Room-Bah! & Humbug! EDIT

Edit
It is going back tomorrow. It is more trouble than it is worth. The error is a battery charging error and the cure is to take the back off to see if there is anything in there to break the connection. This involves removing five screws, four for the back and one for the corner brushes. So, I find a Phillips head screwdriver and follow the instructions . The first thing to take off is the corner brushes. {It says this on the bottom cover} I take the screw out but can figure no way to actually get the brushes out. I turn it to the floor and shake it gently hoping that gravity will help. Nothing. I pry gently at the edges to see if that will move it. Nope.

Ok, that’s it. It is over, done, finished.

It is now In official more-trouble-than-it-is-worth status. Back it goes as soon as possible. I have the receipt.

It is a shame. The idea is good. Some people can make it work. I can’t.

Roomba update:

This Roomba came without directions. Fortunately, Fred and I had enough sense to go to the site and download the directions–fourteen pages.
It is now plugged in and doing its first charge which will be, the directions say, for 16 hours. What an odd number!
Twice so far it has startled us by saying "uh-oh" in a female voice and then the little screen says "Err 5." The site says error 5 is a charging error! Hmmm, perhaps I could figure that out myself since it is errr…charging? No instructions on the site as what to do about error 5. I have briefly removed it from the dock and then put it back which seems to solve the problem for a short while. If it happens again, I will take it away from its dock and plug it straight into the power source.
If it continues to give me more aggravation, it will go back to Costco.

QUOTATIONS:

"Step by step. I can’t think of any other way of accomplishing anything."

Michael Jordan

I’ve the second generation Room-bah. I loved it at first, but my tile floors started to crack and I put it away until they’re fixed. Mine lacked sufficient memory to program itself for all the furniture legs in my dining room/kitchen/breakfast room (contiguous) and I disliked having to move all the furniture. The newer ones have more memory. I think you’ll like it very much. PS. I had one bad battery, which they replaced quickly.

I’ve had two and they both had unfixable errors after a while. As much as I loved them at first, I have given up on the Roomba. Hopefully you end up having better luck with yours.

Violet

December 10, 2007

Judging from this and your noters, I’m thinking you’re probably right about the “It’s a good idea, but more trouble than it’s worth.” It’s a shame because I hate vacuuming.

VeronicaCorningstone

I hate it when things that are “good ideas” fall into the “too much trouble” category. It’s incredibly unfortunate. Random question: You mentioned recently making gingerbread. Do you have a recipe you might be willing to share with your maybe-future-daughter-in-law? 🙂

ChinaBaby

Hmm, I was going to suggest this to Hero as a Christmas gift for ME! Sigh. He will just have to rely on bright, sparkly things instead. 🙂

That little thing would be mopping up a puddle everytime it “uh oh”ed me!!

Shi

Well sounded like a good idea…

That’s too bad. I briefly considered getting one. Now, I think not. The best idea to me was that it will go under furniture. ::sigh:: It really is too bad. Sorry!

TheWoodsprite

If one of my appliances started speaking to me, I suppose I’d think I was a lot like Moses and it, like the burning bush! heehee! But it would help if it said something other than ‘uh-oh!’ hugs, Weesprite

Gosh, I’ve seen these on QVC and they look so great. Sounds like they aren’t nearly as good in real life. Bummer.

gray tabby

i’ve heard of some people who love their roomba’s. i hope you learn to love your’s. sounds like it’s a good idea but could have problems with moving around and under the furniture. i could use one in the living room and in my bedroom. take care,

Pat

What a bother! I hate when I buy something and it’s nothing like I thought it would be! Good luck on the charging issue. I hope it all works out.

darlingnikki

That’s too bad. IT does sound like a pain though.

I had no idea what this entry was about till I Googled “roomba”!! think I need to get out into the mainstream more!! Sounds like more trouble then it is worth to me

I have no idea what a roomba is either. And I’m off to bed now, an ignorant woman. I love that you are so with it Patricia. I might need you to help me with my Italian soon. I need to get myself another teacher and two kids our Itaian GCSe this year. oops

ok, curiosity got the cat – I didn’t go to bed but googled instead. I could actually use one of those in Belgium. I dread to think how the dog would react though. And we’d have to stop leaving things on the floor -which wouldn’t be a bad thing really.

Silverkitty

There might just be something wrong with that particular roomba… try exchanging it for a new one and see if the next one works before you give it up as a bad thing. (huggles)

rapson Hussein michigan

With all the commotion with politics and illegal aliens I would think that you could hire someone to clean for as much as one of those costs. hahaha And if that didn’t work surely a nuclear weapon would be available on the black market for a reasonable price to destroy the dust instead. If not I love to vacuum and will be right over. have fun…dan