Roomba Batteries, the Downside of a Great Little Cleaning Bot
Roomba Batteries
Roomba Batteries. Although more than a million people have happily welcomed an iRobot Roomba into their homes, one of the biggest issues faced by Roomba owners is its battery life.
It seems that a lot of batteries needed replacing too soon, usually because a charged battery depletes too quickly into the cleaning cycle, and/or could no longer hold a charge, despite repeated attempts.
According to the iRobot website, one Roomba battery can last for hundreds of cleaning cycles before needing a replacement, but only if it is properly taken care of.
These are some specific battery problems and possible solutions reported by owners of the Roomba. (1) The charging process can sometimes be erratic. One reason for this could be an overheated battery. Allow it to cool down, and then begin charging again.
(2) In instances when the power light doesn't illuminate, it may mean that the battery has either been depleted or it's not positioned properly. Reinstall the battery and listen for a ‘click’ sound to ensure that it’s been seated correctly. If this doesn’t fix it, (3) try recharging the battery. If the power light doesn’t illuminate while the robot is on its home base, make sure that (4) all the cords are fully and tightly connected. If all the cords are in place and it still doesn’t light up, (5) try cleaning the charging contacts at the bottom of the robot.
The most common problem, however, is when the Roomba seems to be fully charged, but shuts down too soon into the cleaning cycle.
Should this happen, it is recommended that (6) users try charging the battery from the power supply instead of the home base.
Another common quick-fix solution is to (7) reset the battery, which is done by removing the battery, then holding down the robot’s power button for at least 5 to 15 seconds. The battery should then be reinstalled before the charger is plugged directly into the Roomba.
(8) It is recommended that users do not use the home base to charge so that the charging cycle will not be interrupted. The battery should be charged until the power light is solid green again.
Once the light turns on, (9) the Roomba must be kept on the charger for an additional 72 hours (3 days). It is very important not to interrupt this charging cycle.
After the charging period is completed, (10) run the Roomba in max mode without letting it charge itself until the battery is completely dead. The "dead battery" tune should be heard. This might take several clean cycles in a row. If the Roomba’s performance has not improved, try (11) resetting and cycling the battery from complete charge to complete depletion three more times.
If it has improved, (12) keep doing the reset and cycle several more times until the Roomba runs normally again. Some people also suggest (13) cleaning the Roomba with an air compressor to remove fluff and dust, while making sure to remove the filters and battery first.
To completely avoid problems with the Roomba, however, it is strongly recommended that (14) owners take proper care of their units, as most of the problems that occur within the Roomba are basically caused by negligence.
Roomba Batteries
How to Extend Roomba Battery Life
Here are some tips to extend the Roomba’s battery life.
1) Use the Roomba often.
Since the Roomba uses a rechargeable battery, the battery will last longer when used regularly.
2) Do not unplug the Roomba from its charger between cleaning cycles. The Roomba must be kept charging. Allowing the battery to be completely discharged on a regular basis can cause battery damage.
3) Once every few months, though, the Roomba must be reset and its battery completely depleted. See instructions above for resetting.
4) Additionally, the robot's brushes should always be clean so that the Roomba won’t have a difficult time spinning them. Straining caused by dirty brushes can use up more battery power.
If you find yourself with a Roomba battery problem and these recommended quick-fix solutions do not work, you may call the Roomba support line at (877) 855-8593 or contact Roomba via their website:
If the problem is with the unit and it's still under warranty, Roomba will replace it. If not, then it is really time to purchase a new Roomba battery.
You can purchase new roomba batteries here:
2 Pack Tenergy Replacement Battery with hard case (Yellow Color) for Roomba APS 4905 400 series Vacuum Cleaner
APS battery compatible with all Roomba FloorVac models. Charges in 3 hours with APS charger. Provides up to 100 minutes of run time. 50 percent greater useful life than original Roomba batteries. Easy to charge and connect. Compatible with the following models: Discovery Series, Create Models, Dirt Dog Model, iRobot Roomba 400 Series.
Tenergy Replacement Battery for iRobot R3 500, 600, & 700 series 14.4V APS BatteryThe APS 3500mAh NiMH battery keeps Roomba running at peak performance. APS battery compatible with all 500, 600, & 700 series Roomba models. Charges in 3 hours with ABS charger. Provides up to 100 minutes of run time. 50 percent greater useful life than original Roomba batteries. Compatible with Roomba original standard charger. Compatible with the following models: iRobot Roomba 510, 530, 535, 540, 550, 560, 570, 580, 610, 760, 770, 780.
Tenergy Replacement Battery with hard case (Yellow Color) for Roomba APS 4905 400 series Vacuum CleanerAPS battery compatible with all Roomba FloorVac models. Charges in 3 hours with APS charger. Provides up to 100 minutes of run time. 50 percent greater useful life than original Roomba batteries. Easy to charge and connect.
Tenergy Replacement Battery for iRobot Scooba 5900 BatteryTenergy Scooba Battery model only works with 9.64 and 0.00 and 0.05 series. It does not support the latest 380 / 6050 Model. APS battery compatible with Floor Washing Robot iRobot 5900. Battery life lasts for hundreds of cleaning cycles. Powers Roomba for up to 120 minutes of continuous clean up. Keep a second battery on hand to double Roomba's cleaning time. Charges in 3 hours with APS charger. 50 percent greater useful life than original Roomba batteries. Easy to charge and connect.
DIY Combo Tenergy 14.4V 3800mAh NiMH Battery Pack for IRobot Vacuum - Roomba 4905-1 with Tri-Wing Trigram ScrewdriverNIMH High Power 14.4V 3800mAh rechargeable battery. Compatible with all Roomba FloorVac models. This high power, high capacity NIMH has 10-15% more running time than OEM battery pack. 70o C thermistor installed in the battery pack. Power will be cut off if battery temperature beyond 70o C during charging to prevent from over charge. Provides up to 120 minutes run-time. Can be recharged up to 1000 cycles. 6" length wires is pre-installed for easy installation. The battery is designed for exactly replacing inside battery pack for IRobot Vacuum cleaner. e.g Roomba APS 4905 battery. T
energy Replacement Battery (Grey Color) for iRobot Roomba 4905 for 400 series Vacuum Cleaner: NiCd Battery compatible with all Roomba FloorVac models. Provides up to 75 minutes of run time. 50 percent greater useful life than original Roomba batteries. Easy to charge and connect. Compatible with the following models Discovery Series: Create Models, Dirt Dog Model, iRobot Roomba 400 Series.
See our Roomba Battery Comparison Page to find the correct battery for your unit. Click BUY link for more information.