Boundary markers

[Boomerang]

My Neato XV-21 arrived via UPS last evening. It has been charging overnight ready for its first mission today. I noticed that there is not much of a Boundry Marker. If I want to block off a doorway, do I need to have the marker fit within the frame or can I use half the size of the doorway and lay it in the center. If it did lay in the center the both sides of the floor uncovered would be less than the width of the Neato. Would the Neato go into the next room if there is a space? I'd like to get at least 3 marker strips from this but I may need to order another Marker in the future.

[Wing Nut]

How long is the supplied strip in these recent XV-21 shipments? For an XV-11 it used to be about 15ft of magnetic strip which would easily cover 4 - 5 regular doorways to their full width. However, as suggested, a centrally located shorter strip can work OK as long as the gap at each end is narrower than the Neato. It might not be as reliable as a full width strip. My Neato sometimes nudges one of my strips each time it vacuums, so I have to recheck it ocassionally.

[sotm]

Hi Boomerang:

My Neato XV-21 arrived via UPS last evening. It has been charging overnight ready for its first mission today. I noticed that there is not much of a Boundry Marker. If I want to block off a doorway, do I need to have the marker fit within the frame or can I use half the size of the doorway and lay it in the center. If it did lay in the center the both sides of the floor uncovered would be less than the width of the Neato. Would the Neato go into the next room if there is a space? I'd like to get at least 3 marker strips from this but I may need to order another Marker in the future.

I tried to avoid the neato to enter on a carpet using the boundary markers, and my expirience is that even a hole of just 1" is enough for the neato to cross them.

Best regards,
Sinner Of The Meadow

[JEfromCanada]

I tried to avoid the neato to enter on a carpet using the boundary markers, and my expirience is that even a hole of just 1" is enough for the neato to cross them.

To clarify, Neato only has ONE magnetic sensor, located at the front corner of the unit (the corner closest to the wall when in wall-following mode). Unlike Neato's ability to follow a wall without touching it, the way it follows the magnetic strip is by "probing" (i.e. trying to cross) the boundary to see where it ends. As soon as it detects a gap that does not trigger the sensor, it assumes the boundary has ended.

[Boomerang]

The Marker is 15 feet. What I did on first mission is to make 3 markers one is slightly bigger than the 2 remaining. I also had to block off areas because the marker wasn't long enough.
Some observations on first run / my first Neato: It is SLOW moving....the mission didn't go well either. The room has a thick rug and also an oriental rug with fringe. I used the brush (I'm guessing the blades are for floors?). The Neato did a great job on the rug part of both but tangled itself on the fringe a few times and shut down. Neato also said it was lost a couple of times. It finally ran out of battery power and it's back on the charger now. It did pick up quite a lot. It also stood quite a distance from the wall. I've decided not to use it near an oriental rug again. There's another room I'll test it in which has a flat rug and hopefully it will finish the mission and go back to the charger.
Does anyone shut the Neato down completely or do you leave it in charge mode when it's completely charged?

[chris-s]

Let the Neato connected to its dock.? If you don't, the battery is going down, and you can't run when needed.

[vic7767]

The Neato battery pair receives a trickle charge all the time unless it is shut down. I only shut mine down if I don't plan on using it for a week or more.

[Boomerang]

The Neato battery pair receives a trickle charge all the time unless it is shut down. I only shut mine down if I don't plan on using it for a week or more.

Thanks Vic....I'll leave it on the charger....I added a surge suppressor to the line. I have it running now on the flat rug. Also going over the manual. Got to find out how to change from brush to the flapper. I used a regular vacuum to clean the filter and the bin after emptying contents. I may need to clean the brush the same way.
I miss a handle to carry it as the one on my Roomba 580. If it had a side brush and a handle it would be perfect (that is if the side brush cleaned along the wall).

[Blind Guy]

Boomerang;

The Neato IS equipped with a handle, it's opposite the opening used to remove the Dust Bin. If you put your fingers in the slot to remove the Dust Bin, just rotate your finngers 180 degrees and there's another slot provided in which you can use to pick up the Neato.

Also, if you want Neato to vacuum your rug with the tassles, just prior to running Neato, tuck the tassles under the rug and it will do fine.

David (aka Blind Guy)

[Boomerang]

Boomerang;

The Neato IS equipped with a handle, it's opposite the opening used to remove the Dust Bin. If you put your fingers in the slot to remove the Dust Bin, just rotate your finngers 180 degrees and there's another slot provided in which you can use to pick up the Neato.

Also, if you want Neato to vacuum your rug with the tassles, just prior to running Neato, tuck the tassles under the rug and it will do fine.

David (aka Blind Guy)

Thank you....I'll look for this handle....but it does make me worry to think of it falling if the dust bin comes loose...
About the tassels.....it's a big bulky rug....if the tassels go under the edge it will make a slight hill (I believe)....but I should try anyway to see what happens.

The second mission was on a flat rug....this went well. I emptied the bin and the filter was very clogged as was the first mission.....just tapping it on the side of a bin did nothing....I needed the vacuum crevice tool. Also after 2 missions the brush needed to be vacuumed also ....there was hair and lint wrapped around it. I found out how to remove the brush but had somewhat of a difficult time replacing it due to the rubber band going around one of the ends.
I must admit the Roomba with AeroVac upgrade doesn't need to have a filter or a brush vacuum after use. Just a tap of the filter on the waste basket.....and it's clean. I normally give the Roomba a thorough cleaning but the dust isn't visible.
It needs to run many missions before an actual comparison can be made as to maintence between the 2.
I'm going to stay with the Roomba 580 on my tiled kitchen because it does an excellent job.

[JEfromCanada]

Thank you....I'll look for this handle....but it does make me worry to think of it falling if the dust bin comes loose...

The "handle" is accessed from the same depression as you access the dustbin, but it's on the opposite side from the bin. Instead of tucking your fingers under the orange "lip" (which is the dustbin release), tuck your fingers under the non-coloured lip (opposite the orange lip) that is positioned closer to the front bumper. That's the handle.

[djos]

Poor fellow, he's BeEn suck in Roomba land too long.

[chris-s]

The Neato battery pair receives a trickle charge all the time

Trickle charge is about 4,2W. Charging after a run is about 45W

[Boomerang]

Thank you....I'll look for this handle....but it does make me worry to think of it falling if the dust bin comes loose...

The "handle" is accessed from the same depression as you access the dustbin, but it's on the opposite side from the bin. Instead of tucking your fingers under the orange "lip" (which is the dustbin release), tuck your fingers under the non-coloured lip (opposite the orange lip) that is positioned closer to the front bumper. That's the handle.

You're correct Didn't realize this....the Neato is on the second floor and needed an easy way to transport.
Thanks.

[Wing Nut]

I tried to avoid the neato to enter on a carpet using the boundary markers, and my expirience is that even a hole of just 1" is enough for the neato to cross them.

To clarify, Neato only has ONE magnetic sensor, located at the front corner of the unit (the corner closest to the wall when in wall-following mode). Unlike Neato's ability to follow a wall without touching it, the way it follows the magnetic strip is by "probing" (i.e. trying to cross) the boundary to see where it ends. As soon as it detects a gap that does not trigger the sensor, it assumes the boundary has ended.

I've been told that it's a point sensor, and my experiments with 'dotted' lines of small rare earth magnets sort of confirm thus, but I've also read on another thread that it senses across the full width. However, I use a length of boundary marker to stop my Neato from attempting to go under a cabinet. The strip is too short at each end by about half a Neato width, yet it has never crossed the strip.

[JEfromCanada]

The only times I've been successful covering up less than a full gap with a magnetic strips are cases where an obstacle (such as a wall or furniture leg) has caused one of the contact sensors to interrupt the Neato's progress.

I have one area of the house that has a strip between two rooms with a height difference between floors. The strip is short by 1.5" on each side of the gap. It's almost always is sufficient to stop the Neato, but Neato has managed to cross the boundary twice in a period of a year. I assume it's because it approached the gap from just the right angle (straight on, rather than following the wall around the adjacent corner). The "wide turn" on that wall seems to put the sensor into range of the magnetic strip, whereas coming at the gap directly will sometimes allow the sensor to miss the strip.

[Dr. Woo]

To clarify, Neato only has ONE magnetic sensor, located at the front corner of the unit (the corner closest to the wall when in wall-following mode).

Wrong. According to my contact at Neato Robotics (one of the lead engineers) the XV-11/12/15/21/25 has TWO magnetic sensors, one on either front corner.

[vic7767]

A picture is worth a 1000 words.

[JEfromCanada]

I stand corrected - but now have no idea how Neato could occasionally roll past the magnetic strip I have laid down across an archway, 2" before a change in floor heights.

[djos]

None of mine have ever gone past the boundary marker, ever.