items when the cycle ends and fold or hang them immediately, or use the Ext Tumble option.

• Overloading: Separate large loads into smaller ones.

Some fabrics will naturally shrink when washed, and others can shrink in the dryer. To avoid shrinkage, follow garment care labels exactly. Some items may be pressed back into shape after drying. If you are concerned about shrinkage in a particular item, do not machine wash or tumble dry it.

Greasy spots can be caused by:

• Improper use of fabric softener: Follow the directions on the fabric softener package.

• Drying dirty items with clean ones: Use your dryer to dry only clean items. Dirty items can stain clean items and the dryer.

• Clothes were not completely clean: Sometimes stains which cannot be seen when the clothes are wet appear after drying. Use proper washing procedures before drying.

If you find lint on your clothes, check the following:

• Lint filter is full: Clean the lint screen before each load.

• Improper sorting: Sort lint producers (like chenille) from lint collectors (like corduroy).

• Static electricity: Static can attract lint. See suggestions for static issues.

• Overloading: Separate large loads into smaller ones.

• Paper, tissue, etc., left in pockets: Empty all pockets before laundering clothes.

Static can be caused by several factors. Here’s what to do:

• No fabric softener was used: Try a fabric softener.

• Overdrying: Try a fabric softener and adjust the setting to Less Dry or Damp.

• Synthetics, permanent press, and blends can cause static: Try a fabric softener.

This can happen when the dryness monitor senses that the body of the clothes is dry before thicker parts like collars and waistbands are. Choose Speed Dry or Time Dry to dry damp collars and waistbands. In the future, when drying a load with these items, choose More Dry.

This may be due to an inadequate load size for the steam cycle selected. Excess steam condenses inside the cabinet and leaks out. If using the Steam Dewrinkle cycle, manually reduce the cycle time. If using the Steam Refresh cycle, add more garments to the load.

If there are too many garments in the dryer, they may not have enough space to tumble freely and for the steam to be effective. Load fewer garments and, if necessary, manually increase the time for the steam cycle.