iRobot Scooba experience

[mosmos]

I juz checked Borderlinx website and there is no mention of battery/lithium in their prohibited article to sg:

http://www.borderlinx.com/citi/sg/en/prohibited.html


Now 2 of my 3 whites are sitting idle. Not productive leh.

Time to make my move now, alas the 7% problem...

I think seowbin had ask borderlinx before, there is no restriction on battery. But I think you email them again to double confirm.

 

[ktee]

I think seowbin had ask borderlinx before, there is no restriction on battery. But I think you email them again to double confirm.

Thks! I shall email them to double confirm. Dont want to again.

 

[thewiseone]

Really tough luck to have the camera breaking down on the 1st day!!! Current Fuji cameras have lost their high ISO low noise appeal... Z20 != F20... with a puny CCD, its just like any other compact digital camera from other brands. If u can still find one, go for Fuji F20, F31fd, S6500fd, etc.


Come to think of it... a feather duster or electric duster does not really make sense. Its like shifting or moving dust from one place to another!!!

SA is really quite nice. But my camera spoilt on 1st day, maybe weather cold + dry. Went to buy a fuji Z20 there, pictures turnout very noisy.

my mum is complaining dust all fly ard the hse.

 

[ziggyy]

Anyone managed to get around HSN’s US billing address problem?

OCBC cards have 18% off the shipping till end of this month (thanks Mosmos) but I can’t get pass the US billing thing.
http://www.ocbc.com/personal-banking/cards/ShopOnLine.shtm

One last resort is to use the payforme function, which adds another 5% to the price and I’m not sure if it’ll work then….

 

[thewiseone]

Even for reman units, there's no guarantee that the battery is new. If the intention is to get a replacement battery and extra spares by purchasing a reman unit, u are really taking a chance. The battery is the bulk of the cost and if the reman comes with a dud battery, its $$$ down the drain IMO.

Ha. My original intention was to use the battery (consider new batt cost 60+) and with 20 more, i get brushes, charger, even a roomba for spare parts.

Sadly, this batt is a lemon.

So far, remanufacured roomba fr woot, amazon all ok. Except this open-box fr stootsi.

I am a gambler with no money.

 

[mosmos]

Anyone managed to get around HSN’s US billing address problem?

OCBC cards have 18% off the shipping till end of this month (thanks Mosmos) but I can’t get pass the US billing thing.
http://www.ocbc.com/personal-banking/cards/ShopOnLine.shtm

One last resort is to use the payforme function, which adds another 5% to the price and I’m not sure if it’ll work then….

for hsn.com billing address, you fill in you whole sg address including postal code into line 1 + 2 of address line.

for billing state + postal code, use your use forwarder one, eg oregon.

 

[ziggyy]

I'll try that again tonight. Wife is the one with the OCBC card. She's finally convince the Scooba will clean the house better than me

 

[ktee]

Thks! I shall email them to double confirm. Dont want to again.

Wah, bdx reply very fast. IT IS OK!

My email to them:

Dear Borderlinx

I would like to order replacement batteries (li-on) from USA to Singapore for my Irobot Roomba vacuum cleaners. Will Borderlinx ship the batteries to me? Thanks.

Regards

Their reply:

Hi Ktee,
Welcome to Borderlinx.
Yes, we can ship this item. Please visit the following link for a list of prohibited items: http://www.borderlinx.com/citi/sg/en/prohibited.html
I hope it helps.
Sincerely,
Dylan
Borderlinx Support

 

[hq83]

yes they do ship batteries
i ask them before
and i ship the battries back few mths ago without having any problem

 

[ktee]

yes they do ship batteries
i ask them before
and i ship the battries back few mths ago without having any problem

Thks. Tat's triple confirm liao.

 

[ziggyy]

Now can't find Scooba on HSN.... sian.

http://home-solutions.hsn.com/irobo...?prev=hp&ocm=sekw&fil=0&CurPage=1&prod=hp&Ns=

 

[mosmos]

 

[ktee]

Even for reman units, there's no guarantee that the battery is new. If the intention is to get a replacement battery and extra spares by purchasing a reman unit, u are really taking a chance. The battery is the bulk of the cost and if the reman comes with a dud battery, its $$$ down the drain IMO.

Bro, u r wrong this time for reman unit. I asked iRobot on this:

My question

Hi iRobot

I saw remanufacured Roomba/Scooba selling at Woot, Amazon, etc. I have a question to ask:

1. Is the battery included in the remnufactured set new? I mean the cells.
2. If not, then what is the guaranteed life span of the battery as compared to the battery that is included in a new set.

Thank you.


Their reply

Dear Ktee,

Thank you for contacting iRobot Customer Support.


Yes the battery is new and it can last for hundreds of charging cycles with proper care. Here are some tips to extend the life of your battery, and help keep it at the peak of performance:

• Frequent use - Rechargeable nickel-based batteries do best when used frequently. The best practice is to keep the Roomba plugged in at all times.

• Occasionally exhaust the battery - Run the Roomba for several Clean cycles (without the Home Base® present) until the battery is depleted and it flashes red. It is not necessary to do this every time you use it

The Scooba’s battery is designed to last for hundreds of charging cycles with proper care and maintenance.

We recommend using your Scooba frequently, at least once a week. Leave your Scooba plugged in and charging at all times. When charging the battery directly in the Scooba unit, be sure to leave the Tank open or off of the Scooba.

If you are charging the battery in the External Charging Base, please charge your Scooba's battery fully in the base, then remove the battery from the base and store it separately in a cool, dry place.

If you are not going to use Scooba for an extended time, charge the battery fully and then remove the battery from the Scooba and store it separately in a cool, dry place.

 

[thewiseone]

Ktee, previous experience from owners have shown otherwise. A reman unit can come with a reman battery. Bear in mind that the warranty coverage for a reman unit is only 90 days. If the battery fails after the 90 day warranty period, i believe u have no recourse. Have a look at this thread here: http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=6745 . There's also a discussion (if i recalled correctly) about reman batteries. Its the general opinion that they only replace the bad cells. Its a chance that the cells in general may not bbe well balanced as such => u will not be getting the optimum usable lifespan from the batteries.

 

[mosmos]

Ktee, previous experience from owners have shown otherwise. A reman unit can come with a reman battery. Bear in mind that the warranty coverage for a reman unit is only 90 days. If the battery fails after the 90 day warranty period, i believe u have no recourse. Have a look at this thread here: http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=6745 . There's also a discussion (if i recalled correctly) about reman batteries. Its the general opinion that they only replace the bad cells. Its a chance that the cells in general may not bbe well balanced as such => u will not be getting the optimum usable lifespan from the batteries.

can the roomba bought from there be register as normal purchase product with 1yr warranty at irobot.com?

If cvan then can claim warranty from irobot.

 

[thewiseone]

I doubt so. Reman units have different serial nos from the new ones. Think iRobot is not silly enough not to plug such a loophole.

can the roomba bought from there be register as normal purchase product with 1yr warranty at irobot.com?

If cvan then can claim warranty from irobot.

 

[ktee]

I doubt so. Reman units have different serial nos from the new ones. Think iRobot is not silly enough not to plug such a loophole.

Reman set can be registered. But the warranty is only 90 days.

YOU mean to say that iRobot fooled me by saying that the batt is new & can last hundreds of charging cycles?

I hear it from the horse's mouth, not any online forum. I believe irobot. They probably reuse the casing and put in new cells. Well, my reman unit's batt last as long as my new unit (1yr).

 

[thewiseone]

ktee, i cant answer u on this one. There are users with positive experience regarding the batt of their reman units, there are also others with a bad experience. I dont know the specific procedure but i really doubt iRobot simply throw away each & every battery of a reman unit and replace it with a BRAND NEW one (certainly not cost effective nor economically viable if u factor in the prices of NiMh cells!). If that is the case, why are users finding batteries marked with an R in their reman units? Its your choice in taking anyone's words at face value.

Reman set can be registered. But the warranty is only 90 days.

YOU mean to say that iRobot fooled me by saying that the batt is new & can last hundreds of charging cycles?

I hear it from the horse's mouth, not any online forum. I believe irobot. They probably reuse the casing and put in new cells. Well, my reman unit's batt last as long as my new unit (1yr).

 

[thewiseone]

** QUESTION ON SCOOBA SOLUTION **

When the pump of my Scooba 350 failed recently, i'm now wondering if the incorrect cleaning solution killed / contributed to the premature failure of it. Tech support mentioned about 4 factors of concern:

1) Foam 2) Traction 3) Electrical conductivity 4) Safe on Scooba (tyres, filter, pump, etc.)


Items 1) to 3) can be easily verified but what about item 4? No one really knows if an alternate cleaning solution is Scooba safe until its proven over time. I've been running on nothing but MagicClean but my 350's pump failed in slightly over a year. My Qs to the rest who have a Scooba that is operated on a daily or close to a daily basis and have exceeded a lifespan of a year, WHAT SOLUTION ARE U USING? BTW, i've compared the contents of the Clorox solution available at the basement supermarket of Raffles City and found that its different from that of our Scooba Clorox.

 

[mosmos]

** QUESTION ON SCOOBA SOLUTION **

When the pump of my Scooba 350 failed recently, i'm now wondering if the incorrect cleaning solution killed / contributed to the premature failure of it. Tech support mentioned about 4 factors of concern:

1) Foam 2) Traction 3) Electrical conductivity 4) Safe on Scooba (tyres, filter, pump, etc.)


Items 1) to 3) can be easily verified but what about item 4? No one really knows if an alternate cleaning solution is Scooba safe until its proven over time. I've been running on nothing but MagicClean but my 350's pump failed in slightly over a year. My Qs to the rest who have a Scooba that is operated on a daily or close to a daily basis and have exceeded a lifespan of a year, WHAT SOLUTION ARE U USING? BTW, i've compared the contents of the Clorox solution available at the basement supermarket of Raffles City and found that its different from that of our Scooba Clorox.

only use plain water + sometimes, maybe once a week use kiwi kleen blue.