(Throughout this manual, features and appearance may vary from your model.)
Features

1 Door Handle. Pull to open the door. The door must be securely latched for the microwave to operate.
2 Door Latches.
3 Window with Metal Shield. Screen allows cooking to be viewed while keeping microwaves confined in the oven.
4 Touch Control Panel.
5 Cooktop Light.
6 Grease Filters.
7 Removable Turntable. Turntable and support must be in place when using the oven. The turntable may be removed for cleaning.
8 Convenience Guide.
9 Shelf (on some models). Lets you microwave several foods at once. Food microwaves best when placed directly on the turntable.
10 Rating Plate. Located on the inside wall of the microwave oven.
Quick Start
The Controls on Your Microwave Oven (Throughout this manual, features and appearance may vary from your model.)

1. Time Features
Time Cooking
| Press | Enter |
| TIME COOK I & II (Press once or twice) | Amount of cooking time. |
| DEFROST AUTO/TIME (Press twice) | Amount of cooking time. |
| EXPRESS COOK | Starts immediately! |
| POWER LEVEL | Power level 1–10. |
| ADD 30 SEC | Starts immediately! |
GUIDE ON MICROWAVE: Before you begin, check the guide located on the inside front of the oven when you open the door.
GUIDES IN BOOK

2. Convenience Features
| Press | Enter | Option |
| POPCORN | Starts immediately | more/less time serving size |
| BEVERAGE | Starts immediately | serving size |
| REHEAT | (See Reheat Guide) | serving size |
| POTATO | Starts immediately | serving size |
| VEGETABLE (on some models) | Starts immediately! | food type/serving size |
| DEFROST AUTO/TIME (Press once) | Food weight |
Changing Power Levels

How to Change the Power Level: The power level may be entered or changed immediately after entering the feature time for TIME COOK, TIME DEFROST or EXPRESS COOK. The power level may also be changed during time countdown.
Variable power levels add flexibility to microwave cooking. The power levels on the microwave oven can be compared to the surface units on a range. High (power level 10) or full power is the fastest way to cook and gives you 100% power. Each power level gives you microwave energy a certain percent of the time. Power level 7 is microwave energy 70% of the time. Power level 3 is energy 30% of the time.
A high setting (10) will cook faster but food may need more frequent stirring, rotating or turning over. Most cooking will be done on High (power level 10). A lower setting will cook more evenly and need less stirring or rotating of the food.
Some foods may have better flavor, texture or appearance if one of the lower settings is used. Use a lower power level when cooking foods that have a tendency to boil over, such as scalloped potatoes. Rest periods (when the microwave energy cycles off) give time for the food to “equalize” or transfer heat to the inside of the food. An example of this is shown with power level 3—the defrost cycle. If microwave energy did not cycle off, the outside of the food would cook before the inside was defrosted.
Here are some examples of uses for various power levels: Power Level Best Uses
| High 10 | Fish, bacon, vegetables, boiling liquids. |
| Med-High 7 | Gentle cooking of meat and poultry; baking casseroles and reheating. |
| Medium 5 | Slow cooking and tenderizing such as stews and less tender cuts of meat. |
| Low 2 or 3 | Defrosting without cooking; simmering; delicate sauces. |
| Warm 1 | Keeping food warm without overcooking; softening butter. |

Time Cook I
Time Cook II
Lets you change power levels automatically during cooking. Here’s how to do it:
At the end of Time Cook I, Time Cook II counts down.
Time Defrost

Allows you to defrost for the length of time you select. See the Defrosting Guide for suggested times.
Power level 3 is automatically set, but you may change this for more flexibility. You may defrost small items more quickly by raising the power level after entering the time. However, they will need more frequent attention than usual.
Power level 7 cuts the total defrosting time in about half; power level 10 cuts the total time to approximately 1/3. Rotate or stir food frequently.
At one half of selected defrosting time, the oven signals TURN. At this time, turn food over and break apart or rearrange pieces for more even defrosting. Shield any warm areas with small pieces of foil.
A dull thumping noise may be heard during defrosting. This sound is normal when the oven is not operating at High power.
Defrosting Tips
| Food | Time | Time |
|
Breads, Cakes Bread, buns or rolls (1 piece) Sweet rolls (approx. 12 oz.) |
1 min. 3 to 5 min. |
|
|
Fish and Seafood Fillets, frozen (1 lb.) Shellfish, small pieces (1 lb.) |
6 to 8 min. 5 to 7 min. |
Place block in casserole. Turn over and break up after half the time |
|
Fruit Plastic pouch—1 to 2 (10-oz. package) |
3 to 6 min. | |
|
Meat Bacon (1 lb.) Franks (1 lb.) Ground meat (1 lb.) Roast: beef, lamb, veal, pork Steaks, chops and cutlets |
2 to 5 min 2 to 5 min. 5 to 7 min 12 to 16 min. per lb. 5 to 7 min. per lb. |
Place unopened package in oven. Let stand 5 minutes after defrosting. Place unopened package in oven. Microwave just until franks can be separated. Let stand 5 minutes, if necessary, to complete defrosting Turn meat over after half the time. Use power level 1. Place unwrapped meat in cooking dish. Turn over after half the time and shield warm areas with foil. When finished, separate pieces and let stand to complete defrosting |
|
Poultry Chicken, broiler-fryer cut up (21⁄2 to 3 lbs.) Chicken, whole (21⁄2 to 3 lbs.) Cornish hen Turkey breast (4 to 6 lbs.) |
15 to 19 min 17 to 21 min. 7 to 13 min. per lb. 5 to 9 min.per lb. |
Place wrapped chicken in dish. Unwrap and turn over after half the time. When finished, separate pieces and microwave 2–4 minutes more, if necessary. Let stand to finish defrosting. Place wrapped chicken in dish. After half the time, unwrap and turn chicken over. Shield warm areas with foil. Finish defrosting. If necessary, run cold water in the cavity until giblets can be removed Place unwrapped hen in the oven breast side-up. Turn over after half the time. Run cool water in the cavity until giblets can be removed. Place unwrapped breast in dish breast side-down. After half the time, turn over and shield warm areas with foil. Finish defrosting. Let stand 1–2 hours in refrigerator to complete defrosting. |
Express Cook

Add 30 Seconds

You can use this feature two ways:
Popcorn

NOTE: Do not use the metal shelf when cooking popcorn.
How to Use the Popcorn Feature
Beverage

Reheat

NOTE: Do not use the metal shelf when using the Reheat feature
The Reheat feature reheats servings of many previously cooked foods.
NOTE: The serving size may be changed or added after the oven starts. Press number pad 2 or 3. On some models, the serving size for food type 6 cannot be changed.
Reheat Guide
| Food Type | Comments |
| 1 Pasta | Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap |
| 2 Meats | Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap |
| 3 Veggies | Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap |
| 4 Beverages | Works best with wide mouth mug—do not cover |
| 5 Sauces | Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap |
| 6 Plate of leftovers | Cover with vented plastic wrap. |
Potato

Vegetable

(Model HVM1540 only)
The Vegetable feature automatically sets the cooking times and power levels to cook fresh, frozen or canned vegetables.
| Food Code | Food | Food |
| 1 | Canned | 4–20 oz. |
| 2 | Canned | 4–20 oz. |
| 3 | Canned | 4–20 oz. |
Auto Defrost

The Defrost Auto/Time feature gives you two ways to defrost frozen foods. Press DEFROST AUTO/TIME once for Auto Defrost or twice for Time Defrost.
Use Auto Defrost for meat, poultry and fish. Use Time Defrost for most other frozen foods.
Auto Defrost automatically sets the defrosting times and power levels to give even defrosting results for meats, poultry and fish weighing up to six pounds.
There is a handy guide located on the inside front of the oven.

Conversion Guide: If the weight of food is stated in pounds and ounces, the ounces must be converted to tenths (.1) of a pound.
| Weight of Food in Ounces | Enter Food Weight (tenths of a pound) |
| 1–2 | .1 |
| 3 | .2 |
| 4–5 | .3 |
| 6–7 | .4 |
| 8 | .5 |
| 9–10 | .6 |
| 11 | .7 |
| 12–13 | .8 |
| 14–15 | .9 |
Cooking Complete Reminder
Clock

Press to enter the time of day or to check the time of day while microwaving.
Scroll Speed

(On some models)
Display On/Off

Delay Start

Delay Start allows you to set the microwave to delay cooking up to 24 hours.
The Delay Start time will be displayed. The oven will automatically start at the delayed time.
The time of day may be displayed by pressing CLOCK.
Timer On/Off

Timer On/Off operates as a minute timer and can be used at any time, even when the oven is operating.
When time is up, the oven will signal. To turn off the timer signal, press TIMER ON/OFF.
NOTE: The timer indicator will be lit while the timer is operating
Start/Pause

Reminder

The Reminder feature can be used like an alarm clock and can be used at any time, even when the oven is operating. The Reminder time can be set up to 24 hours later.
NOTE: The REM indicator will remain lit to show that the Reminder is set. To clear the Reminder before it occurs, press REMINDER, then 0. The REM indicator will no longer be lit.
Child Lock-Out

Turntable

Surface Light

Vent Fan

When the microwave oven is off, you may operate the vent fan:
When the microwave is on, the vent fan will automatically turn on at low fan speed, stay on while the microwave is operating and automatically turn off after the microwave goes off if the Vent Fan pad is not pressed.
When the microwave oven is on you may also:
If the vent fan is still operating after the microwave goes off, press the Vent Fan pad until it turns off.
NOTE: The vent fan cannot be turned off while the microwave is operating
Shelf (on some models)
How to Use the Shelf When Microwaving

Food microwaves best when placed on the turntable or on the shelf in the lower position.
NOTE: Only use the shelf when reheating on more than one level. Do not store the shelf inside the oven cavity.


Shelf and Reheating



| Term | Term |
| Term |
Arcing is the microwave term for sparks in the oven. Arcing is caused by:
|
| Covering | Covers hold in moisture, allow for more even heating and reduce cooking time. Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper allows excess steam to escape. |
| Shielding | In a regular oven, you shield chicken breasts or baked foods to prevent over-browning. When microwaving, you use small strips of foil to shield thin parts, such as the tips of wings and legs on poultry, which would cook before larger parts. |
| Standing Time | When you cook with regular ovens, foods such as roasts or cakes are allowed to stand to finish cooking or to set. Standing time is especially important in microwave cooking. Note that a microwaved cake is not placed on a cooling rack. |
| Venting | After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you vent the plastic wrap by turning back one corner so excess steam can escape. |


We recommend against using cleaners with ammonia or alcohol, as they can damage the appearance of the microwave oven. If you choose to use a common household cleaner, first apply the cleaner directly to a clean cloth, then wipe the soiled area.
Clean off the grease and dust on the bottom often. Use a solution of warm water and detergent.Cooktop Light/ Night Light
Replace the burned-out bulb with a 30- or 40- watt incandescent bulb (30-watt—WB36X10198/ 40-watt—WB36X10003), available from your GE supplier.

Oven Light
Replace the burned-out bulb with a 30- or 40- watt incandescent bulb (30-watt—WB36X10198/ 40-watt—WB36X10003), available from your GE supplier.

The Vent Fan

Reusable Grease Filters
Removing and Cleaning the Filter

Charcoal Filter (on some models)
The charcoal filter cannot be cleaned. It must be replaced. Order Part No. WB02X10776 from your GE supplier
To Remove Charcoal Filter

To Install Charcoal Filter

| Problem | Possible Cause | What to Do |
| Oven will not start |
A fuse in your home may be blown or the circuit breaker tripped. Power surge. Plug not fully inserted into wall outlet. Door not securely closed |
Replace fuse or reset circuit breaker. Unplug the microwave oven, then plug it back in. Make sure the 3-prong plug on the oven is fully inserted into wall outlet Open the door and close securely. |
| Floor of the oven is warm, even when the oven has not been used | The cooktop light is located below the oven floor. When the light is on, the heat it produces may make the oven floor get warm. | This is normal. |
| “LOC” appears on display | The control has been locked | Press and hold CLEAR/OFF for about 3 seconds to unlock the control. |
| Vent fan will not turn off | The vent fan automatically turns on to cool internal parts while the microwave is on. | The vent fan cannot be turned off while the microwave is operating. This is normal. Wait for the microwave to turn off and the fan will either go off automatically or you will need to turn it off by pressing the Vent Fan pad after the microwave is off. |
| “BAD PROBE” appears on display | The probe has not been completely inserted into the oven wall outlet. The probe is defective. |
Insert the probe properly into the oven wall outlet. Replace the probe. |
| “PLEASE INSERT PROBE“ appears on display | Probe has been forgotten or not inserted properly. | Insert the probe properly into the oven wall outlet. |
| “SENSOR ERROR” appears on display |
When using a Sensor feature, the door was opened before steam could be detected. Steam was not detected in maximum amount of time. |
Do not open door until steam is sensed and time is shown counting down on display Use Time Cook to heat for more time. |
Reference file: GE JVM1540LM1CS Spacemaker Over-the-Range Microwave Oven
Additionally, the document applies to other GE - General Electric models: JVM1540, JNM1541, HVM1540