iRobot Scooba experience

[tekster]

Tekster bro, u shd tell yr prospects that every hse u sell cm with limited ed irobot commission by kimsim! Lolx!

hhahaha.. they buay gian irobot. all the condo i sell got iMaids already.

 

[Ming1981]

Have one brand new and still sealed roomba 560 for sale at $460. Bought for a friend who changed their mind.

It's a US set so you will have to get the bros in the forum to modify the adaptor for use with local voltage or buy a $20 power converter.

Pm me your contact to deal. Collection is at my blk at Punggol.

 

[Vachel Chan]

Have one brand new and still sealed roomba 560 for sale at $460. Bought for a friend who changed their mind.

It's a US set so you will have to get the bros in the forum to modify the adaptor for use with local voltage or buy a $20 power converter.

Pm me your contact to deal. Collection is at my blk at Punggol.

Good price, all the best for your sale. But maybe its better if you post it in marketplace.

 

[android]

Any bros knows which carrier broderlinx/vpost/comgateway allows us to ship batteries back? thanks

 

[uno_bliss]

Any bros knows which carrier broderlinx/vpost/comgateway allows us to ship batteries back? thanks

I believe Vpost is the only one that disallows. But if u're talking Lithium battery, then no luck with all carriers.

 

[android]

Scooba original battery is nimh right? Thks

 

[uno_bliss]

Scooba original battery is nimh right? Thks

Yes, Scooba original battery is NiMH cos only NiMH has power density enough to do the job.
Theoretically Li batteries can power Scooba, but highly not recommended cos at the sort of high current that Scooba draws, Li battery can explode if the safety protection PCB fails under stress.

NiMH and NiCD are safest, but NiCD has low power density, ie. contains less power for same weight vs NiMH.
For original Scooba battery, u can take a look at my ads: http://shop.ebay.com.sg/uno_bliss/m.html?_nkw=Scooba+battery+genuine
Queries, pls email me unobliss@yahoo.com

 

[android]

Ok, thanks bro UNO....

 

[thewiseone]

The biggest issue with the Li batteries for Roomba/Scooba is diminishing marginal returns! Pay a lot more for a very small gain.

Yes, Scooba original battery is NiMH cos only NiMH has power density enough to do the job.
Theoretically Li batteries can power Scooba, but highly not recommended cos at the sort of high current that Scooba draws, Li battery can explode if the safety protection PCB fails under stress.

NiMH and NiCD are safest, but NiCD has low power density, ie. contains less power for same weight vs NiMH.
For original Scooba battery, u can take a look at my ads: http://shop.ebay.com.sg/uno_bliss/m.html?_nkw=Scooba+battery+genuine
Queries, pls email me unobliss@yahoo.com

 

[Jubooo]

Bro wiseone, how is your 2.1 firmware doing? Or had you revert back to 2.0?

 

[thewiseone]

I'm still on 2.1 as i would like to observe its performance for a longer period before deciding. I've done a reset and it seems like the issue i had with 2.1 no longer happens (keeping fingers crossed).

Bro wiseone, how is your 2.1 firmware doing? Or had you revert back to 2.0?

 

[keltong]

I am a first timer looking into the possibility of getting a roomba (and maybe a scooba later on...too siong to get both at one short).

Can I ask if the Auto Virtual Wall and Virtual Lighthouse (hope I get the names correct), which works better? My house is 131sqm, is the 560 or 570 good enough? What the difference with the locally sold (and super expensive) 581?

Do I just start and let it clean or is there settings required or special way to place the wall/lighthouse for optimal performance?

Thanks and sorry if the questions sound silly.

 

[kimsim]

I am a first timer looking into the possibility of getting a roomba (and maybe a scooba later on...too siong to get both at one short).

Can I ask if the Auto Virtual Wall and Virtual Lighthouse (hope I get the names correct), which works better? My house is 131sqm, is the 560 or 570 good enough? What the difference with the locally sold (and super expensive) 581?

Do I just start and let it clean or is there settings required or special way to place the wall/lighthouse for optimal performance?

Thanks and sorry if the questions sound silly.

Here have some tips

*Roomba 560/561 : Able to used in Homebase, 2 Auto virtual wall to allow you standby mode on by every single clean,
Comes with*Standard Vacuum Bin, Whole Roomba are Black color, Allow for Schedule on 7 Days*per week.

*Roomba 570/571 : Able to used in Homebase, 2 Virtual Wall Lighthous to Navigated your Roomba of the*doing cleaning*works
after completely of 30*minute and Entry to the next Room, Come with Standard Vacuum Bin,
Whole*Roomba are Black color, Allow for Schedule on 7 Days per week,
Comes with*Remote Control and Extra*accessories.

*Roomba 580/581 : Able to used in Homebase,
2 or 3*Virtual Wall*Lighthous to Navigated your Roomba of the doing cleaning works
after completely of 30 minute and Entry to the next Room, Come with Standard Vacuum*Bin,
Whole Roomba are Black color, Allow for Schedule on 7 Days*per week,
Comes with*Extra more*accessories,
The different is Wireless Command Centre to allow your hold on hand like feeling setting in Roomba Control Display Panel.
For WCC info can refer here : http://www.irobotchina.com/products/product_roomba_570.html
(Roomba 580/581 is made for Euro and Asia Models :*http://www.irobot.com.sg/*or http://www.irobot.com.my/

 

[Jubooo]

I am a first timer looking into the possibility of getting a roomba (and maybe a scooba later on...too siong to get both at one short).

Can I ask if the Auto Virtual Wall and Virtual Lighthouse (hope I get the names correct), which works better? My house is 131sqm, is the 560 or 570 good enough? What the difference with the locally sold (and super expensive) 581?

Do I just start and let it clean or is there settings required or special way to place the wall/lighthouse for optimal performance?

Thanks and sorry if the questions sound silly.

570 & 581 is exactly the same. 581 comes with 3 lighthouse and a wireless command centre which is a remote and allows you to set the schedule on it.

570 comes with 2 lighthouse and a infrared remote. The scheduling on WCC is a redundcy as both robots had onboard scheduling which most of the time is required to set once and forget.

Virtual wall basically blocks roomba from entering an area. Lighthouse has 2 function. It can be set as a virtual wall or lighthouse mode. Lighthouse basically prevent roomba from entering, say room 1 & room 2 for a period of at least 25 mins. In this case, roomba will had to clean the area it started off before entering lighthouse 1 and will again be locked in that room for a min of 25 mins. Lighthouse 1 & 2 will then opens to allow roomba to exit and enter room 2. This is what iRobot called room to room navigation which allows roomba to clean more efficiently instead of running aimlessly.

Checkout www.robovac.weebly.com

 

[uno_bliss]

I am a first timer looking into the possibility of getting a roomba (and maybe a scooba later on...too siong to get both at one short).

Can I ask if the Auto Virtual Wall and Virtual Lighthouse (hope I get the names correct), which works better? My house is 131sqm, is the 560 or 570 good enough? What the difference with the locally sold (and super expensive) 581?

Do I just start and let it clean or is there settings required or special way to place the wall/lighthouse for optimal performance?

Thanks and sorry if the questions sound silly.

Isn't it great having so many of us bombarding u with "chimnology", can't help it, we've come a long way and "chim" technical terms are the only thing that's swarming out heads.

I wrote about Pros & Cons of Lighthouse here: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showpost.php?p=54866423&postcount=7952

U can visit my eBay store: http://shop.ebay.com.sg/uno_bliss/m.html
Queries, pls email me unobliss@yahoo.com
I've sent u a HWZ PM, pls check PM inbox.

 

[keltong]

Thanks to all the responses! Yes, I am still slightly confused. Heehee...

So are there any significant advantage of lighthouse over virtual wall? Does both clean as effectively (if both are set correctly of coz)?

Seems like lighthouse is a 'newer' technology but if the virtual wall is doing its job that I see no point in investing in a probably similar capability roomba unit.

With onboard scheduling, the remote seems redundant. So if the roomba unit (the 560/570/580) itself are similar, than I rather get the 560.

Also, for the remanufactured ones, does iRobot gives them a fresh battery or is it at the state of return? Meaning if someone have used it for 30 days and decide to return, I will have a 'used' batt (after iRobot testing it functioning)?

Am quite keen to get so that the home vacuuming schedule (human one) don't come to me ;p

Thanks to all!

 

[tekster]

Lighthouse is good if you have multiple rooms to clean, so it will clean room a to b to c assuming u using 2 light house.

Virtual wall, as the name implies, is to create a block which doesn't allow the robot to pass through.

 

[uno_bliss]

Lighthouse is good if you have multiple rooms to clean, so it will clean room a to b to c assuming u using 2 light house.

Virtual wall, as the name implies, is to create a block which doesn't allow the robot to pass through.

Tekster, I know ur Roomba 560 is Lighthouse type (the pre-2010 design), is ur Roomba still comfortably completing the 3 areas & will dock? If so, then the battery is giving >80 mins runtime, if u're still using the APS battery I repaired in Oct 2010, then I guess I did a good job.
Unless... u're light user who only run Roomba 3 times a wk or so.

 

[uno_bliss]

Thanks to all the responses! Yes, I am still slightly confused. Heehee...

So are there any significant advantage of lighthouse over virtual wall? Does both clean as effectively (if both are set correctly of coz)?

Seems like lighthouse is a 'newer' technology but if the virtual wall is doing its job that I see no point in investing in a probably similar capability roomba unit.

With onboard scheduling, the remote seems redundant. So if the roomba unit (the 560/570/580) itself are similar, than I rather get the 560.

Also, for the remanufactured ones, does iRobot gives them a fresh battery or is it at the state of return? Meaning if someone have used it for 30 days and decide to return, I will have a 'used' batt (after iRobot testing it functioning)?

Am quite keen to get so that the home vacuuming schedule (human one) don't come to me ;p

Thanks to all!

Lighthouse Pros & Cons
Conceptually, Lighthouse is a great feature, cos u split ur home into 3 equal partitions, and Roomba cleans each for at least 25 mins before allowed to move on. This makes it more systematic.

But in reality, things are not so simple: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showpost.php?p=52888342&postcount=7626

Things to consider:
a) each partition should have equal floor area that Roomba can pass:
Negative eg. = (1) a bedroom with King size bed that Roomba can't go under + (2) a bedroom with bed that Roomba can go under + (3) living & dining room
Estimated floor areas are: (1) 100 sq ft, (2) 150 sq ft, (3) 400 sq ft
As u can see, it doesn't make sense for Roomba to spend equal cleaning time for (1), (2) & (3).

b) Lighthouses & Dock must not be too close or criss-cross
Read my sad story here: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showpost.php?p=54866423&postcount=7952

c) Lighthouses must be positioned correctly for Roomba to "see" the 45 degree guiding beam when ready to cross.
This is the most tricky aspect of Lighthouse positioning, and most people will position until Roomba gets stuck in Limbo cos it can cross Lighthouse but can't cross back during the return trip to Dock. Like in Fringe, u crossed over, now u're stuck...

History of Lighthouse
Actually Lighthouse has been around since 2007, when Roomba 560 was 1st launched. In end of 2009, some Roomba 560 came with Auto Virtual Wall, that was the start of iRobot's revision of design & packaging.
There was mass confusion for Roomba 560 customers, since the design is different but the model name remains.

Remanufactured units
Remanufactured units will always come with old stock batteries, usually manufactured ~1.5 to 2 yrs ago. I doubt iRobot put in used batteries, but then again... what will they do with the batteries that customers used for the 30 days trial?

Qs. Can US customer buy Roomba, swap the new battery for dead battery, then return for full refund?
As. Unlikely... cos battery got factory dates which matches the Roomba. So iRobot will know when customer do a switch-a-roo. But then, unless iRobot can do partial refund, else they can't make dishonest customer "pay for it". Blacklist is probably the only thing they can do. I've never read their Terms & Conditions for trial return, maybe they got say "u better die die return in original state, or else..."

 

[Jubooo]

Effective placement of lighthouse is the keypoint. There is almost always a passage way into our rooms for a typical HDB design so you can place it at a strategic location where the 2 small rooms are located & another lighthouse in the bigger room.

The direction the lighthouse is facing can also be pointing away from each other so as to avoid crisscross.

As for remanufactured set, most of the time I see an old battery too but I've also seen some with new battery.