Hi - I'm new here Problem with my robot

catlady1316 · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Illinois

OMG! I just found this board - maybe someone can help. I hope this is the right place to post this. I just got my first robot, Shirley (530), in early January. She's been amazing! I belong to a cat rescue, and foster cats in my home, along with my own kitties. Right now, there are 21 of them, plus 3 parrots. Shirley has been fantastic - my old carpet has never looked better! Two weeks ago though, I set her off to clean, and after about two minutes she was beeping to have her brushes cleaned. After about a half dozen times of taking the brushes out, putting them back in, running for two minutes at a time, she finally decided to keep running. I was in the other room, and after about an hour (normal time to cleran her brushes), I went in and noticed she wasn't really picking up any bird seed and stuff. The dirt bin was empty! The other thing I noticed is the dirt detect light doesn't come on anymore. I have taken her apart, cleaned everything I can clean hair out of, but no help. I did contact irobot - they are sending me a new Cleaning Head module - unfortunately, it is on back order. I haven't been able to vacuum for 2 weeks now! I'm getting desperate! Does anyone have any suggestions, or has anyone had this problem?

THanks so much!!! :D :(

THX-1138 · Posted: May 14, 2008, 9:56 pm Post subject:

Hello Catlady :D Welcome to this fun forum of Roomba fanatics! :wink:

I recommend some basic troubleshooting before moving forward:

Press AND hold the SPOT and DOCK buttons while your robot is ON. Let go of the buttons as soon as you hear the nice lady from iRobot speak about the Roomba. This procedure will set your robot in Demo mode and will run a sequence of "self tests" (check vacuum fan, light indicators, brushes, drive motors, logic circuits, etc.). If the Demo runs without issues and you are able to confirm that the mentioned items work at the time they are announced then you MAY OK in order to continue troubleshooting. If the demo stops with error code then we need to know what they are to start from there. Hope this points you to the right path to find out what is wrong.
:wink:

Regards,

Nikolai (THX-1138)

catlady1316 · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Illinois

Thanks, Nikolai

I tried what you suggested. I did not get any error codes. She ran again for about a minute and told me she needed her brushes cleaned. Sigh......

THX-1138 · Posted: May 14, 2008, 10:36 pm Post subject:

So you are telling me that the impeller fan in the dust bin works and both brushes turn without hesitation? Did you attempt to open up the gear box and look inside for accumulated animal hair? :?

catlady1316 · Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Illinois

How do you open the gearbox?

THX-1138 · Posted: May 14, 2008, 10:52 pm Post subject:

Here is some information that will assist you :

http://www.roombareview.com/wiki/Cleaning