[. . . ] Indd 5 GC8300 Series 04-01-10 09:31 6 English Introduction Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to Philips!To fully benefit from the support that Philips offers, register your product at www. The powerful pressurised ironing system produces non-stop steam to make ironing easier. When the water tank is empty, you can detach it and refill it immediately. [. . . ] Note:The system may occasionally produce a pumping sound during steam ironing. This is normal and tells you that water is pumped into the steam generator. 2 Make sure the appliance is plugged in and switched on (see chapter ‘Preparing for use’). 3 Set the required ironing temperature (see chapter ‘Preparing for use’). Indd 9 04-01-10 09:31 10 English 4 Set the required steam setting with the + and - buttons on the steam generator control panel. , , The steam light flashes to indicate that the steam generator is heating up. 2 minutes, the steam light stays on continuously to indicate that the steam generator is ready for steam ironing. Note: During ironing, you can adjust the steam setting with the + and - steam buttons. When you put down the iron during ironing, put it on its heel or on the iron stand. , , The opening and closing of the steam valve in the steam generator causes a clicking sound. Steam lock function The steam lock allows you to steam iron non-stop without having to press the steam activator continuously. -- When you slide the steam lock forwards, the iron produces steam continuously. -- When the steam lock is deactivated, the iron only produces steam when you press the steam trigger. Note: Release the steam lock when you put the iron on its heel or on the iron stand. This prevents that hot steam escapes from the iron or that the iron stand gets wet. 1 Hold the iron in vertical position and press the steam trigger to steam iron hanging curtains and clothes (jackets, suits, coats). Shot of steam A powerful shot of steam helps to remove stubborn creases. If water droplets come out of the soleplate, let the iron heat up for at least one minute before you use the shot-of-steam function again. Indd 10 04-01-10 09:31 English Ironing without steam There are one or two ways to iron without steam: -- All  types: Simply start ironing without pressing the steam trigger. 11 Tips -- When you steam iron woollen fabrics, shiny patches may occur. To prevent this, use a dry pressing cloth or turn the article inside out and iron the reverse side. -- Silk, woollen and synthetic materials: iron the reverse side of the fabric to prevent shiny patches. [. . . ] However, this is a normal phenomenon and the steam output normalises within a few seconds. The wet spots that appear on the fabric after you have steam ironed for some time may be caused by steam that has condensed onto the ironing board. If the underside of the ironing board is wet, wipe it with a piece of dry cloth. Steam may have condensed in the hose, the temperature may have been set below 3 or the appliance may not be ready for steam ironing. [. . . ]