red roomba wheel overload

[pdebruic]

Hi-

I've installed a new battery and charged it overnight and also for the 72 hours. I took the entire the thing apart and cleaned everything. The diagnostic tests all pass. The robot will run for about 5-10 minutes before making the two consecutive 'uh-oh' sounds or the uh-oh sound and then the six beeps indicating that the wheels are stuck. I've been in touch with iRobot and followed their recommendations. Their diagnosis was that there is a 'Wheel Sensor" overload, and at this time they think I should just buy another iRobot.


I bought it at goodwill and it so don't have a lot in it but it for those 5-10 minutes it runs like a champ so I'd like to fix if it possible. I'm thinking that the next thing is replacing the belts. But I have no idea.

What should I check or try next?


Thanks

Paul

[vic7767]

You might consider complete dis-assembly of each wheel, use compressed air to blow out any debris inside the drive motors then re-lube them as well as the planetary gear assemblies. There are two small end caps, one on each end of the axle that will need cleaning as well.

[pdebruic]

Thanks. That worked. I took the wheels apart and disassembled the gearboxes and axles. I did not un-solder the motors. I blew the motors out with canned air. I wiped the gears and shafts with paper towels and an old toothbrush to clean them then coated everything with some white lithium grease and put it back together.

Since then its been working great and now it seems that there is so much hair around the front wheel axle its forcing the struts apart so the front wheel does not go up and down. I'm going to head out to get some small hand saw blades later to try to get that junk out of there before resuming vacuuming everything in sight.


Hopefully it'll all be sorted out before my great pyrenees starts blowing coat.

Thanks again.

[pdebruic]

oop nope. The right wheel now sounds like a blender and is more difficult to turn than the left. I'll take it apart later. Think more grease or another wheel assmbly is in order?

[vic7767]

There are several alignment dependencies to check when drive wheel re-assembly is attempted. The two end caps must seat well into each end of the 3mm axle and the two plastic wheel halves.

[mfortuna]

Be careful using a saw blade to clean hair from the front axle. You may saw through the axle gradually. Don't ask me how I know that!

[Gordon]

Be careful using a saw blade to clean hair from the front axle. You may saw through the axle gradually. ...

Mike, I can't see that ("saw through") happening within the lifetime of a Roomba IF a user pays attention to application of two blades only in grazing contact with the axle, as detailed in this old post: viewtopic.php?p=30417#p30417

IOW: Force applied to the blades need only be sufficient to cause teeth to penetrate the wad of fibers so they rip it to shreds. Upper & lower rows of teeth work in concert, trading jobs of preventing the wad from spinning about the axle, or breaking fiber strands. In only a few seconds the wad converts to fluff that is easily plucked away.

[mfortuna]

In my case I only created a notch in the axle but that is were it broke eventually.

[newmom]

I have had good luck with using a small needle nose pliers to remove the hair from that axel rod.