iRobot Scooba experience

[uno_bliss]

I see, I was found that it latest model, have improving to cutting edge design, if the previous Scooba 300 series and roomba 500 series can be the same design for without the sensor head at the front top bumper.
It is almost I facing it for my both Scooba & roomba to getting stuck at the lower part of furniture.
Looks forward 700 series Roomba has been improve like Scooba 230 without sensor head to built-in on top of from bumper side.

But I found the Scooba 230 does not moving over the wet floor and jam over to that small place, maybe too light weight design.

I remember reading a US review that 230 height = 3XX series height. So it's not say 230 can go under furniture that 3XX cannot, due to 3XX bumper top sensor.
Since they're using same virtual wall, the top sensor needs to be same height, it's for the "don't come near me" halo.

All previous Scooba & Roomba has this bumper top sensor, which needs to stick out like antenna so that it can "see" 360 deg. I wonder how iRobot re-designed this in 230, such that "antenna" is hidden but still gives 360 deg view.

I'm still wondering if 230 water bladder will trap hair & dried dirt. If it were made of flexible silicone (like Scooba Round Mat), dried stuff probably will slide off easily.

Sigh... All this guess work cos I'm loyal to my old Scoobas, else I'll sure tear apart 230 to investigate. Hardly any documentation on Internet, later dunno how to assemble back.

 

[kimsim]

Tonight I will upload photos here, actually it is does not block the wall sensor.
From video is can't see clearly.

Thanks.

But the looks something likes TRANSFORMER!

Lai Lai Lai take a looks my TRANSFORMER SERIES

Have a nice day!

 

[BluSmurf]

is there an irobot store in sg where I can drop by and see some demonstration? might be heading down in a month and thought i'd picked up a roomba and a scooba

 

[tekster]

wa lau eh, kimsim, you paste the bumper tapes all over? looks like bandaged up.

blusmurf: try the distributor lo. but with so many videos on youtube, don't think you need to go down la.

anyway, wat's there to demo which you need to know? the info here are tons already.

 

[uno_bliss]

blusmurf: try the distributor lo. but with so many videos on youtube, don't think you need to go down la.

From local distributor stand point, they're probably fed up with those who go there for demo with intention to get from US anyway.
Besides the many nasty stories I've heard about local distributor, I'm told they would "suan" u for being "geh kiang" when u blow ur 110V charger from US.

Long ago, I visited them once to see Scooba demo after seeing at IT show, IT show only just ended few days but they refuse to sell at IT show price. Weird sales policy.
Anyway, the demo was done on very clean white tiles, u can't gauge much except to see the wetness level.

HSN video clip with "glow germ" under black light (UV) is brilliant, we can do the same using marmite.
blusmurf, bring marmite there and let us know the outcome.

 

[tekster]

From local distributor stand point, they're probably fed up with those who go there for demo with intention to get from US anyway.
Besides the many nasty stories I've heard about local distributor, I'm told they would "suan" u for being "geh kiang" when u blow ur 110V charger from US.

Long ago, I visited them once to see Scooba demo after seeing at IT show, IT show only just ended few days but they refuse to sell at IT show price. Weird sales policy.
Anyway, the demo was done on very clean white tiles, u can't gauge much except to see the wetness level.

HSN video clip with "glow germ" under black light (UV) is brilliant, we can do the same using marmite.
blusmurf, bring marmite there and let us know the outcome.

yea i think so.

i went to their booth during recent IT show and asked "where's the scooba 230?".

Then they gave me a frickin sacarstic reply of sorts. now i just wish their business will just close shop with such lousy service attitude.

 

[Jubooo]

The 230 is only sold exclusively by iRobot.com for now and no other country in the world will sell it for a limited time frame.

 

[kimsim]

wa lau eh, kimsim, you paste the bumper tapes all over? looks like bandaged up.

Hi tekster, I paste my little Scooba is used my old roomba Front bumper window cushion to reused as temporary only. A bit looks ugly la..

Thanks!

 

[unknownz]

Hi kimsim,

Is the Scooba 230 able to cover a std 4-rm HDB living rm in 1 run?

Thanks!

 

[uno_bliss]

Hi kimsim,

Is the Scooba 230 able to cover a std 4-rm HDB living rm in 1 run?

Thanks!

Your answer can be found here: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showpost.php?p=54205094&postcount=7773
For 4/5 rm HDB in 1 run, u'll need Scooba 380. U can visit my eBay store: http://shop.ebay.com.sg/uno_bliss/m.html

I've also sent u a PM, pls check ur PM inbox. For queries, just PM me or email unobliss@yahoo.com

 

[kimsim]

Hi kimsim,

Is the Scooba 230 able to cover a std 4-rm HDB living rm in 1 run?

Thanks!

Hi, I think not be able to cover HDB 4-rooms, even Scooba 330 is the same.
Maybe have change 2x of water tank., but battery only long lasting at 45min.

Thanks

 

[thewiseone]

To do that, yr best bet is a 380.

Hi, I think not be able to cover HDB 4-rooms, even Scooba 330 is the same.
Maybe have change 2x of water tank., but battery only long lasting at 45min.

Thanks

 

[unknownz]

Hi all,

Many thanks for the reply; trying to gather how effective the Scooba 230 is in cleaning and how much floor area it can cover in 1 charge. Since a re-charge takes ard 6hrs ... I guess using it in the living rm might not be a very good option even if we were to spilt up the living rm and clean.

 

[kimsim]

Hi all,

Many thanks for the reply; trying to gather how effective the Scooba 230 is in cleaning and how much floor area it can cover in 1 charge. Since a re-charge takes ard 6hrs ... I guess using it in the living rm might not be a very good option even if we were to spilt up the living rm and clean.

Hi, for Scooba 230 - battery recharging in 3 hrs time,
But not sure can be cover up your whole unit of HDB flat,
For my experience it is more best to use in Kitchen or toilet and bedroom for single charged and tank of water refill.

 

[uno_bliss]

Hi all,

Many thanks for the reply; trying to gather how effective the Scooba 230 is in cleaning and how much floor area it can cover in 1 charge. Since a re-charge takes ard 6hrs ... I guess using it in the living rm might not be a very good option even if we were to spilt up the living rm and clean.

So far Bakasa & Kimsim have reported charging is 3 hrs, iRobot manual states 8 hrs, some US users reported 6-10 hrs.
Seems like a lot of discrepancy, which I can only imagine has to do with 240V vs 110V socket.
Anyway, NiMH battery can certainly tolerate fast charging so long as proper full charge cut-off is implemented.

U need to consider that for 230, besides battery run/charge time, the water capacity is also a bottle neck. U need to split living rm into portions of 150 sq ft using virtual walls.

 

[NRlover]

I was at the CES 2011 in Las Vegas last Jan, visited iRobot booth, the way they design the Scooba 230 is only for the small area in mind, as a matter of fact, they had done up the demo stage like a toilet with toilet bowl in display. the small tiny machine only can clean a small area in one go, not really suitable to clean the whole house in one go and it was quite "wet" after cleaning.

 

[NRlover]

yea i think so.

i went to their booth during recent IT show and asked "where's the scooba 230?".

Then they gave me a frickin sacarstic reply of sorts. now i just wish their business will just close shop with such lousy service attitude.

I was at Suntec for the last IT show, visited the irobot local distributor booth and make inquiry about the roomba, the staff really had attitude problem, not even a simple smile on the face, when asked more detail and the face turned black like charcoal, really suck service attitude, totally agree with u and can't wait they close shop soon. Hopefully there will have new competitor product coming soon to Singapore and kill them off.

 

[tekster]

I was at Suntec for the last IT show, visited the irobot local distributor booth and make inquiry about the roomba, the staff really had attitude problem, not even a simple smile on the face, when asked more detail and the face turned black like charcoal, really suck service attitude, totally agree with u and can't wait they close shop soon. Hopefully there will have new competitor product coming soon to Singapore and kill them off.

i can only foresee uno_bliss and juboo doing that. haha

 

[congyuan]

My roomba 560's charger overheated because I put it inside a narrow gap. Now the LED on the charger is no longer on (usually it is green once plugged in to AC). But the light on the charging base is on. My roomba can only charge for about 1 hour then gives this Error 5.

This charger has been modified by me to suite 230V and working fine. It is due to my mistake to put the charge in a tight space. When I first heard the voice from roomba and the charger is very hot. Maybe some electrical components killed by the heat.

Anyone experts know how to fix it? It can still charge for 30 minutes to 1 hour each time.

 

[uno_bliss]

My roomba 560's charger overheated because I put it inside a narrow gap. Now the LED on the charger is no longer on (usually it is green once plugged in to AC). But the light on the charging base is on. My roomba can only charge for about 1 hour then gives this Error 5.

This charger has been modified by me to suite 230V and working fine. It is due to my mistake to put the charge in a tight space. When I first heard the voice from roomba and the charger is very hot. Maybe some electrical components killed by the heat.

Anyone experts know how to fix it? It can still charge for 30 minutes to 1 hour each time.

If u put charger say in a corner of room, it won't overheat.
If u put it inside a cabinet, not so good, but also won't overheat.

The overheat u're talking about is due to other reason, and it's BAD CONTACT of charging metal contacts, in particular the side nearer the sidebrush.
Tell tale sign is sunken metal contact such that it no longer flush with the plastic base plate.

When I see such cases, I quickly resolve them by filing down the plastic plate to make it flush with the sunken metal contact. This is to prevent further bad contact. The owner is then advised to regularly wipe metal contact.

So far I've had 3 customers who completely fried charger due to this bad contact overheating. I personally fried 1 charger long ago due to same reason, the PCB was blackened & the copper tracks were irrecoverable.

If u need me to look into this matter, u can PM me, or email unobliss@yahoo.com