We can only imagine the exasperation that comes with your Roomba virtual wall not working well at all. This means you constantly have to monitor the vacuum so as it doesn’t hit a wall and get damaged. Nobody wants that!
The robotic vacuum is required to work efficiently even without you having to ‘supervise’ it every time, right? This is the reason we have outlined several steps you would take if you find yourself in such a situation.
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Why Is Your Roomba Virtual Wall Not Working?
There are several reasons why the virtual walls would fail to confine the robotic vacuum within specified areas.
One of the most obvious reasons why this would happen could be because the batteries are low on charge. You might be unknowingly persisting with an inefficient battery and thinking it’s the vacuum that’s the problem.
Another reason could be that you haven’t placed the virtual walls perfectly in the doorway you want to block. Also, the fact that you don’t check to see if the virtual wall is actually working before starting the Roomba could be a reason why.
The most obvious one of all would be because the virtual walls aren’t as compatible with the Roomba version you have as you think. Hence the reason the virtual wall fails to work no matter what you do.
The Solution to a Roomba Virtual Wall Not Working
Step 1
Check for Compatibility. Roomba has a wide array of robotic vacuums each with its requisite accessories. A few can be used across all the Roomba vacuums but not all. Hence the reason you need to check whether the virtual lighthouse barrier you have is actually compatible with the model of Roomba you own. So far, only the dual-mode virtual wall works with all Roomba models.
Step 2
Switch out the old batteries. To reduce the chances of it being just a glitch with the batteries, change the old batteries to fresh ones.
Step 3
Correctly turn on the virtual wall. Have you stopped to consider that the fact the wall isn’t working is because you haven’t turned it on properly? A light on the virtual wall should show whether it’s on or powered.
If you don’t see the light restart the virtual wall and check for a pulse from the light. It should pulse 5 times.
Step 4
Put the virtual wall barrier by the path you want to block with its arrow pointing facing outwards. Any error on this part leads to the beam of rays blocking a different path.
Step 5
Make sure other virtual walls or home bases are within 8 feet of your virtual wall. They may intercept the beams from your virtual wall.
Step 6
Restart the Roomba to see if the vacuum will read the virtual walls signal. Place the vacuum directly in front of the barrier and check whether it will cross the barrier.
Step 7
Try docking the Roomba and see whether it returns to the home base. If it does then this might mean there is a problem with your virtual wall barrier.
Important Points to Note
- Since Roomba vacuums use infrared rays to pass signals, obstacles in the path of the virtual light barrier might impair its communication with the vacuum. This would lead to the barrier not working as effectively as it should.
- Setting your virtual wall to halo mode instead of Virtual mode would also cause the vacuum not to confine itself within a given area.
- If the virtual wall barrier doesn’t work even after trying all the mentioned steps then maybe it’s time to contact Roomba support
If your Roomba Virtual Wall is not working, you might have a problem with your batteries. Check out our troubleshooting guide to find out what the problem might be.
Last update on 2024-03-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Read Also: Roomba 805 vs 890 – Which Robot Vacuum to Choose?
FAQ About Roomba Virtual Wall Not Working
Do Roombas Virtual Walls Work With All Versions?
No. Only the dual-mode virtual wall works across all Roomba versions. The others don’t.
What Is a Virtual Wall Barrier?
Virtual wall barriers are invisible walls that come with automatic robotic vacuums to help them navigate cleaning areas while being confined in one place or room
How Do Virtual Wall Barriers Work?
Virtual wall barriers use infrared rays to shine a beam that forms an invisible wall in a room. This prevents the vacuum from leaving a certain room or crossing a certain boundary.
Read Also: How to Get Roomba to Clean Whole House
In Summary
We hope some of these steps we have mentioned will help you get your virtual wall barrier working once more. If they don’t help in any way, then maybe it’s time to purchase a new virtual wall barrier.
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