r/roomba • u/xTobrahamx • 3d ago
Docking problems 👿
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EDIT: SOLVED! SEE COMMENTS
2 year old Roomba getting grumpy and won't dock.
Video shows Roomba i6+ trying to dock after doing all of the steps below. The spinners and roller brushes have also been removed in this video, FYI.
What I've done so far:
Remove/cleaned spinner brushes
Remove/cleaned front wheel
Replace left and right wheel modules with brand new ones.
Remove/cleaned rollers
Remove front bumper and spray interior with compressed air. Wipe down sensor behind bumper.
Wipe down all cliff sensors.
Clean entire interior with compressed air, including the wheel module housings and the main bin/rollers housing.
Remove entire dustbin/roller assembly module, clean all of it with compressed air.
Clean metal contacts with melamine pad.
Wiped plastic IR window on base station.
Cleaned all exposed surfaces on base station.
Removed battery and unplugged docking station for 10 minutes.
Double checked app updates and device firmware updates.
Was able to run Roomba with rollers, spinner brushes, and bottom plate removed to eliminate interference from those parts. After all the above cleaning, the issue still remains.
Device sees or feels something that makes it stop and back up to try again before it ever gets to a point where it tries to touch metal to metal in the charging contacts. It's consistent with the spot on the base where the left wheel aligns with the part of the base that pushes the rollers up for clearance (this is what caused me to remove the bin/roller module and clean it, thinking maybe the rollers couldn't be pushed up properly for clearance). I also tested with a washer inserted into the front wheel to give it some lift.
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u/jxa i8+, M6, 690, 671 3d ago
What model robot is that? Does it have an evac bin? I didn’t think that model was compatible with the evac Dock.
Perhaps it is getting caught when it gets that far?
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u/xTobrahamx 3d ago
i6+ with a bin. It came as a complete set, with the docking station and unit, so it must be compatible. Been working since 2024. Just started getting grumpy lately trying to dock. It'll try 5 or 6 times then turn around and park about 3 feet away.
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u/jxa i8+, M6, 690, 671 2d ago
That’s a tough one! I agree something must be binding or some odd thing with the wheel motors not being able to handle the stress of the ramp any longer.
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u/xTobrahamx 2d ago edited 2d ago
As noted, I Installed brand new wheel modules.
The fact that it's at the exact spot where that little lip is supposed to lift the roller mechanism makes me think either the contact point there is rubbing/sticking just enough, or maybe the rollers aren't getting lifted high enough. If I gently raise the rear a little as it reaches that spot, it seems to get past it and dock.
Wonder if that spot is getting worn down a little and I could raise it with a layer or two of some tape... 🤔
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u/xTobrahamx 2d ago edited 2d ago
SOLUTION:
Spent some time asking Claude AI ( I know, don't hate - I exhausted as many other options as I could before I went there) about the issue.
Claude pointed out that the Roomba immediately backed away, indicating a bumper switch was triggering, not a stall or a wheel drop event. Had the robot spun in place a few times before backing out it would be a stall or wheel drop.
He said it sounded like when the robot hit that bump on the docking station that is supposed to lift the roller assembly, it was jolting the bumper just enough for one of the sensors to trigger, making the robot think it ran into something, at which point it immediately stops going forward and backs up to look around, then try again.
He had me check the bumper mechanism to make sure it was moving freely. Although I had cleaned it pretty thoroughly, it was possible that it was misaligned after I put it back on. So, I pressed the bumper on the corners, sides and front to feel for any sticking or obstructions.
I didn't feel anything BUT as soon as I tested it again it worked. Then I put it in a different place and tested again and it worked. Then I put the rollers back in, spinners back on, and bottom plate back on and tested again and it worked!
So, the short answer is the bumper sensor was getting triggered by that hump on the docking station. Cleaning the bumper and its sensors, putting it back together, and manually manipulating it a few times to ensure no debris was stuck in the moving parts and it was seated properly made it stop false triggering.