Roomba 560 problem sensor problem

[peter2463]

Hi everyone,

I´m new here. a few weeks ago I bought my first roomba. the 560 model.
I´m really holding myself back from returning it.
It just wont clean. it cleans for 5 min then it stops and beeps 6 times and a nice trilangual voice says : I must clean roomba´s cliff sensors."
¨
I´ve been cleaning and cleaning and still it will only clean for a few min. I tried all the mods in this forum. with paper an d all. nothing seems to work. Can anyone help!!

Peter

[vic7767]

What is the floor surface color that the Roomba is attempting to clean ?

[peter2463]

it is dark, but not that dark. if I move it to a light floor it is the same. it cleans for 5 min then it stops and "she" speeks

[vic7767]

Your Roomba has 4 cliff sensors located just under the bumper all the way around it. Use a digital camera and check that all 4 IR transmitters are working. You can do this by pressing the Clean button just once, turn your Roomba over and look at each cliff sensor.

You can also check the proximity sensors the same way by pressing the clean button and move the camera around the opaque plastic lens. Of course you don't have to flip the Roomba over for that test.

[peter2463]

done all that and all sensors are working. still won´t clean

[vic7767]

If you have not done so, try a system reset and then a cleaning mission. I understand that you performed the cliff sensor white paper work around. If that didn't stop the Roomba from complaining then you need to contact IRobot for warranty support.

[Mr.Android]

Hi everyone,

I´m new here. a few weeks ago I bought my first roomba. the 560 model.
I´m really holding myself back from returning it.
It just wont clean. it cleans for 5 min then it stops and beeps 6 times and a nice trilangual voice says : I must clean roomba´s cliff sensors."
¨
I´ve been cleaning and cleaning and still it will only clean for a few min. I tried all the mods in this forum. with paper an d all. nothing seems to work. Can anyone help!!

Peter

There is a nice post in this forum about how to take apart the roomba and make sure all the gears motor and etc. are clean. I would do that and next reset roomba: click on spotclean/dockdemo buttons simultaneously. Afterward, with roomba upside down, (to reset the sensors) take the brushes out, hold down the wheels and cover the sensors (not completely) and turn roomba on, you may need an extra hand to do this. Good luck!

[vic7767]

Afterward, with roomba upside down, (to reset the sensors) take the brushes out, hold down the wheels and cover the sensors (not completely) and turn roomba on,

How does this reset the sensors?

[mfortuna]

Afterward, with roomba upside down, (to reset the sensors) take the brushes out, hold down the wheels and cover the sensors (not completely) and turn roomba on,

How does this reset the sensors?

Don't forget you have to stand on one leg with a hand tied behind your back!

[esk3]

Afterward, with roomba upside down, (to reset the sensors) take the brushes out, hold down the wheels and cover the sensors (not completely) and turn roomba on,

I really don't think that that will reset the sensors, but if you want to, you could. It might make you feel better. If you do decide to do it, make sure that you hold the wheels down with by the edge (not the main part of the wheel that turns). That way, if the Roomba decides to run it's wheels, nobody will get hurt.

I still don't think that it will help, though.
Anyone tried it? Did it actually do anything?

[vic7767]

Of Course That Won't Work ! Removing the battery or a system reset WILL work though and that suggestion was already made in this thread.

[esk3]

Cool. That's what I thought.

I wonder where Mr.Android got that idea.

[peter2463]

Also tried a system reset both with taken out the battery and the manual reset. Is there no way to deactivate the sensors? is it possible to like short circuit the sensors?? all ideas are more than welcome!!!

[Fraggboy]

Peter, there is no other way to disable the sensors (Unless voiding the warranty by tampering inside the Roomba). I'm afraid what Vic said earlier is your last resort. Call iRobot for an exchange.

Even though you have verified that the IR emitters are working on the cliff sensors, you can't check the IR collectors (I think that's the correct term). It's the other IR LED that "looks" for the beam (Not lit up). One or more of those might be faulty.

[peter2463]

i am not really concerned abaout the warrenty. so with the warrenty discarded, is there still no workaround?

[Fraggboy]

I don't know. A few of the members here are knowledgeable with electronics. They might be able to help you (Even if it's possible).

You said you have tried the latest mod by using a piece of paper over the cliff sensors. Have you tried using aluminum foil? That has worked for a few people here.

[peter2463]

hi chris,
tried that no such luck, funny why irobot does not launch a one floor roomba. i have no stairs .

[Fraggboy]

I am probably guessing why is so people wouldn't be confused as to which model to get. I'm sure some people would get the "No-Stair" version, and actually have stairs. It would fall down, break and the consumer is demanding that iRobot replaces it, EVEN though they made the mistake.

But, to get to your issue. The older Roomba's (4xxx) one was able to run diagnostics and test different sensors. Accessing the 5xx Roomba's diagnostics is unknown at this time (Don't know the keypress). Vic has said that one can access the different tests via the SCI port (Hooking up the Roomba to your PC). He could tell you what to type in to run the specified cliff sensor test. If you can pin-point which part(s) is/are bad, you can replace them yourself. It might also be something deeper on the PCB, in which you will have to get it exchanged, or toss it.

[mfortuna]

You could try clipping the photodetector leads and tying them together. That would bypass the detector and make the roomba think there is never a cliff. But the problem could be in the cable/circuitry the cliff sensor is connected to and this mod wouldn't help.

If you take the roomba apart and trace the wires you should be able to measure a voltage change on each sensor when there is/isn't a cliff. The best place would be on the main controller board.

[peter2463]

just a theory,,,
if you take the white led in the cliff sensor aray this led, or so I think, sends out a infrared beam to the led reciever and when the reciever detects this beam Bobs your uncle. I was then wondering, would it not be possible to cut the wires from the white led and connect them to the reciever and therebye complete the circuit???