Hello, Maybe This Troubleshooting-Guide Will Help Find
Your 5800- or 5900-Scooba's Fault

INTRODUCTION

You may find that at this present stage of the Guide's development, it is not well suited for your particular Scooba-issue; and, the reasons may be that: a) troubleshooting guidance is dependent on using Scooba's built-in 'factory-tests' (self-tests); which means this process works well for only the 5800- & 5900-Scooba models, or b) the Guide's creation was triggered by a specific class of Scooba-fault, i.e., the class of faults that will be indicated by Scooba's User Interface Warning-Lights, and by use of its self-tests. Certain mechanical faults, such as drive-wheel slippage, battery not properly seated, or plugged air-vent in Clean-Tank, may not be served well by this Guide.

The Guide's purpose is to help you associate fault indications with the statement of the 'problem', and to then zone-in on specific self-tests and results that may isolate the faulty sub-system. Appropriate use of the Scooba Owner's Manual is essential for the first part.

First, a blank troubleshooting form will be illustrated, to show the normal starting condition. Then an example of a completed form will be shown, and with the expectation it will help define completion of each step in the form.

BLANK TROUBLESHOOTING-FORM WITH MINIMAL INSTRUCTIONS

Reported Problem(s) and Warning-Light Status:

1. {Provide a concise description of the problem, and indicate Scooba's model number.}
2. {Identify which Warning-Light is lit, and what its color is.}

Active Warning-Light vs. Possible Fault(s):

{Search through the applicable Scooba-model's Manual to correlate the above identified Warning-Light to tabled faults.}

1. {In the 5900 OM, such data are on pp. 7 & 18.}
2. {In the 5800 OM, such data are on pp. (7, of marginal use!), 21, & 22.}

Related-Tests to Consider Performing:

{Search through the Scooba-5900 (5800) Self-Test page. List all tests that are associated with the above list of fault possibilities.}

1. {Test name & number, TBD.}
2. {Test name & number, TBD.}
3. {etc.}

Fault-Associated Sensors:

{Using the list of hardware suspects, refer to "Scooba Technical" for locations and types of sensors that belong to each suspected hardware item. Scoobas sensor discussions are not all contained in one page, they are broadly grouped under Tank and Robot sections, hence a number of pages may have to be reviewed to develop this sensor-list. To assist, here are some links:}

1. Tank Assembly: Latch-sensor and Dirty-liquid-height sensor
2. Robot Assembly: ROBOT ASSEMBLY'S INTERNAL FEATURES

{This second link leads to information about other sensors that don't reside in the Tank Assembly; such as: drive-wheels' tachometer, magneticaly actuated "reed-switches", swivel- caster's drop & rotation sensors, bump-switches, and the cliff & wall sensors.}

Tests Performed:

{Describe all pertinent tests and report their results in this section.}

Analysis:

{Discuss which tests release hardware-names from the suspect-list, and which tests confirm suspicion(s). At this point, the faulty hardware item should be known.}

EXAMPLE TROUBLESHOOTING

Reported Problem(s) and Warning-Light Status:

1. I don't hear my 5900's pump start for cleaning-mode, and no solution comes out.
2. The Check-Tank warning light is lit "orange".

Active Warning-Light vs. Possible Fault(s):

A search through the Scooba-5900 Owner's Manual shows these fault-associations to a "yellow" ("orange" is not listed) Check-Tank warning-light:

1. Check-Tank = yellow, can be due to an unsatisfied Filter In/Out Sensor.
2. Check-Tank = yellow, can be due to an unsatisfied Tank-Latch Sensor.
3. Check-Tank = yellow, can be due to an over-full sensing of Dirty-Tank contents.

Related-Tests to Consider Performing:

A search through the Scooba-5900 (5800) Self-Test page shows these test-associations with the above listed fault possibilities:

1. Filter-Sensor-check = Test-7, I'm-Stuck should light if 'No Filter'.
2. Tank-Latched Sensor-check = Test-7, Check-Tank should light (white) if 'Tank Not Latched'.
3. Pumping Operation = Test-12. The Pump-Motor will be powered ON, independent of any sensor-state. If the Tank is mounted, and contains liquid in its Clean-Tank, the liquid should be ejected by the pumping action.
4. Dirty-Tank contents, height-sensing = Test-13, I'm-Stuck should light if Dirty Tank is volumetrically more than half-full.

Fault-Associated Sensors:

"Scooba-Technical" provided the following information about sensors that are associated with the current fault-symptoms:

1. Filter: Sensor type = magnetic-actuated switch. The magnet is enclosed in a pocket under the Filter-Frame; and, the associated reed-switch is beneath the yellow-plastic floor of the duct leading to the Vac/Blower's intake.
2. Tank-Latched: Sensor type = magnetic-actuated switch. The magnet is enclosed in a plastic-block affixed to the Tank Assembly's front rim; and the associated reed-switch is located left of the SCI-connector and behind the silver-colored plastic wall.
3. Tank-Contents: Sensor is a two-wire, two electrode, conductivity sensor-system. The electrodes are hidden from view inside the Dirty-Tank.

Pumping operation: Other than hearing the pump's motor running (during it self-test), and seeing/feeling pumped liquid being ejected as it runs, there are no Pump Assembly sensors to assist this troubleshooting.

Tests Performed:

1. Owner performed Self-Test#7. With the Tank Assembly set aside, the Filter was inserted into the robot, then removed, and re-inserted, etc., but the I'm-Stuck indicator remained lit all the time! Of course the Check-Tank indicator was also lit the whole time because the Tank was not in place.
2. Owner verified operation of the Filter's sensor-system by repeating ST#7, but then used a test-magnet placed close to the reed-switch, to stimulate the Filter's magnetically actuated reed-switch.
3. Owner also used ST#7 to verify the Tank-Latched sensing, both with the Tank latched (I'm-Stuck = dark), and with the Tank removed from the Scooba (I'm-Stuck = lit).
4. Owner performed ST#12 to verify pump-motor runs OK, and the pumping system works.
5. Owner used ST#13 to verify the Dirty-Tank's liquid-sensor was not sending a false indication to the robot. That was done by dismounting the Tank--after which a dirty pair of electrodes could not contribute any information to the robot.
6. Owner repeated a Cleaning-Mode attempt, but the pump-motor remained silent, and the Check-Tank Warning Light lit yellow ('orange'), as before.

Analysis:

Filter: Self-test mode testing revealed no change of the indicator light (I'm-Stuck) with the Filter Assembly in place, or out. However, the reed-switch portion of the Filter-sensor system was shown functional by use of a test-magnet, to represent the Filter's magnet. By inspecting the Filter Frame, the owner noticed the pocket, which should have a magnet trapped in it, was empty! Problem solved!

Hence, at this point the other test results are moot. But, in passing, it is worth noting that a) the pump was shown operable via its self-test, b) the Tank-Latched sensor operated, and c) the DT's contents' sensor was not causing a false indication.