How to fix Roomba Not Charging:- If your Roomba is not charging, wipe the charging ports with a soft cloth and some rubbing alcohol to remove any dust, hair, or muck collection. You may also need to reinstall or replace your battery or charging dock, or even reset the Roomba to factory settings.
Methods to fix Roomba Not Charging
The following are some of the methods:
Perform Cleaning of the docking station
If the Roomba does not receive an adequate power source, it may fail to charge.
One of the most common causes is dirt buildup on the charging connections. It serves as the link between the ports and the outlet.
As a result, it is necessary to clean the docking station of trash regularly. It may provide a quick solution to your problem.
Here are the actions to take:
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- Flip the Roomba over and remove it from the caster wheel.
- Check that the wheels are free of debris.
- Clean the charging contacts with rubbing alcohol and a gentle cloth.
Ensure that the electrical contact points are clean.
I recall seeing an iRobot commercial for the Roomba 600 series with the tagline “cleans hard so you don’t have to.”
The Roomba does keep your house clean, but it needs some love and effort to do so.
As a result, it is best to clean the Roomba every other day to avoid several difficulties that could result in a shorter lifespan.
Electric contacts, for example, are infamous for generating an oxide layer or amassing gunk and dust on the charging port.
Furthermore, you do not need to hire a professional to deep clean your Roomba. All you need are a few simple household cleaning products that can be found at Walmart or any mom-and-pop store.
To clean the contact sites, use a soft, dry cloth and 99% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.
Cleaning the charging contacts with a microfiber cloth or damp melamine foam is another fantastic option.
If cleaning does not resolve the charging problem, we must proceed to troubleshoot.
Restart the Roomba.
Often, the issue is with the program rather than the hardware. As a result of a flaw, the Roomba may not signal that it is charging. In actuality, it could be and you’re unaware of it!
As a result, as our initial step, we shall execute a soft reset. The Roomba is restarted, but its settings are not reset to factory defaults.
The following are the steps for resetting the Roomba:
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- Hold down the clean and dock buttons on the device.
- Once you hear a beep from it, release the buttons.
- When you plug the Roomba back in, it should start up and display the charging indicator.
- Roomba 700 and 800 series units, on the other hand, have a dedicated reset button. You may gently reset it by holding it down for 10 seconds.
Use a different power outlet
Before delving into thorough cleaning and more sophisticated troubleshooting approaches, we should double-check our wiring and sockets.
When you plug in the Home Base, the power light should flash.
If you don’t see the light, the GFCI outlet has most likely tripped. Connect to a different power outlet and check sure your connections are tight while plugging in.
Replace the Battery
The battery may become displaced or loose from its location during shipping or for other causes.
Make sure the battery is in the appropriate place before we decide to replace it or claim the warranty.
Remove five screws on the rear panel to gain access to the battery compartment, then reinstall the battery tightly. After that, replace the screws and plug in the Roomba.
What is the battery life of a Roomba?
The battery is the Roomba’s heart and soul. As a result, even slight issues with it can have an impact on the robot’s functionality.
The Roomba battery, on the other hand, can survive hundreds of cleaning cycles if properly maintained.
Each run lasts between an hour and two hours (should run longer initially). In addition, I discovered that the typical charging time is around 2 hours.
Before charging the robot, I recommend removing the yellow pull tab. Also, when you get a new Roomba, charge it overnight and use it till it dies.
Another wonderful approach to extend the battery life of your Roomba is to remove the battery when not in use.
For example, while on vacation, leave the battery disconnected. When you’re ready to use it again, replace the battery, charge it, and use it until the battery is completely depleted.
Battery replacement
You can replace the battery if you believe it is underperforming or faulty.
However, there are numerous battery options on the market; how do you choose the best one?
Original iRobot batteries are recommended for optimal operation. With appropriate maintenance, you can extend its life and avoid charging difficulties.
Here are a few pointers to help you extend the life of your Roomba’s battery:
Because the Roomba has a rechargeable battery, frequent use can result in more cleaning cycles.
Charge and store in a cool, dry location.
Clean the gadget on a regular basis to avoid hair or dust accumulation.
When not in use, plug the Roomba into the charger to keep it constantly charging.
Also, when charging fresh lithium-ion batteries, be patient. You must allow it to “wake up.”
To begin, set the base station on a level surface and plug it in. An indicator LED should light up.
Then place the Roomba on it and wait till the base station goes out and the Roomba’s light starts blinking and then goes out.
It denotes that the smartphone is now charging. You may have to wait ten seconds or more.
Reset the Roomba to factory settings
If none of the above solutions worked, you can conduct a factory reset. A hard reset restores the device to its factory default settings, making it as good as new in terms of software.
It is an effective method for dealing with faulty memory or software problems that affect charging.
The methods to factory reset your Roomba are simple and take less than ten seconds:
Hold down the Clean button for ten seconds.
When the indicator lights flash, release the device, and it should restart.
Any customized settings or schedules that you saved on the Roomba will be lost if you perform a factory reset. You can, however, reprogram it again.
Contact Customer Service
If there is a problem with the Roomba, the troubleshooting light will flash.
The number of blinks corresponds to an error code. There are numerous such problem codes, the most common of which is error code 8, and you may learn more about them by using the iRobot app on your phone or PC.
If you require clarification on the codes or general assistance with your Roomba, call iRobot customer service at 1-877-855-8593. More contact information is available on their website.
Try claiming your Roomba’s warranty.
If none of the alternatives worked to repair the charging issues, you may have a malfunctioning Roomba.
If your product is still under warranty, you can contact iRobot directly to request a replacement or refurbishment.
However, outside of the warranty period, you may be required to pay additional fees to iRobot or any third-party service provider to address any internal circuit concerns.
Allow the specialists to take over once you’ve exhausted your troubleshooting options.
Replace the Docking Station
The docking station, like the battery, can be replaced if it becomes problematic. If cleaning the dock did not help, consider looking for a replacement dock.
If you have a warranty, iRobot will replace the dock within a week. You can also search the free market for a compatible one for your Roomba.
Charge Your Roomba or Pay to Get a New One
If you know the Roomba battery is dead and needs to be replaced, a short hack can jumpstart it and give it a few more cleaning cycles.
Simply put, jump-starting the lithium-ion battery with a fully charged battery is not recommended by the makers.
It won’t be as efficient, but it should keep the Roomba running for a few more days.
Connect the dead battery to the fully charged one using a 14-gauge copper wire through the matching connections. Tape them together for roughly two minutes.
Remove the battery and insert it into the Roomba. It should now begin charging.
Furthermore, while troubleshooting, keep an eye on the charger flashing LEDs. A flashing red light, for example, indicates that the battery is overheating.
Similarly, a flashing red and green light indicates that the battery is not properly positioned in the battery compartment. The iRobot app has more information on the codes.
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