One of the best features of today’s RoomBus is their ability to “home” or, in other words, return to their home base. The home base of iRobot’s charging station allows roombus to recharge their batteries and, in some cases, empties their dustbin before returning to work.
When all is said and done, Roomba always knows how to find its home base and can get back to it without any help using infrared signal and mapping technology to dock the right way. When cleaning they usually return every 90 minutes or so. But when this ability fails, Roombas flounder. They can navigate aimlessly or run until their battery runs out of juice and issue an emergency alert. This is a sign that something is wrong, and our guide will help you fix it!
How do I find my Roomba home?
Step 1: View your virtual walls in the app.
Most Roomba models come with the ability to set up virtual wall barriers with the app Once a room – or multiple rooms – has been mapped. This feature is incredibly effective in helping roommates avoid sofas or tables or away from the kitchen.
But there’s a catch: you can’t put a virtual wall anywhere near the base of the house, or be confused when Rumba comes back to charge again. Examine your virtual walls, and if they are within 8 feet of the base of the house, remove them.
Step 2: Make sure the home base is set up correctly.
If the base of your home is not in a good position, Roomba may not be able to read its infrared signal clearly, which can cause all sorts of problems. Keep all objects away from the base of the house and make sure it is on a flat surface. Do not place the base of the house near stairs or other potential “cliff” areas that Rumba may be able to understand. 1.5 feet of clean space around the foundation of the house and at least four feet of clearance from the furniture is required.
Step 3: Make sure Roomba starts at his home.
This step is especially important if you have an older Roomba model, which is usually programmed to know where they start cleaning and when they run out or when they run out of battery. If you move a roommate away from the base of his home and keep it in another room or at the beginning of a mess, he may be confused about where and how to return home.
Step 4: Clear sensor.
Clear the sensors, especially the sensors in front of the base of the house, but also the sensors in the rumba. If the sensors are covered in dust, they can be faulty and make it difficult to locate Roomba’s dock properly.
Step 5: Check the base strength.
If Roomba doesn’t seem to respond Home command At all and do not seem to be charging, check the foundation of your home. Does it have the power? Does plugging it in another outlet solve the problem? This can be an easy solution if the foundation of your home is not working.
Step 6: Check your Wi-Fi.
Without a Wi-Fi connection, a Roomba cannot comply with commands to return home or to a specific location. If your Roomba navigation command does not respond, make sure your Wi-Fi network is turned on and your Roomba is properly connected. Disconnect and connect to see if it helps restore the app’s capabilities
Step 7: Look at the sun.
The move sounds weird, but the house bases don’t do well in direct, bright sunlight. It interferes with the infrared signal transmitted to the rumba which signals it to return home. Move the foundation of the house to a place where direct sunlight will not be a problem. Bright lights can also be a problem sometimes, but sunlight is a more common culprit – especially if you notice that your roommate only gets lost at certain times of the day.
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