A little bit from fallingdown!

masterzone · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Hi Guys, this is Alex from Italy, first post here. I've 560 Roomba from two months...all is ok..only a question about cliff sensor:

Yesterday I decided to leave the 560 on my room up stairs, here you can find the photo:

(on warning icon you can find the stairs)

After some minutes, I founded Roomba stopped with the frontal wheel outside the first step...fortunately roomba was not falled down stairs :)
I cheked the cliff sensor but all is ok.

I restarted roomba, and I noticed that sensor working fine because everytime roomba was near of steps stop it self and go away on the room..

I was here with roomba to take a look...and I founded when it remain blocked with frontal wheel on the steps! when it come quickly and directly from the away point of the room (you can find the tapisroulant), near the wall (big white Arrows)...it don't stop!...
But if it come from other direction it stops....but not if it come quickly from the final of the room (white arrow)...
Some tips about?

ps: today I've tried around stairs here in my office..all is fine...bah!
thanks

vic7767 · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 3410 Location: Louisiana

Do not place a lot of trust in your Roombas cliff sensors. To prevent major damage, you can use your Virtual Walls to prevent your Roomba falling down the stairs.

fancyfreewv · Posted: June 11, 2008, 6:24 pm Post subject:

I agree with Vic but also be aware your floors are the same color as your steps and also shiny.

Roomba has issues sometimes with reflections and shiny things.

bobnielson · Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 279

My first roomba fell down some stairs and go "Boom". The cliff sensor is NOT to be trusted!

masterzone · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Hi Guys, thanks for replaied me, I thought about shiny pink marble of my steps here...the strange tip that maybe roomba don't see in time when it's near a first step from a quikly stright line from away (sorry for my english).
Anyway I'll put a VW next time to prevent falling down..
Alex

arnard · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 42

It looks like you may end up with a similar problem to one I had. You will need to place a virtual wall out in the open where it could be bumped.

This thread shows a possible solution: http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewtopic.php?p=53047

FunNut · Posted: June 14, 2008, 10:19 am Post subject:

I realize what I'm going to suggest is NOT the way Roomba should be controlled, but here goes. What I would do is find a box about the size of the step (narrow, and the width of the step). Put HEAVY items in the box, maybe magazines you don't want anymore. Place the box on the first step down to make a wall. When Roomba bumps the box he will turn.

I use all sorts of items to block my Roomba: boxes, chairs, phone books, benches. I have a large house with many doorways and like to confine Arr Tuu to one large room at a time for a full hour. I don't mind setting a timer and doing the physical blocking. This makes Arr Tuu less self-running, but I'm so happy to be not vacuuming, I don't care.

Hope this English doesn't give you a headache! :D

masterzone · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

I maybe found solutions.... dirty dust on wheels...roomba can't breake enough...:)

fancyfreewv · Posted: June 15, 2008, 7:21 am Post subject:

masterzone wrote: I maybe found solutions.... dirty dust on wheels...roomba can't breake enough...:)

Masterzone, there are not brakes that stop this from happening. Dirt/dust on wheels is not a good thing so cleaning will help I'm sure.

When you turn it over, the openings behind the front bumper have the sensors for the cliffs. A change in what the Roomba "sees" with those sensors signals it to back up and turn away. This is why we have trouble with black edges on carpet in the 5xx series. Roomba sees a color change and thinks it's a cliff.

This is why I mentioned the light color marble. Since it's shiny and the same color as the floor, possibly Roomba goes over the edge and doesn't recognize the step as a change in surface or the surface reflects into the sensor.

Cleaning the front sensor openings often with compressed air or canned air may help this situation too. Otherwise you are back to blocking it with a VW.

Some things can't be fixed using a Roomba unless you prevent it from going to an area. :lol:

tum · Joined: 26 Apr 2008 Posts: 41

Putting some black tape on the top step will probably fix the issue but you have deside whether it looks bad or not :-)

roddenshaw · Joined: 30 Aug 2007 Posts: 165 Location: London, UK.

masterzone wrote: I maybe found solutions.... dirty dust on wheels...roomba can't breake enough...:)

Masterzone may have a point here... the surface doesn't look as if it will offer much traction and I do remember a case of a dirt dog going for a swim in someone's pool after it was unable to stop on the wet pool-side (previously it had been found hanging over the pool edge but the only occasion that it actually slid into the pool was when traction had been reduced).

Whilst the Roomba doesn't have 'brakes' per se, reversing the wheel motors does give a braking effect...

masterzone · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

thanks to all....
Maybe the solution is clean the rear wheels.
Is not the marble material because when roomba is near step but with slow appraching it stop gently and chance way..

But if roomba come quickly, maybe the dust on the wheel (gum material) don't give to roomba the possibility to brake in time :)

Mz