Scooba Battery Problem and Tips

My biggest problem with the iRobot Scooba robotic mop is keeping the battery charged without killing the battery. I'm going to have to buy another battery for $69 -- not because of overusing Scooba, but because I haven't been using Scooba enough. iRobot has told Scooba owners that you should use Scooba at least every 2 weeks to keep the battery fresh. Apparently Nickel batteries like the one used in the Scooba benefit from frequent use. If you aren't going to use it that often, you should charge the Scooba battery, then remove it and store it in a cool dry place until you are ready to use the Scooba. When you want to use it, you should charge it up again right before using it.

Bottom line: Leaving the Scooba plugged in for weeks and months at a time without using it is a recipe for battery failure. There are ways to try and recondition the battery with a special 72-hour or 16-hour cycle, but at some point the battery just isn't fixable and you've got to get a new one. The easiest solution is simply to run Scooba every week like clockwork. That also prevents the rubber components and pump from drying out. (You may have to prime the pump to get Scooba to work properly if you leave it unused for too long - this is easily accomplished with the priming ball included with the Scooba).

Scoobas manufactured before 2006 had a bigger problem, where they overcharged the battery to death even if you used Scooba pretty frequently. That is now less of a problem, provided, like I said, you actually use your Scooba every couple of weeks. The battery is supposed to last for hundreds of cycles, so if yours is crapping out before then, my guess is you've left it charging too long.

Also, the battery should last longer if you recharge Scooba after each use, instead of running it until the battery is completely dead every time. That taxes the battery, although occasionally running the battery down is not a bad thing.

Anyway, for anybody angry at iRobot for the battery issues really shouldn't be -- batteries are finicky creatures. My old cell phone lithium battery would fry up like a fat sausage if it was left charging overnight repeatedly. It's just one of the perils of modern technology. Now, maybe iRobot should make a robot that takes care of Scooba's battery storage, etc., for you (and empties it, fills it, schedules it, etc.), but, first things first. My guess is these things are just a little more common with the Scooba than the Roomba robotic vacuum, which people are more apt to run daily since you can easily schedule Roomba to run every day.

The fact that you can buy a Scooba for a little over $200 and never have to mop again remains a modern miracle, and I'm continually surprised at how few people have actually bought them! They aren't perfect, but the value proposition is still shockingly good. You plug in the robot, add fluid, turn it on, let it clean your floors without complaint, empty fluid, clean robot, done! No more mopping, no more swishing around dirty water, and the proof is in the black water that empties out of the robot! Scooba is still my favorite iRobot product, and my favorite home appliance.

Good luck!

Tags: iRobot, Scooba, Scooba battery