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OPERATING VHL2 & VHL3 STEAMERS WITH MANUAL COMPARTMENT CONTROLS
This section covers operation of VHL2 & VHL3 Steamers built before May, 2003.
1. Prepare vegetables, fruits, meats, seafood and poultry as you would for steam cooking or cooking
in water: clean, separate, cut, remove stems, etc., and place in a pan.
2. Place loaded pans in the compartment and close the compartment door. Turn the door screw
handle clockwise to seal the door gasket. Normal pressure will seal the compartment. However,
a new gasket may require additional pressure after it becomes heated. After the pressure gauge
(located below the lowest compartment controls) reaches a maximum pressure of 5 to 6 psi, turn
the door screw handle clockwise enough to stop the leakage. The pressure gauge indicates steam
pressure in the steam supply pipe, not the compartments.
3. The timer knob must be turned to 10 minutes or beyond to trip the switches. The knob may then
be turned back to a lower setting if desired. When setting the timer, add to the cooking time 5 to
10 minutes to allow for preheating. The timer setting depends on the type, size, temperature and
condition (frozen or thawed) of the load and must be determined from experience.
4. Pull the steam control handle forward and lock it by pulling the arm down. The door latch cannot
be opened when the steam control handle is pulled forward. This closes the drain and allows
steam to enter the compartment. Air is automatically vented from the compartment as steam
enters. The escaping air causes a hissing sound which is audible during the early part of the cycle.
Never attempt to open the compartment door during the cooking cycle.
5. When the timer buzzes (5 to 10 seconds), lift the steam control handle and give it a slight push to
the rear. An internal spring will automatically pull the steam control handle to the rear, shutting
off the steam supply and opening the drain.
6. Wait a minimum of 1 minute for the steam and condensate in the compartment to exhaust. Then
loosen the screw handle on the compartment door to allow moisture to escape. After a few
seconds, move the door latch to the left, slowly open the door and remove the pans of food.
