Red Roomba no suction

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi i have the roomba red

It was working perfect and now it doesnt pick up anything anymore - not even fluff!!

I feel the back of it and i feel air coming out of it, ive cleaned all the sensors and brushes, any ideas?

I dont really wanna get rid of the little fella!!

Fraggboy · Posted: May 5, 2008, 11:26 am Post subject:

mornachew, Welcome to Roombareview!!

Have you cleaned the filter and emptied out the dust bin?

Gordon · Posted: May 5, 2008, 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Red Roomba no suction

mornachew wrote: ... now it doesnt pick up anything anymore - not even fluff!!...I feel the back of it and i feel air coming out of it, ive cleaned all the sensors and brushes, any ideas?... Looks like Red has suction, but, it is probably lacking main-brushes rotation. Go to the READ FIRST thread and find out how to inspect Roomba for brush rotation.

Never mind... I'll give you a clue:

Remove and set aside Red's dirt-bin.

Put the robot on the floor (carpeted will be most revealing), stand behind, then press Clean.

Peer underneath, from behind, and note whether the bristle-brush is rotating.

If the brush fails to briskly rotate, Red has a failed brush-drive.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Wow

thanx for the quick replys!! What a warm welcome :)

will just go have a look and post the outcome :)

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Red has a failed brush-drive!!!!!!!

oh noooooooooooooo!!

Is this the end of the little fella?

Easy fix -- costly??

HELP :(

TooManyPets · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 32

Not necessarily a disaster. Could just need a good cleaning. Remove the little yellow bearings on the ends of the brushes and make sure they are clean underneath. Or your brush gears may be clogged with pet hair and fuzz. I think there's instructions for cleaning them in the FAQ and Troubleshooting sticky at the top of the forum. While you're at it take off the side brush and clean under it.

Somewhere there's also instructions for using a 9-volt battery to check the brush motor for proper functioning.

I'm short on time right now, but if you can't find the necessary info, come back and I'll be happy to track it down for you later.

wsngmartin · Posted: May 5, 2008, 5:50 pm Post subject:

welcome mornachew

i am assuming that your robot is no longer under warranty?

there are several possibilities as to why your brushes are no longer turning. how easy it is to fix and how costly boils down to which cause it is, and how adept and confident you are at tear-down (and reassembly)

take a look at the square thingies your brushes, see if they're still square, or if they're rounded off to the point they no longer hold on to the brushes.
if they're not that rounded off, then you're on to the tear down.

here is a website for you to look at:
http://www.roombaexchange.com/roombatd.php

if you take a look at these instructions and don't feel you're up to the job, consider sending your bot to roombaexchange for a repair. the information is on that website.

if and when you tear down the robot, you might find that the brush deck gears are stripped. or the brush motor gears. you might find everything is fine, but there is so much dirt/debris/doghair that the brush motor is choked up. if the gears look fine then try connecting the brush motor to a 9V battery. if it doesn't turn, then the brush motor is probably burnt out. if it does, and the gears all look fine, and you put everything together and the brushes still don't turn then it may be a problem w/ your PCB (printed circuit board).

the problem you are experiencing is not an uncommon one. i've had it happen to me a few times. some forum members have even bought bots off of eBay and have gotten them to work with just a cleanout. but again, it comes down to how you feel about taking yr bot apart.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi when i stick the battery on it it turns!!
But when turning it with fingers it steps, if you know what i mean ( like me moving on to the next winding) - I always thought they should turn quite freely!!
Anyone know where i can get a replacement motor? How much?
Do they ship to the UK?
Cheers

TooManyPets · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 32

I'm not sure what you mean by "it steps". Are the gears maybe slipping, like maybe some teeth are broken? Have you opened up the gearbox to check for broken teeth or debris jamming the gears?

Once you figure out what parts you need, you can see about ordering them from www.roombaexchange.com I think he ships to UK.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi

It steps - too me means when you turn the gear just on the end of the motor through 360 its not smoth it steps every 90.

all the gears are alright.

Ive just ran the motor by itself - its ok

ran it with the step down gears on - its ok

manually moved the square receptical that would turn the brushes - all ok.

Put it all back together - STILL DOESNT WORK :(

I take it i need a new motor? (RS-385SH-2270)

Any ideas where i can get one?

Cheers

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi

It steps - too me means when you turn the gear just on the end of the motor through 360 its not smoth it steps every 90.

all the gears are alright.

Ive just ran the motor by itself - its ok

ran it with the step down gears on - its ok

manually moved the square receptical that would turn the brushes - all ok.

Put it all back together - STILL DOESNT WORK :(

I take it i need a new motor? (RS-385SH-2270)

Any ideas where i can get one?

Cheers

Gordon · Posted: May 6, 2008, 9:03 am Post subject:

mornachew wrote: ...It steps - too me means when you turn the gear just on the end of the motor through 360 its not smoth it steps ... The motor is a five-pole permanent-magnet motor. You should feel five magnetic detents as the shaft is rotated one revolution--i.e., every 72º. Quote: ...Ive just ran the motor by itself - its ok...Put it all back together - STILL DOESNT WORK ...I take it i need a new motor? Why would you say you need a new motor? In the same quotation, you said this: mornachew wrote: ...Ive just ran the motor by itself - its ok ! Perhaps you should be asking whether Red's main_PWB has a motor-switch fault, and if so, where you can buy a replacement main_PWB assembly!

The place is the same place where you can buy a motor-gearhead assembly. Two posters have given you the name/link to that place, so re-read older posts in your thread to find it.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Sorry Gordon!!

Got tunnel vision at the moment i also seem to jump both feet first!

Right here it is -- its the PCB!!

I connected it all up and it doesnt work.

Need a new PCB defo :( I either buy one from the stated website or i try fix it -- wsngmartin did you fix yours or did you just buy one??

Cheers

Gordon · Posted: May 6, 2008, 11:31 am Post subject:

mornachew wrote: ...Need a new PCB defo :( I either buy one from the stated website or i try fix it -- ... Regarding fixing the board, search for U11, then review history.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Gordon wrote: mornachew wrote: ...Need a new PCB defo :( I either buy one from the stated website or i try fix it -- ... Regarding fixing the board, search for U11, then review history.

You are a GURU!! :)

http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=5343&highlight=schematic6

This is what you mean eh!

I can see that U11 has burnt out!! :( (on the bottom left corner nearest R19)

Its a N-CHAN MOSFET.
This looks a pig to change - up for a challange though :)

Anyone no the part number or what its called?

Anybody got any good tips for changing this? - would you recommend it Gordon?

just saw this - http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=6590&view=next

You again Gordon!!

i have 3 blank solder holes above U11.
Do i have to take U11 out?

Also which one --http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=irf2804+&x=18&y=10
:) :) :)

Which would you recommend?

the one above?
this - http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=RFP50N06+&x=25&y=9
this - http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=irfz44vz+&x=12&y=16

Thanks for all your help

Cheers

Gordon · Posted: May 6, 2008, 1:17 pm Post subject:

mornachew wrote: ...I can see that U11 has burnt out!!...This looks a pig to change - ... It is; and, requires that a couple good components (probably) be R&R as part of the task! Quote: Anyone no the part number or what its called? No one had published the P/N for that power MOSFET. I think I have run across the part, but, its such a wimp, I don't recommend using it--unless you just like it to serve as a *fuse* to protect the motor-windings!! Quote: Anybody got any good tips for changing this? - would you recommend it Gordon? I have dismounted a duff U11, but have never had occasion to solder in a new part. I think I would use the TO-220 size package if I had to do a replacement. TO-220 is so large that I would want to insert it from the forward face of the PCB. If you do that, make sure the pin-out is correctly maintained. Quote: ...i have 3 blank solder holes above U11. ...Do i have to take U11 out? You will be happier, if you do that! Quote: Also ...Which would you recommend?... I can't take time to re-evaluate those parts, hence, I must depend on the statement which I posted with the list, viz., "At the time (2006) I made that list, I was favoring the top two as alternates for the STM fet.".

Happy soldering and results!

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

[/quote]It is; and, requires that a couple good components (probably) be R&R as part of the task![quote]

Sorry i dont understand! - do you think more components are burnt out?

from your list in 2006 i cant find the top 2 when i put in the first one it brings up 3 different types (http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=irf2804+&x=18&y=1)

and i can get hold of the bottom two.

DO any shops do a part ex on PCB boards that you know?

Im in the UK thats why i was going to do it myself.

Cheers

Gordon · Posted: May 6, 2008, 3:36 pm Post subject:

mornachew wrote: Gordon wrote: It is; and, requires that a couple good components (probably) be R&R as part of the task! Sorry i dont understand! - do you think more components are burnt out? No. I said they are "good"; but, due to congestion, they may be found to hinder tool-access, hence might require removal (or semi-removal) to obtain working clearance. Quote: ...i cant find the ... first one ... Connect to the home URL of the site you failed to find the IRF2804: (http://uk.rs-online.com/), then put 651-8787 in the search-box and click 'Search'. A TO-220 packaged IRF2804 should conform to that stock-number. Quote: DO any shops do a part ex on PCB boards that you know? No. Nor would you be interested in paying for the labor they would charge if there were any such shops. Quote: Im in the UK thats why i was going to do it myself. ... So keep your duff PWB to do some experimental component-replacement on it, but, contact Chris at www.roombaexchange.com to procure a Red-compatible main_PWB assembly. Tell him you are a RR-member (he'll give you a nickel discount :-) ).

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi Gordon

When i go to that site and put in that number it comes up with N-Channel MOSFET 40V 280A TO262 IRF2804
" A TO-220 packaged IRF2804 should conform to that stock-number"

Whats the difference between TO220 and TO262?

Will it be ok?

I value you expert opinion thats why i ask.

mornachew · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 18

Hi Gordon

When i go to that site and put in that number it comes up with N-Channel MOSFET 40V 280A TO262 IRF2804
" A TO-220 packaged IRF2804 should conform to that stock-number"

Whats the difference between TO220 and TO262?

Will it be ok?

I value you expert opinion thats why i ask.