iRobot Roomba Robotic FloorVac User Manual

Roomba Pro

Roomba Pro Elite

iRobot and Roomba are trademarks of iRobot Corporation.

© 2002,2003 iRobot Corporation.

All rights reserved.

Paten t s Pend ing.

Made & Pr i nt e d in China.

To o rde r ext ra Batter ies,Virtual Wall Units,Replacement Filters

or the Rapi d C har ger,contac t your ne a rest Roomba retailer,

or visi t w w w.RoombaVac.com for online purchase options

and additional purchase information.

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Part # 8786 (R1B-1)

Owner’s Manual

Before using your Roomba,thoroughly read the safety instructions.

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Important Safety Instructions

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER OF ROOMBA, ITS
BATTERY OR THE CHARGER AC ADAPTER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. CHARGE USING STANDARD US (120V AC) OUTLET ONLY.
Always be careful when using your Roomba. To reduce the risk of injury or damage, keep these safety
precautions in mind when setting up, using and maintaining your equipment.

General

• Read all safety and operating instructions before operating Roomba.

• Retain the safety and operating instructions for future reference.

• Heed all warnings on Roomba,Battery,Charger AC Adapter and in Owner’s Manual.

• Follow all operating and use instructions.

• Do not attempt to service Roomba yourself.Refer all non-routine servicing to qualified serv ice personnel.

Roomba Use

• Roomba is an indoor device only.

• Do not use Roomba on wet surface s or w h ere cont act with or im me rsi on i n wate r i s a p oss ibi l ity.

• Before using this appliance,pick up objects like clothing,loose papers,pull cords for blinds or curtains,power cords,and
any fragile objects.Ifthe device passes over a power cord and drags it around,there is a chance an object could tumble off
a table or shelf.

• Roomba is not a toy. D o not sit or stand on thi s de v ice . Sm a l l c hi l dren and p et s shou ld b e sup e rvised ifRoomba is in use.

• Keep loose clothing,hair,fingers,feet and all parts of the bo dy away from Brushes and moving parts.

• Do not use this device to pick up anything that is burning or smoking,such as cigarettes,matches,or hot ashes.

• Do not use this device to pick up flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline.

• Do not use this device without the Particle Bin in place.See page 16 for proper installation of the Particle Bin.

• Ifthe room to be cleaned contains a balcony,a physical barrier should be used to prevent access to the balcony and e nsure
safe operation.

• Always remove the Battery before long-term storage or transportation.

Roomba Battery and Charging

• Operate your Roomba only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label.Ifyou are not sure ofthe ty pe
of power suppl ie d t o your home,consult your appliance dealer or local power company.

• Charge using standard US (120V AC) outlet only.Product may not be used with any type of power converter.Any such
use will immediately void the Warranty.(Note:If you live outside the U.S.,compatible versions of Roomba are available
in many countries.Check local retailers for availability.)

• Use only the Charger AC Adapter or Rapid Charger supplied by the manufacturer to recharge this device.

• Do not use a Charger AC Adapter with a damaged cord or plug.

• Charge indoors only.

• Never handle Charger AC Adapter with wet hands.

• Always remove the Battery and disconnect Roomba from the Charger AC Adapter before cleaning Roomba.

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Owner’s Manual

Contents

Important Safety Instructions
Introducing Your Roomba Pro FloorVac
Getting Started

• Unpacking the Box

• FloorVac Description

• Installing the Battery

• Removing the Battery

• Charging the Battery

- The Battery Indicator Light

Using Your Roomba

• Preparing the Room for Cleaning

• Starting Roomba

• Pausing and Stopping Roomba

- Pausing Roomba in a Cleaning Cycle

- Spot Cleaning while Paused

- Un-Pausing Roomba

- Stopping Roomba

• The Virtual Wall Units

- Virtual Wall Unit Battery Installation

- Using the Virtual Wall Unit

• The Roomba Remote (included with Roomba Pro Elite)

- Roomba Remote Battery Instal lat ion

- Using the Roomba Remote

- Using the Roomba Remote with Roomba P ro

• The Wall Mount Unit (Roomba Pro Elite only)

- Installing the Wall Mount Unit

- Using the Wall Mount Unit

Caring for Roomba

• Emptying the Particle Bin

• Replacing the Air Filter

• Cleaning the Main Brushes

- Reassembling the Brushes

• Cleaning the Vacuum Inlet

• Maintaining the Edge-Cleaning Side Brush

• Keeping Roomba’s S ensors Clean

Reference Information

• Troubleshooting Tips

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Contacting Customer Support

• Limited Warranty to Original Purchaser

Purchasing Roomba Accessories

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Introduci ng t he Ro omba Pro | Pro El ite F lo or Vac

Welcome to the next generation of Ro omb a i nn ovat ion a nd convenie n ce. The new Roomb a Pro a nd Ro omb a Pro E l i te
Robotic F l oorVacs have al l the great features ofthe original Roomba,plus many improvements.Roomba Pro and Pro Elite
are easier to use and maintain,and feature new ways to clean what you want,where you want,and when you want —
at the tou ch of a button.

Your Roomba Pro | Pro Elite FloorVac is a hard-working,robotic floor-cleaning appliance that eliminates the need to
push it or foll ow it aroun d. It keeps your hard-surface floors and low- to medium-pile carpets barefoot clean with a
unique three-stage cleaning process.Roomba effectively cleans most common household floor surfaces with little or no
huma n su p e rv i s i on .

Getting Started

Unpacking the Box

Remove t h e content s of the box,and unpack all items from the Styrofoam packing material.
You will have a Roomba Pro | Pro Elite Robotic FloorVac packed for shipping,as well as the following:

1. Rechargeable NiMH Battery (packed inside your Roomba)

2. Charger A C Adapter

3. Two (2) Virtual Wall Units — each unit requires two (2) D-size batteries (not included)

4. Two (2) Replacement Filters

5. Owner’s Manual (the document you’re reading)

6. Quick Start Guide,Letter from the CEO of iRobot,and Warranty Registration Postcard (not shown in Figure 3)

SOFA

LAMP

TABLE

START

STAIRS

Figure 1:A typica l Roomba cle a nin g patter n .

Roomba Standard Charger
UL Approved
Class 2 Transformer
Input: 120VAC 60Hz 0.3A
Output: 24VDC 500mA
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.

How Roomba cleans a room

When Roomba s t a rts a typical cleaning cycle it
first travels around the floor in a spiral pattern
(see Figure 1).Its Non-Marring Bumper will contact
a wall,or it may try to find a wall after spiraling for
a while.Roomba follows the wall for a short per io d
of time , using its spinning, Edge-Cleaning Side Brush
to move debris away from the wall and into the
Vacuum’s path. After cleaning along a por t ion of the
wall or oth e r o bj ect,Roomb a crisscrosses the room in
straight lines.For most ofRoomba’s cleaning cycles,
Roomb a re peats thi s cle an ing p atter n unti l it s clea ni ng
time has elapsed,providing maximum coverage
of the room . I n ne w Sp ot C leaning mode (new in
Pro and Pro Elite),Roomba cleans a 3-foot-diameter
area using a slow,high-efficiency spiral pattern.This
pattern allows Roomba to focus intense cleaning over a
soiled area.In new MAX Cleaning mode (Pro Elite or
Remote),Roomba excels at cleaning multiple rooms,or
an extra large area — at the touch ofa single button.

Roomb a Pro Elite also co nt a i n s :

7. Roomba Remote — requires two (2) AA-size batteries
(not included)

8. Wall Mount Unit

9. Five (5) wall anchors for installing the Wal l Mount Unit

10. Five (5) screws for screwing into wall anchors or directly into
wood,for installing the Wall Mount Unit

11. Five (5) rubber screw hole plugs for finishing the Wal l Mount Unit.

Remove yo u r Roomb a from its protective plastic bag and turn it upside
down,so the whe els are faci ng up.You will notice a protec tive ca rd board
sheath enclosing t he Edg e-Cleaning Side Brush (see Figure 2).Carefully
disengage the cardboard sheath and twist ties from the black,flexible
Side Brush,being careful to protect the Side Brush from damage.Turn
your Roomb a b ack ove r.

Figure 2: Care ful ly remove the
protective c a rdb oa rd s he ath
and twist ties packed around
the Spinning Side Brush.

Once you have unpacked your Roomba,c h e c k t o make s u re that you have all t h e parts s h own he re:

Figure 3: Contents of package
for Room ba P ro.

Roomba Pro

Intelligent FloorVac

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Rechargeable NiMH

Roomba Battery

Two Replacement Filters

Charger

AC Adapter

2 Virtual Wall Units 2 Virtual Wall Units

for Room ba P ro E l ite .

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Roomba Pro Elite

Intelligent FloorVac

Two Replacement Filters

Charger AC Adapter

Roomba Remote

Rechargeable NiMH

Roomba Battery

Wall Mount Unit

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FloorVac Description

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•Removable
Particle Bin

•Battery Indicator

•Easy To Grab Handle

•Battery Charger Socket

•Edge-Cleaning
Side Brush

•Wall Following
Adjustment

•Beam Receiver

•Room Size
Selector
Buttons

•Filter Door

located on

underside of
Particle Bin
(not viewable from top)

•Main Power Button

•Spot Cleaning Button

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•Removable
Particle Bin

•Battery Indicator

•Easy To Grab Handle

•Battery Charger Socket

•Edge-Cleaning
Side Brush

•Wall Following
Adjustment

•Beam Receiver

•Room Size
Selector
Buttons

•Filter Door

located on

underside of
Particle Bin
(not viewable from top)

•Main Power Button

•Spot Cleaning Button

•Max Cleaning Button

•Edge-Cleaning
Side Brush

•Rechargeable NiMH Battery

•Main Cleaning Brushes
Pick Up Large Debris

•Brush Release Screw

•Squeegee Vacuum
Picks Up Fine Debris

•Vacuum Inlet Lid

•Filter Door

•Wire Guards

Your Roomba was designed and engineered using the latest technology and includes the following special features:

Figure 4a: Roo mba Pro

and Pro Elite top views.

Room ba Pro

Installing the Battery

1. Place Roomba upside down (with Cleaning Brushes
showing ) on a f l at , padded surface suc h as on a towel
or blanket .

2. Ifyou are using Roomba for the first time,remove
the Battery from the Battery Compartment,and
remove the pro t e ctive p l a s tic b a g from a ro u n d the
Battery.Remove any packing material left inside the
Battery Compartment or on the Battery itself.

3. Guide the Battery into the Battery Compartment
using your index fingers as shown in Figure 5,and
press both si de s of the Battery down firmly.

4. The Battery will click flat into place on both sides
when properly installed in Roomba.

5. Additional Batteries and a Rapid Charger can be
purchased.Plea se v isit www.RoombaVac.com to
purchase online,and for more purchase i n fo rmat i on.

Figure 5: Installing Ro omba’s Batt er y. Be sure to

press the Battery firm ly down on both sides.

Removing the Battery

1. Place Roomba upside down on a flat, padded su r f a ce .

2. Place your index fingers under the Guide Tabs on the Battery.First pull upward on the side ofthe Battery nearest the
Spinni ng S id e Br u sh . Then pull the other side ofthe Battery up and out to remove Battery.If the Battery fails to come
free of Roomba,simply press down on the Battery to snap into place,and tr y again.

Figure 4b: Roo mba Pro | Pro Elite
bottom view – cleaning side up.

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Room ba Pro Elit e

Charging the Battery

Please note that before first use of Roomba, you must charge the Battery. Roomba’s built-in charger takes 12
hours to fully charge the Battery.

1. Insert the Charge Plug on the Charger AC Adapter into Roomba’s Charger Socket,and plug the other end ofthe Charger
AC Adapter into a standard U.S. elec tr ical outlet (120 Volts AC) as shown in Figure 6.

2. The Battery Indicator Light (beneath the Battery Icon on Roomba’s control panel) should slowly pulse yellow.If this fails
to occur,remove and reinstall the Battery, check the plug connections and/or the electrical outlet.

3. The Battery Indicator Light will turn off after about 12 hours,with the Battery fully charged

Figure 6: The Charger AC Adapter is inserted
into Roomba’s Charge Socket as shown.The
other end i s p lug ge d i nto an e le c t r i c a l o u t let.

•Charge Plug

.

•Charge Socket

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The Battery Indicator Light

When Ro om b a i s in op e r ation, the Battery Indicator Light shows the charge level ofthe Battery according to the chart in
Figure 7 :

Color of Battery Indicator Battery Status

Pulsing Amber Charging
Green

Figure 7: Understanding the
status of the Battery from
the Battery Indicator Light.

Amber
Red
Flashing Red Fully Discharged

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BATTERY NOTES:

1. Roomba can clean 2-3 medium-sized rooms on a single charge.Roomba will run between about 60 minutes
(on medium-pile carpet) to about 90 minutes (on hard floor surfaces) on one full charge.

2. Ifcared for properly,the rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery should last for a long time.Like all
recha r g e a b l e batte ries , eventu a lly t h e Battery will wear out and should be replaced.The Battery may be disposed ofin
the regular trash.

3. You can purchase additional Batteries,as well as a Rapid Charger that charges a Roomba Battery in about two and a
half hours.Contact your nearest Roomba retai ler or visit www.RoombaVac.com for online purchase options and more
purchase in for m at ion .

Charged
Partially Charged
Almost Fully Discharged

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Starting Roomba

1. Always empty both sides ofthe Particle Bin b efore us e ( a simple process; see Emptying th e Par ticle Bin on p ag e 16).

2. Place Roomba on the floor in the middle ofan open area in the room.If cleaning multiple rooms with the MAX
Cleaning Cycle,b eg in cleaning in t he most centra l room.

3. Press the green Power Button on top ofRoomba to turn it on.

4. Select the cleaning cycle you want according to the chart in Figure 8,and press the corresponding Cleaning Cycle
Button to s t art.Roomba will play a short start-up tune and start the cleaning cycle.

Note: If you want t o c l e a n a s m all a rea up to 3 feet wide,where there is extra dirt or where something dry has spilled,place

Roomb a in th e c e nt e r o f the area to be cleaned and select the Spot Button.Roomba will intensively clean this area.Repeat
as necessary.

5. You only need to supervise Roo m b a the f i r s t time i t c l e a ns a room. Identif y areas whe re it gets stuck,then move
problem obje cts off t he f lo or or out of t he ro om, modif y t he m or b lo c k t h em with th e Virtu a l Wall Unit provided.
Please refer to the

page 21 ofthis manual to help identify and easily fix problem areas.After this first use,there should be no need to
super v i s e Ro omb a unless you are operating it around small children or pets.

6. When Roomba is finished cleaning in all cleaning cycles except MAX Cleaning ,it w i l l stop and play a cheer f ul tune.
The MAX Cleaning Cycle enables Roomba to clean for the maximum amount oftime,until its batteries are fully dis­charged; consequently,when Roomba fi ni shes a MAX Cleaning Cycle, it will stop and play its “Battery Low”tune.In all
cases,all of Roomba’s Cleaning Cycle Buttons will glow green,and Roomba will periodically beep for five minutes to
remi n d you that it's done,then turn itself off to conserve power.

Figure 8: Selec t the Roomba cleanin g cycle that is right for the job.

Roomb a Care Hi nts on the ba ck cover of t h e Q ui c k St a rt Guid e , as well a s Trouble sh oo ting Tips on

Using Your Roomba

Preparing the Room for Cleaning

1. Clear your floor of objects just as you would before using a regular vacuum cleaner:clothing,loose papers,pull cords
for blind s or c urtains , power cords,and sm a l l or f r agile items.Because Roomba gently contacts walls,furniture and
other objects a s it cle ans ,plea se remove any items that may be knocked over by light contact from Roomba.

Avoid using Roomba on carpets with long tassels or fringe edges. It may become stuck on long fringe. See the
Quick Start Guide for tips. Not recommended for use on shag or deep-pile carpets.

2. Roomba’s S,M and L Room Size Buttons are designed to clean one room at a time (see Figure 8).The MAX Cleaning
setting (Pro Elite/Roomba Remote only) is designed to clean an extra large room or multiple ro oms , but m ay b e us e d
to clean on e ro om i ntens ively.Conf i ne Room ba to t h e a rea yo u w a nt c lean ed by closi ng a l l do ors and use the Virtual
Wall Unit to block all open doorways.See

Observe Roomba the first time it cleans a room to make sure it doesn’t get wedged under or stuck on top
of uneven surfaces. Roomba automatically senses stairs and turns away from them. However, if the room to
be cleaned contains a balcony, a physical barrier should be used to prevent access to the ledge and ensure
safe operation.

TheVirtual Wall Unitson page 11.

8 9

PRESS THIS

BUTTON

Spot 1-23’ diameter concentrated spot cleaning

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MAX (Roomba
Pro Elite and
Remote only)

FOR THE FOLLOWING MISSION

Single room, about 10’ x 12’
Single room, about 14’ x 16’
Single room, about 15’ x 20’

Open floorplan (20’ x 30’) OR

Extra large room OR

Intensive single room cleaning

APPROXIMATE # OF

MINUTES TO COMPLETION

15-25
25-35
34-45

Up to 60-90