Charging Error 3

[mark206000]

Thanks for your reply Gordon.

I've cleaned the area all around U8 and Q17&18 with an electronics cleaner and a soft toothbrush, didn't make any difference unfortunately.

I'm not an expert in electronics, I can handle a soldering iron and a multi-meter and know my way around a bit.

Can U8 be replaced with another LM324DG ? such as this one: http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/displayProduct.jsp?sku=1211103&CMP=KNC-GUK-FUK-GEN-SKU-MDC&mckv=s1Gj5yuSW|pcrid|39067406768|kword|lm324dg|match|p|plid|&gclid=CNOopN3-_sACFa7KtAodnT0AKA

[Gordon]

Thanks for your reply Gordon.

Righto!

I've cleaned the area all around U8 and Q17&18 with an electronics cleaner and..., didn't make any difference ...Can U8 be replaced with another LM324DG ? such as this one: @uk.farnell.com...

Yes.
However, by resorting to that "shotgun" approach, you may have just engaged in a SOIC SMD soldering drill.

I say that because that IC may be fine, thus the fault lies elsewhere; such as with resistive voltage dividers that feed signals to U8. You can verify things like that by following this link (that I indirectly gave you): viewtopic.php?p=117112#p117112

Or, the fault might lie somewhere that we know nothing about!

[dan1976]

Hi,

Need your help!!
I have just opened my roomba. After receiving "charging error 3". It looks like the battery licked over capacitor C112. I removed the capacitor expecting it to solve the issue, still the charging error repeated it self.

Few questions:
1. Are you familiar with C112 capacitance number?
2. Do you think the problem is reoccurring because of the missing capacitor? is there something else I'm missing?

Thanks,
Dan

[Gordon]

... It looks like the battery licked over capacitor C112.

I presume "licked" ought to be "leaked", correct?

I removed the capacitor expecting it to solve the issue, still the charging error repeated it self.

Few questions:
1. Are you familiar with C112 capacitance number?

I do not know its capacitance. However, like so many other such capacitors seen on these PCAs I think its function is to absorb some of the local electrical noise to provide a more even, or smoothed signal to the MCU. Its value is probably in the range: 0.001 uF to 0.01 uF.

2. Do you think the problem is reoccurring because of the missing capacitor?

No. But, if the fault just happened to be associated with conductive salts--deposited around & under C112--from the leaked battery electrolyte; and if you failed to clean up the board space between C112's two solder pads, then residual salts could impact signal level out of U8. I'm tending to recall that the C112 end of U8 processes "temperature", which is not an err3 threat.

is there something else I'm missing? ...

Have you read enough reference posts to understand how U8 (and its peripheral components) relates to the charging-err3 fault? You should have discovered this viewtopic.php?p=120477#p120477 as you read page one of this thread.

[rush]

My Roomba just got dead because of Err3...

I don´t get this error every time that I put on charging... It has a error rate of +/- 50:1, what means that when I need to charge it, i stay 10 minutes plugging and unplugging untill a sucessful recharge!
Since the problem is not "always", I think it should be related to a bad solder or contact... If a CI has burned, it would not charge 100% of the time!
I´ve tried to clean and resolder battery "plugs" since my old battery has leaked in the PCB (it was green/gray around the contacts), but got no sucess.

I´ve read some posts about how to test Q17 and Q18, but they don´t have "dumb proof instructions"...
Anyone have further instructions of how to test Q17/18?
Any replacement? I just could not found ZXMP4A16 or BP250 to buy...

[Pierre]

Wonderful explanation and pictures!
I had this message and I saw the corrosion on the two components C112 and R252. Without your message I would have never pay attention to these 2 small components on the mother board. A toothbrush operation and that’s it, no more message (I had to reset it, but before the toothbrush it didn't solve the issue)
Thank you.
Pierre
I

[JamaicanKetchup]

Blinks Three Times, Displays "Err3", or Says "Charging Error 3"
You need to reset the Roomba's software. To do this, hold the two buttons above and below CLEAN simultaneously for 10 seconds. Then try charging your Roomba again.

[a1robotrepair]

My error 3
U8 Pin Readings
1 2.64v
2 2.64v
3 2.64v
4 7.88v
5 2.87v
6 2.9v
7 2.9v
8 2.58v
9 2.58v
10 2.56v
11 0.06v
12 0.096
13 0.097v
14 0.54v

From previous posts appears U8 and input components are fine.
Assumption? Output of U8 A1 #1 component failure.
Fail BIT 11, 20 thru 26 all for current.
Has anyone traced A1 out to the corresponding components on a R2: R172, C57 and R108 on an R3
I have checked for 2 hours now and can only find very high resistive values on clipper diodes near CPU, somewhat expected.
Thanks

[a1robotrepair]

Tested again and CE3 went away after more through cleaning and touching the pins on U8 with a hot iron, 260C.
However, the MCA stills fails BIT 11 and BIT 23 for current, the DOCK light.
The battery is fully charged, maybe overcharged?
I'm going to put it together and run it for a while and test again at a later date.
Ref:
IRobot Nimh Battery new 17V
BIT 11 U8 Out. BIT 23 U8 Out
A1=1.25V A1=1.24V
A2=2.9V A2=2.9V
A3=2.4V A3=2.4V
A4=1.25V A4=1.25V
These values are exactly what I would expect, Now to the donor boards.

[a1robotrepair]

R3 560 MCA back in business.
Put older IRobot 2.2 Ni Cad in that has about 1800M ah, unused for sometime, 10.8 OC Volts. Fast charged for 1/2 hour, battery reset, then charged another hour,
560 MCA passes all IRobot BITs.

[vic7767]

A properly charged iRobot stock R3 NiMH battery will indicate a stored voltage of 17 to 17.5 vdc..

[a1robotrepair]

Hi Vic,
Long time no talk. Hope all is well!
30 year old DMM, a nice one in its time, Values read are somewhat accurate.
I now have fixed 2 boards with what I think were identical problems, a high resistance short on the output of Q8 A1 pin 1.

[a1robotrepair]

I have resurrected 8 R3 boards from CE3 or BIT 11, BIT 20 thru 26 current failure. All were either high resistance shorts or open connections to U8 A4 and A1 inputs and outputs or associated components. I find it invaluable to run the entire BITs before testing U8 as they expose other problems. The most helpful devices in these repairs was Marine OD Electronic Cleaner and a hard bristle toothbrush. I cleaned the boards in a 4" diameter around the battery contacts and U8 on both sides of the board before testing. 5 boards were good after cleaning.
Read all these posts for a much better understanding:
(over in justinkau's thread)
Quad OpAmp at U8 Supports Three R3-Roomba Sensors
Schematic1
I have 2 560rf, 4 540rf, 1 560lite and a 530 MCB without a home. Happy Troubleshooting!

[vic7767]

Hi Vic,
Long time no talk. Hope all is well!

Things are going great here in the shop. That's some good work and info on the ERR 3 issue. There are so many different conditions that cause this particular error thanks for adding to the list.]

[rush]

Guys, I've opened my roomba again for hopefully make it work after cleaning with isoprophil alcohol... Well, didn't worked... Err3 still persist.
But I've noticed another thing: when my roomba is with battery and off, I can hear very well a buzzing sound... Is this normal?

[vic7767]

Where is the buzzing sound coming from, the Roomba or the home base ? Either way that is not good.

[rush]

I have no words to describe how happy I am to dont hear the f* voice of Charging error 3! It worked!
I've resoldered all components around U8...
When I inserted back the battery, the buzzing sound went away (the 1st sign that something changed).
Everything working back!
Many thanks all of you by helping!

[rush]

Dead again!

Now im looking for a working logic board to buy, has anyone have one for sale?

[kafer1964]

I bought the QD Electric cleaner and used it on two 530 Roombas I had a charging error 3 on. Holy mackeral one works like a champ, the other I finished today and I am happy to say is charging right now as I type this! I am super hyped! I was going to part them out but now I am happy to say this really worked on my two! I have two 560's that have the 9 beep bumper and cliff sensor errors on. I found a fellow on eBay that rebuilds the bumper sensors in exchange for your old ones. I will report on how those work.

[a1robotrepair]

I'm that Guy, a1robotrepair on eBay. I have 2 540 RF MCUs and 1 530 MCU without homes. I currently am sold out of bumper sensor arrays. Read my post just above and search these posts for a better understanding of U8 & CE 3.
justinkau's thread
Quad OpAmp at U8 Supports Three R3-Roomba Sensors
Schematic1