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I got to test quite a fewRoomba and Samsung robot vacuum cleaners, and I decided to keep one of the Roomba robots for myself to use at home.
The Roomba was an s9+, which meant it was one of the top of the line models that they offer.
I was seriously impressed with what I had got until the robot ran into a bin error a few weeks later.
I had to find out what was wrong because it was a pretty big splurge that I had to make to get my hands on this model, and without a way to keep my home clean, things could take a dirty turn.
To know what a bin error meant and how I could try to fix it, I went to iRobot’s support pages as well as took the help from the awesome folks over at some Roomba user forums.
I managed to compile everything that I found into this guide that should help you figure this issue out and get it fixed in seconds.
The Roomba Bin Error can happen if you haven’t installed the dust bin properly on your Roomba or if the sensors that check for the bin reported incorrect information to the Roomba. To fix this issue, reinstall the bin and clean the bin sensors.
Read on more to find out how you can restart your Roomba, and follow me step by step through how to hard reset your Roomba.
What Does Bin Error Mean On My Roomba?
Bin errors are usually seen if the dust collector bin on your Roomba has not been closed properly or the bin is not installed correctly.
The Roomba users a set of sensors to check if the bin has been installed properly, and those sensors can begin to lose their accuracy after a while.
So if the sensor thinks that the bin was not installed correctly or is somehow not how it is supposed to be, your Roomba will throw up the Bin error.
Fortunately, getting this fixed is pretty easy, so read on to find out how.
Reinstall the Bin
While doing any sort of troubleshooting, it is best to get any obvious fixes out of the way before we try something for advanced.
Since bin errors usually come up when a bin is installed incorrectly, try reinstalling the bin again.
Remove the bin if your Roomba model allows you to, and reinstall it again.
Close the lid shut properly if your model does not allow you to remove the bin.
You can use sandpaper to sand down the edges of where the bin sits on the robot, but do this carefully not to damage the internals of the robot.
Clean the Bin Sensors
I’ve previously talked about how your Roomba knows if the bin has been installed and how it uses sensors to determine this.
These sensors are pretty sensitive, and considering their position, they come in contact with dust and dirt a lot and can get blocked.
This can prevent them from detecting the dust bin properly, and the Roomba thinks you installed it incorrectly.
So try cleaning these sensors, which you can find close to where the bin makes contact with the filter.
Remove the bin and use a microfiber cloth to clean the sensor windows of any dust or grime.
Place the bin back in and turn on the Roomba to see if the Bin error comes back.
Replace the Bin
If the sensors are clean and you installed the bin properly, but you still get this error, the chances are that the bin you are using with your Roomba is not a genuine part.
Non-certified spare parts are not held to a good manufacturing standard like iRobot genuine parts and may not work properly with Roomba or its sensors.
If you had replaced the bin recently and started seeing this error, then the chances are that your bin is not a genuine iRobot spare part.
Get a genuine Roomba iRobot Gray Aerovac Dust Bin from iRobot themselves, or look for an iRobot certified logo in any third party replacement parts.
They last longer, and some of them have an extra warranty for those parts themselves.
Restart your Roomba
Software bugs can cause this error, and since Roombas rarely receive software updates, a restart is your only real option here.
A restart can fix any bugs in the software that didn’t allow the robot to correctly detect a bin and see if you properly installed it.
To restart ani SeriesRoomba.
- Press and hold the Clean button for at least 20 seconds and release it when the white light around the button starts spinning clockwise.
- Wait for a few minutes for the Roomba to turn back on.
- The restart completes when the white light has turned off.
To restart ans SeriesRoomba:
- Press and hold the Clean button for at least 20 seconds and release it when the white LED ring around the bin’s lid starts spinning clockwise.
- Wait for a few minutes for the Roomba to turn back on.
- The restart completes when the white light has turned off.
To restart a700,800, or900Series Roomba:
- Press and hold the Clean button for about 10 seconds and release it when you hear a beep.
- The Roomba will then reboot.
After you restart your Roomba, check if the bin error comes back again.
Reset Your Roomba
If a restart didn’t fix the bin error, it is time to consider a factory reset.
A hard reset like this will wipe all custom settings from the Roomba, including all the floor layouts it has learned and its cleaning schedules.
So keep this in mind before you hard reset and prepare to go through the process of setting up everything from scratch again.
To hard reset your Roomba:
- Go to theSettings> Factory Reset in the iRobot Home app.
- Confirm the prompt to start the factory reset.
- The Roomba will start its factory reset procedure after you accept the prompt, so let it finish the reset.
After the Roomba completes its reset process, run it through its cleaning schedules and see if it runs into a bin error again.
Contact Support
If a factory reset didn’t fix the issue for you, or if you run into more issues while troubleshooting, feel free to contact iRobot support.
They can offer more personalized help for you once they know what the model of your Roomba is and what sort of error you have run into.
Final Thoughts
While following this troubleshooting guide, don’t forget to check if the Roomba still can charge its batteries.
Try charging the robot after each step, and if theRoomba runs into charging issues, use some rubbing alcohol and clean the battery contacts, as well as the contacts the robot uses for charging.
A specificCharging Error 8had been reported by many people online, but dealing with that is easy.
First, make sure you are using a genuine iRobot battery, and then place the Roomba away from any device that heats a lot when it is working.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When should I replace my Roomba bin?
You can replace your Roomba bin either when it has a lot of physical damage or after 3-4 years has passed.
How long do Roomba rollers last?
Roomba rollers generally last around 9-10 months, so replacing them after less than a year is recommended.
How often should I empty my Roomba?
You should make it a practice to empty the Roomba’s dust bins after every cleaning session.
Rinse the bins with warm water and air dry them before reinstalling them.
Can I run my Roomba twice a day?
Depending on the level of activity in your home and how fast it gets dirtied, you can run your Roomba twice a day.
Running the robot once a day is more than enough for normal situations.