Operating Your Compactor - GE Monogram ZCG3100 Owner's Manual

OPERATING YOUR COMPACTOR

After installing a trash bag, the compactor is ready to use.
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Pull the trash drawer out as far as necessary to
load the items.
• Bottles and large cans compact best when laid flat
near the center of the drawer.
• To help keep the ram clean when compacting
messy food waste, place a couple of folded sheets
of newspaper or a large grocery bag on top of the
load to be compacted.
Compacting
To start the compactor:
1. Close the drawer.
2. Rotate the key past ON to the START position,
hold it momentarily at START, and then release it
back to ON. The motor will start and compacting
will proceed.
CAUTION: DO NOT FORCE KEY WHEN
TURNING. The key should always rotate
easily. Forcing may break the key and
damage the switch.
The ram travels downward into the drawer,
compacting the trash. At the bottom of the stroke, the
ram automatically reverses direction, retracts out of
the drawer, returns to its starting position and the
compactor shuts off automatically.
The cycle takes about one minute. As the trash drawer
fills, cycle time gets progressively shorter.
To Stop Compacting
The compactor may be stopped at any time by turning
the key to OFF. Restarting the compactor will allow the
ram to move upward into its starting position.
• Folded newspaper will also help prevent glass
fragments from flying out of the drawer into the
mechanism when compacting a large glass bottle,
or several bottles or jars, or any other items that
might shatter.
• Refuse too bulky to go into the drawer can be folded
to fit. If it cannot be folded to fit into the drawer, do
not attempt to force it in.
• Although it is not necessary to compact until the
drawer is full or nearly full, we suggest that, for
maximum compaction, you start the compactor
each time a significant amount of trash is added.
Glass bottles can make a loud noise when they break
during compaction. This is normal. Also, bottles in
the trash drawer will not always break during the first
cycle. Breaking glass and associated noise may occur
several cycles later, depending on the type and
volume of the trash.
When bottles and cans are compacted, small tears
in the bag may occur. This is normal and in no way
affects the performance of the compactor. Always use
the bag caddy to carry the compacted trash to storage
or pick-up areas, and keep the bag away from your
body to prevent injury from sharp objects that may
have pierced the bag.
CAUTION: When emptying waste baskets into the
trash drawer, some items may spill into the compactor
behind the drawer. Items behind the drawer could
prevent it from closing completely and prevent the
compactor from operating. To remove such items
from behind the drawer, open the drawer and, if
necessary, remove it to clean them out. See Care
and Cleaning instructions.
Anti-Jamming Feature
Should unusual loads cause misalignment, compactor
will automatically stop to prevent damage to the unit.
To reset the unit and return the ram to the UP position,
turn the key switch to START and hold momentarily
at START, then release it back to ON. The motor will
start and the ram will return to the UP position and stop.
Redistribute the load evenly in the drawer, placing
bottles and large cans flat and centered in the drawer,
before recycling the compactor.
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