Roomba 530 - Runs a few seconds and gives up!?

[PaulyD]

Hello All,

Any thoughts on this? I'm helping fix the in-laws (!) Roomba 530. We start it from a green Clean button on the dock and it gets between 3 and 10 centimeters before giving up.

When it gives up it sits there with the clean button flashing green (all others off), it plays what sounds like a happy tune (6ish notes, all rising), and then briefly tries to start again (the motors/fans whir for a split second). It then repeats until you either turn it over or sometimes after a while it goes silent and flashes a red clean button. If you drop it back on the dock it just starts again (no need to press a button, off it goes) until it gets off the dock and the above repeats.

I assumed this was a bad battery and stuck in a spare I had - but it's exactly the same. Perhaps gets a few more centimeters with the new battery, even turned around once, but that's it.

Could I have two bad batteries (the "spare" has been sat on my shelf for a year or two since I bought it to fix my Roomba and it turned out to be needed)?

Or does this sound more terminal?

I've checked everything else, sensors look clean, wheels are free of debri and turn freely, etc.

Please, help me win favour with the in-laws!

P

[iMayne]

You just may need a new battery. Try holding down both buttons: spot and dock until the robot restarts. But you need a new battery or a charger that can recharge nimh batteries.

[theirobotchannel]

I think definitely you need new Battery

[PaulyD]

You just may need a new battery. Try holding down both buttons: spot and dock until the robot restarts. But you need a new battery or a charger that can recharge nimh batteries.

Thanks for the advice!

I've tried the reset, but that makes no difference. I'm thinking new battery too, but what do you mean by a charger? I could rescue the batteries I have with an external charger?

[iMayne]

...I've tried the reset, but that makes no difference. I'm thinking new battery too, but what do you mean by a charger? I could rescue the batteries I have with an external charger?

Those chargers are not your "normal" charger. Those are professional charger. Just do a google search for nimh battery charger.

[vic7767]

Here's a great little smart charger with a thermal sensor. I use it to charge up my Roomba and Scooba batteries.

http://www.onlybatteries.com/showitem.a ... 2&uid=1041

[Jubo]

Is the 6ish sound you describe like the sound when you do a reset or when putting in a new battery? If it is, you could have a problem with the motherboard instead of the battery. The way you described sounds like roomba is always resetting itself.

[vic7767]

If you drop it back on the dock it just starts again (no need to press a button, off it goes) until it gets off the dock and the above repeats.

There is a small dome button that may have collapsed located under the clean button. When you press the clean button is there any tactile movement ?

[rush]

Guys, my Roomba does the same thing...

Walk off the dock, turn around, start forward and then sings the tuu-tuuuuruu-ruu sound, flashing red light....

Battery dead?

[vic7767]

One sure way to determine the health of the battery is to measure to fully charged voltage level 16.5 to 17 vdc and then apply a 2 amp load to the battery. Observe the time frame from starting the load test until 12 vdc is reached. If the result is at least an hour or more then the battery is good to go.

[rush]

Vic, the seller does not mention anything about protection...
Here is the product page:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shi ... 99459.html

To make a load of 2A on battery, should i use a 8 Ohm resistor?
V = R I
14.4V = R * 2
R = 7.2 ohms

[mfortuna]

You can use 1 or 2 automotive tailight bulbs as well.

[rush]

You can use 1 or 2 automotive tailight bulbs as well.

Perfect... Those brake light bulbs are 21W...

[TechGuy]

...

When it gives up it sits there with the clean button flashing green (all others off), it plays what sounds like a happy tune (6ish notes, all rising),

Is the happy tune played when you put in the battery?
Remove the battery and put the battery again. Please report back.

and then briefly tries to start again (the motors/fans whir for a split second). It then repeats until you either turn it over or sometimes after a while it goes silent and flashes a red clean button. If you drop it back on the dock it just starts again (no need to press a button, off it goes) until it gets off the dock and the above repeats.

If the tune is the battery installation tune, the +5VREG is cut in and out.

Measure the resistance of R138. If it is more than 1 ohm, replace it.

Soon after the +5VREG is restored and the battery installation song, the high current going through the R138 produces large voltage drop across the R138. As a result, the voltage input to the Buck Converter circuit will be lowered to the point that +5VREG output is cut off. Without +5VREG, MCU will shutdown.

As soon as the current going through the R138 is lowered, the proper input voltage is restored to the input of the Buck Converter which in turn restoring the +5VREG. MCU is reboot and then the battery installation song... The whole sequence of events will be repeated over until you take the battery out.