Do older VW/lighthouse work with 500 series?

grittree · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

I'm wanting to pickup a couple of cheap ones but they look much diff than the ones that came with my 550.

Fraggboy · Posted: June 21, 2008, 5:51 am Post subject:

grittree,

They might work, but there is one issue. The 5xx Roomba's 'talk' to the Lighthouses to turn on automatically. The older Virtual Walls either can be scheduled to turn on, or turned on manually. I have never tried it so I can't confirm that the older VW's work.

Maybe someone who as tried it can chime in.

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

The problem you run into is that the newer model Roombas are more sensitive to the early model VWs. Both the Scooba and early Roomba VWs kinda work but you have to experiment with location. Also if you are using the older VWs around your new home base and Light Houses, they will interfer with them if not located far enough away.

fancyfreewv · Posted: June 21, 2008, 11:28 am Post subject:

I use two of the older style scheduling virtual walls all the time with my two 5xx and three LH/VW set to only VW. I have a large open plan home and use these to keep the roombas contained to the area I wish as there are few doors.

Maybe since my rooms are large with little furniture interference, I do not experience any issues with them getting confused with the 5xx models although I can see how that could happen in a smaller size room.