Please help make list of all Scooba mods

[stainedsteelinc]

Hello,

I would like to write a comprehensive Scooba maintenance/repair manual, and am asking some community help.

Right now, I am trying to generate a list of all common Scooba mods. I am defining "Mod" as any physical change that results in a desired result (either fixes, upgrades, etc.). If you have any suggestions, or a good picture of anything located below, please let me know! I will update this first post every night to incorporate the new suggestions.

EDIT: I will include a general credits/"thanks" page in the final document, but I am not planning on crediting each individual contribution throughout the final version of the manual! If you don't want me to use your suggestion in the final version, or would like more credit than just the credit/"thanks" page, please let me know in your post!

MODS:
-Make Virtual Wall run on AC power
-Use bumper extenders to stop Scooba from getting stuck under cabinets
-Cut blades out of tachometer to make Scooba go faster (http://www.robotreviews.com/chat/viewto ... mod#p87474)
-Replace power switch with mouse button switches (several references around RR about this)

Thanks for your help! I plan to make the manual available free for everyone, and to contribute my content to the wiki (once its finished).

~Abe

[piokrza]

If this thread wasn't opened before? I fell like I saw this earlier...

[roboroomba]

it was, but that one was on the problems not the modding

http://www.robotreviews.com/chat/viewto ... =1&t=14531

[helliko]

One of the problems with scooba is that it leaves behind a lot of water on the floor making it suboptimal for wood floors and probably leaving behind a lot of dirt. I tried attaching a swiffer wetjet disposable pad (with velcro strips) and it fits perfectly behind the brush roll (in between the wheels). This worked well in my "dry" run but once the pad gets soaked with water it grows too large and ends up lifting the wheels off the floor causing navigation issues.

Has anyone modified a scooba(300, 400 series, not the 230) to attach a cleaning rag behind the brushroll? Interested in hearing thoughts on this

[RonC]

I believe the Scooba leaving a lot of water can be in part from a blockage in the tube running through the tank from the Dry Vacuum port to the Filter port. I have cleaned this tube out with a 1/2" pipe brush at least 18 inches long. (A 5/8" brush might work better.) Stick the brush down the oval hole that connects to the Dry Vacuum Port and it should come out the hole connecting to the Filter port. Flush plenty of water down the Dry Vacuum Port when you do this. I am wondering if the Cleaning head ports are connected into this tube inside the tank. I have bought 22 of the 3xx Scoobas off Ebay in the past year and I am always surprised by the amount of filth I pull out. I have four wrecked tanks where the Solution Valve is pushed in so I plan to cut one open along the weld lines to figure out how everything works in there. I think iFixit under the 390 Scooba looks like a good place to post what I find. I am currently working on a cleaning guide for there. I've not seen my observation documented in the Scooba Service Manual or in any YouTube videos.

[CodaCM]

I believe the Scooba leaving a lot of water can be in part from a blockage in the tube running through the tank from the Dry Vacuum port to the Filter port. I have cleaned this tube out with a 1/2" pipe brush at least 18 inches long. (A 5/8" brush might work better.) Stick the brush down the oval hole that connects to the Dry Vacuum Port and it should come out the hole connecting to the Filter port. Flush plenty of water down the Dry Vacuum Port when you do this. I am wondering if the Cleaning head ports are connected into this tube inside the tank. I have bought 22 of the 3xx Scoobas off Ebay in the past year and I am always surprised by the amount of filth I pull out. I have four wrecked tanks where the Solution Valve is pushed in so I plan to cut one open along the weld lines to figure out how everything works in there. I think iFixit under the 390 Scooba looks like a good place to post what I find. I am currently working on a cleaning guide for there. I've not seen my observation documented in the Scooba Service Manual or in any YouTube videos.

Hey Ron if you don’t mind if I ask this, what models of Scoobas do you have?

[RonC]

(2) - 5800
(1) - 5801
(1) - 5806
(6) - 5900
(3) - 6050
(2) - 6051
(3) - 33501
(3*) - 390 *one of these has the User Interface from a 5900
(1) - Harlequin - The brains of a 5900 but pieces parts from 5800, 5900, and the tank from a 385? I robbed from a 5800 and a 5900 to get a bunch of the above working and then at the end, I found I could combine the stripped ones into one along with parts from a few E-bay purchases.
1 more 5800 in transit.
(2) - 230 Haven't driven these. 1 is pristine, new in box and should be in a museum, and one in transit which I hope to use for a weekly driver.
(2) - 450 Cleaned up and got new batteries yesterday. Haven't driven them yet.
I believe I am missing the 385 which was sold in Europe. I am on the Prowl for one. All of the 3xx are in working condition, but two of them have the U2/U4 MOSFET problem. I have 6 batteries and I charge them on External chargers so not a serious problem for me. The two are marked and I will fix them eventually. I try to run all the 3xx at least once a month to keep them limbered up. Will be working a 230 and the 450s into the rotation at some point.

[CodaCM]

I’ve always wanted to own a 230 and 450 but I can’t find any for sale or they are at outrageous prices

[RonC]

I'll save you the bother on the 230. I think they were made as a throw away bot once they broke. They do not appear to be very fixable. They don't have the rotary brush and the initial vacuum stage. They basically lay down water, run over the area with a bristle brush and suck up the water. They are a small bot and they need to be confined to a small area to be effective. They can get behind the toilet in the bathroom but you'll need to clean up the dust bunnies first. You'll want a real Scooba to do the rest of the bathroom. Expect to pay in the $200 area for a nice working 230. Spare parts? Set up an Ebay search and be patient. I only bought the first 230 just to have one in the collection. I bought the second one because someone listed one for $45 and free shipping that appeared to work but for the battery. I happened to be doing a search for Scooba parts to answer a question on Discord when it showed up. I doubt it was up on Ebay for more than 5 minutes.

The Scooba 450 looks like a nice machine. The brush assembly is very sturdy compared to the 3xx. The brush assembly fits between the drive wheels so the 450 cannot do edge cleaning as well as the 3xx can. For some reason, the 450 is very desirable on Ebay. $150 is about the cheapest I see them for parts. They typically go in the $600 to $1200 range when working.

I still think the 5800 and 5900 Scoobas are the best Scoobas. They travel slower so don't cover the ground, but they do what they do very well. I typically confine them to 100 sqft for a full tank of water. Our house is one level sealed concrete floors with infloor heat throughout. An ideal place to run Scoobas. It is about 2500 sqft in the livable area so 25 Scoobas is about right!

[CodaCM]

I'll save you the bother on the 230. I think they were made as a throw away bot once they broke. They do not appear to be very fixable. They don't have the rotary brush and the initial vacuum stage. They basically lay down water, run over the area with a bristle brush and suck up the water. They are a small bot and they need to be confined to a small area to be effective. They can get behind the toilet in the bathroom but you'll need to clean up the dust bunnies first. You'll want a real Scooba to do the rest of the bathroom. Expect to pay in the $200 area for a nice working 230. Spare parts? Set up an Ebay search and be patient. I only bought the first 230 just to have one in the collection. I bought the second one because someone listed one for $45 and free shipping that appeared to work but for the battery. I happened to be doing a search for Scooba parts to answer a question on Discord when it showed up. I doubt it was up on Ebay for more than 5 minutes.

The Scooba 450 looks like a nice machine. The brush assembly is very sturdy compared to the 3xx. The brush assembly fits between the drive wheels so the 450 cannot do edge cleaning as well as the 3xx can. For some reason, the 450 is very desirable on Ebay. $150 is about the cheapest I see them for parts. They typically go in the $600 to $1200 range when working.

I still think the 5800 and 5900 Scoobas are the best Scoobas. They travel slower so don't cover the ground, but they do what they do very well. I typically confine them to 100 sqft for a full tank of water. Our house is one level sealed concrete floors with infloor heat throughout. An ideal place to run Scoobas. It is about 2500 sqft in the livable area so 25 Scoobas is about right!

Yeah the 230s are glued together and are practically impossible to repair. I have always just thought that little robot was cool