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Roomba Robotic Floor Bagless Vacuum

How to Identify and Fix Common Vacuum Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced Vacuum Technicians :

Why does a Roomba go in circles? It`s usually a problem with sensors or with mechanical movement. While spinning in circles may look alarming, it`s rarely a permanent problem, although your robovac definitely needs some care before it`s ready to resume duty again.
Solid white: Fully charged. Pulsing white: Charging. Pulsing red: Charging, too low to start cleaning. Solid red: Error (tap Button for details).
A Roomba measures how long it takes for an emitted infrared beam to bounce back to the photocell sensors, which provides more precise object detection. In essence, the photocells measure changes in light levels, while the infrared sensors can detect changes in motion.
Description. If the CLEAN indicator is blinking when it is on the Home Base®, this means a robot software update is in process. Allow the update to complete before attempting to start the robot. This could take up to 10 minutes.
Note: Pause Cleaning When Full. If you have a Clean Base™ with a compatible robot, this will be the default setting. As soon as the bin is full, Roomba® will pause its cleaning job and return to its base. Once the bin is emptied, press CLEAN to resume.
If you get a more affordable model, like Roomba 675 you can expect a lifespan of up to two years. Go to the higher-end, like the iRobot j7+, and our research and testing suggest you can get five years plus of cleaning with proper maintenance.
The Roomba i series are equipped with tracking sensors, so instead of random navigation around your home, the i series can clean bare floors and carpeting in neat, straight lines, says the brand.
Why is my robot turning circles or spinning around in open spaces? The robot`s navigation algorithm turns the robot in open spaces in order to cover more area. If this occurs frequently, turn off your unit and dust off the bumper lens with a clean, dry cloth. Press the bumper back a few times to ensure it moves freely.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Roomba Discovery My Roomba turns on and moves but the brushes won’t turn. Someone told me that I had forgotten to put in the yellow and black end bearings, but I did. Help, I miss my Roomba
I have a Roomba 530, I have had it for 2 weeks and really loved it. I have followed all the cleaning instructions etc.. Then the Roomba wanted it’s brushes cleaning “please clean Roombas brushes” So thinking that something was stuck I removed and cleaned the brushes, (yellow tabs on and in place by the way)
ANSWER : I read somewhere that you need to clear the software in case there is a glitch. To do this, take the battery out and then, simultaneously hold down the “spot” and “clean” buttons for 30 seconds. Replace battery. This has worked for my Discovery model.

I have a Roomba 560 (it’s still in warranty !!) and, after my summer vacation, it has a problem.
When I’m charging Roomba, the orange light blinks (and this is normal!) but this orange blinking continues forever…. the light doesn’t change to green.
If I detach Roomba from the charger, the light become green and it works normally until the light changes to red and I have to charge it again.

WHY, DURING THE CHARGING PHASE, THE LIGHT DOESN’T CHANGE FROM ORANGE-BLINKING TO GREEN?

HAVE I

ANSWER : The problem is not with the charger itself but it is with the battery inside the Roomba. It sunds like one or more of the cells has gone bad so its not holding the same charge as it did. I would recomend sending it in while the warranty is still valid so they will replace it. Your charger and the Roomba itself should be fine.

A few tips to keep the battery working longer:
Only charge the battery when it is drained all the way to zero. It will help keep the battery active.

Only charge the battery until it is full and then disconect it from the power source. It will keep it active longer plus it will help keep your electric bill down.

We have the water hooked up at the back of machine. there is a spout for the water to come in and fill the ice tray.but is does not. If we turn the water on it fills up the space under the ice basket. I keep getting red light and then the two smal llight one ice and one water come on. We can hear the motor trying to fill the ice try and then lights come on. Please help me this so I can use this product. It did not come with a manual.
ANSWER : The water inlet valve on the back of unit opens when the ice maker needs water. If the valve doesn’t seal good because of sediment or wear it will continue to drip and when the water reaches the ice maker supply tube it will freeze blocking the fill tube.. You can take the water line off the valve and watch to see if it drips.
With the fill tube blocked with ice the water can drip down the back wall or drip into the ice bin or just stop up. You can use a hairdryer to thaw the tube out.

My Roomba 560 does not automatically dock as advertised either..
ANSWER : You may not believe this, but the new 500 series lighthouse virtual walls have both infrared and radio frequency communication. How they work and associate with the Roomba is pretty complicated. The best posting I’ve ever seen about how they work is here:
http://www.robotreviews.com/chat/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11048

Check out that link to understand how the communication works.

If your Roomba is contained by the virtual walls, then you can assume the IR sensor on your Roomba us good….you should test that though. Then you might have to replace the “home base” which could have a bad IR transponder . New ones can be found for reasonable price at www.RoboticVacParts.com or you could order straight from iRobot for twice the price.

If the Roomba is not contained by the virtual walls, then the IR sensor on the Roomba is likely bad and you’ll need to change the bumper on your Roomba. Again ….parts are available through ebay, or www.RoboticVacParts.com. Follow this link if you need it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Roomba-500-series-white-bumper-510-530-532_W0QQitemZ270400281066QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef51cd9ea&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A30

The Vaccum is not turning on when i plug the hose into the wall. The hoover system will turn on when i turn the switch on at the base and wont go off till i turn the switch off. But it will not come on automatically when i put the hose in to the wall connections.
Many Thanks
Linda
ANSWER : You can test this out by taking a small metal spoon and with the bottom side of the spoon insert it into the vac outlet on the wall. you want to touch the two metal pins inside the vac outlet to test if the unit is the problem or the hose is the problem.
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.If the unit starts, the hose should have a 3 year warranty on it. I recommend you have your nearest beam dealer check it out.
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.If the unit does not start, it has a 7 or 10 year warranty, the circuitry should be replaced. Again have your nearest beam dealer check it out.
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.good luck

Turns in circles, acts like it hits a virtual wall then stops
ANSWER : Reboot is probably not your solution. Your Roomba will react to invisible signals or ‘interference’ from other electrical appliances as well as the invisible wall boxes. You can clearly see how this happens when a Roomba gets near your computer or other device that is on. Also, the Roomba will go in circles when the dirt chamber is full or it thinks it’s full. Try a thorough clean of all major parts including the brushes. Sometimes this activity will occur when the brushes get snarled on thread or carpet fibers.

Floor Attachment I took off my floor attachment, but now the belt seems to be off and I can’t seem to get it back on right. I can’t use the attachment and I don’t know why it’s so hard to figure this out. They say, just turn it to belt off, but when i turn it it lift’s it up and can’t line up with the belt off label. Then, when I turn it the other way, it’s off. So I’ve been trying to pull it off so when it lines up with belt off, it’s off. But the I turn it the other way and it’s still off a
ANSWER : Try this,
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.With the floor nozzle off the machine spin the belt lifter around until the red arrows match. If you look at the side that attaches to the vacuum you should be able to see the belt up on the hook. If is not on the hook offf the machine you will never get the belt on. Once the belt is on the hook attach the floor nozzle to the front of the machine. At this point you need to spin the belt lifter back to where the green arrows match. Oh and another suggestion make sure your hieght adjuster the pedals with arrows are all the way up. Hopefully that helps you out.

Roomba Discovery My Roomba Discovery seems to work fine, mechanically, but it no longer seems to collect any dust. (The collection bin remains empty after the Roomba has circulated around the floor for quite a while). The brush has been replaced and spins normally. Does anyone have an idea why this machine’s vacuum function no longer seems to work? I would appreciate any feedback. Jeremy
ANSWER : Did you replace the filter? when you remove the dust bin there is a small filter that needs to be cleaned, or replaced. You can buy a maintenance kit that replaces the brushes and filters as well, its good to replace them all regularly