How to Troubleshoot a Roomba Not Charging

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Our expert guide shows you how to fix your Roomba quickly and easily
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Are you having trouble getting your Roomba to charge? Fortunately, there are a few different ways you can fix the "My Roomba isn't charging" problem like cleaning the contacts and various parts of the robot vacuum. Read on to learn more.

Fix a Roomba That Isn’t Charging

The number one common cause for a Roomba not charging is that the charging contacts are dirty. Use a damp melamine foam, like a Magic Eraser, to clean the contacts on the charging base (unplug it from power first!), and the charging contacts on the underbelly of the robot vacuum.

1

Clean the contacts.

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  1. Unplug the dock, grab a lightly dampened melamine foam such as a Magic Eraser or a damp cloth, turn your vacuum upside down, and rub the charging contacts clean. Don't forget to check and clean the contacts of the Home Base or Clean Base if needed.
    • They should shine when you're done. Dull contacts may not be able to conduct a charge.
    • If the contacts are green or copper colored, they may be damaged and need to be replaced.
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2

Put the battery in Sleep Mode and reactivate it.

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  1. To do this, take your Roomba off the dock and follow these steps for your specific model:
    • Roomba Essentials: Press the HOME button on the vacuum for 9 seconds until you hear the shutdown sound and see the LED light turn off.
      • A small LED will dimly shine red when the vacuum is in Sleep Mode/Ship Mode.
    • i, s, and m Series Li-Ion battery: Press and hold the HOME button on the vacuum for 10 seconds and everything will power off. Press the CLEAN button once to make sure it's off.
    • j Series and Combo 10 Max Li-Ion battery: Lift a wheel off the floor, press and hold the CLEAN button for 3 seconds, and everything will turn off. Press CLEAN again to ensure the vacuum is off.
    • e Series Li-Ion battery: Press and hold the CLEAN button for 12 seconds until you hear a tone. All indicators (like LED lights) will turn off. Press the CLEAN button again to make sure the Roomba is off.
    • Roomba 400 through 900 series batteries: These batteries don't have Sleep Mode. Instead, remove the battery.
    • Reactivate the battery by putting it back on the Home/Clean Base. [1]
3

Remove and reinstall the battery.

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  1. For most modern Roomba robot vacuums, you need a Philips-head screwdriver to remove the edge sweeping brush and bottom plate. On some models, like the s9, you'll need to loosen an additional screw that secures the battery.
    • Once you have all the screws removed, you can pull out the battery. Check it over to inspect it for any visual damage, then reinsert it and re-tighten all the screws holding the bottom plate to the Roomba as well as the edge sweeping brush.
      • Newer versions of the e, i, and j series have a battery door instead of a bottom plate, so you don't have to unscrew as much. [2]
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4

Check the power cords to your Home/Clean Base.

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  1. Visually look to make sure the power cable from your Home/Clean Base isn't damaged. The unit should also have a light on it that indicates it has power.
    • If the cable is fine, but the light is out, try another outlet.
    • The Roomba Essentials vacuum doesn't have LED lights on the dock. [3]
5

Clean the brushes.

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  1. Unplug the Home/Clean Base, turn your vacuum over, and remove excess hair and debris. This can also be covering the charging contacts so they don't work properly.
    • For some Roomba models, you can press a tab next to one of the wheels to remove a brush so you can clean it more easily.
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6

Clean the front caster wheel.

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  1. With the charging station still unplugged, pull on the wheel to remove it from the robot, then pull on it again to remove it from the wheel housing. You can now easily clean the wheel from any debris.
    • Once you're done cleaning the wheel, snap it back into the wheel housing. Remove any debris from the wheel cavity on the Roomba, then reinsert the wheel housing.
7

Make sure you're docking the Roomba the correct way.

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  1. You want to hear a beep, which indicates that you've inserted the Roomba the right way. You might need to flip the Roomba over to see where the charging contacts are so you can place them correctly on the Home/Clean Base.
    • Note that different models dock in different directions. For example, the Roomba Combo j9+ docks with the camera facing towards the dock, but the Roomba Combo 10 Max docks with the camera facing out. [4]
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8

Replace the battery or Home/Clean Base.

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  1. Here's what to take into consideration in regards to a new battery or Home/Clean Base.
    • You might need a new Home/Clean Base if:
      • you've had the Roomba for a long time and use it frequently,
      • you've noticed that the power cable is securely connected to the base and the outlet,
      • the power cable isn't damaged, and
      • you've tried other outlets, but the LED light does not come on (excluding Roomba Essentials, which doesn't have LED lights on the base).
    • You might need a new battery if:
      • you've had the Roomba for a long time and use it frequently, (note that a battery usually lasts 2-3 years)
      • the LED light on your Home/Clean Base is lit up, but your Roomba doesn't beep to indicate that it is properly aligned in the dock when it connects
      • the connectors are clean and shiny, and
      • you've already taken out the battery and put it back in to reseat it properly.
    • If either of these parts stops working before 2 years, if you have a Roomba under warranty, you might be able to get replacement parts for free! [5]

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      References

      1. ↑ https://homesupport.irobot.com/s/article/4721
      2. ↑ https://homesupport.irobot.com/s/article/2457
      3. ↑ https://homesupport.irobot.com/s/article/19562
      4. ↑ https://homesupport.irobot.com/s/article/19952#MakesuretheBasehaspower
      5. ↑ https://www.irobot.co.uk/en_GB/returns-warranties.html#:~:text=SCOPE%20OF%20THE%20WARRANTY,the%20'Warranty%20Period' ).

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