Hi - I have had my Neato XV-11 for a couple of years and I am now having trouble keeping the dust bin snapped in. I am not quite sure whether the issue is with the tabs that keep the bin securely in place or whether the problem is the sensor. There seems to be a little bit of “play” when the dust bin is snapped in and so I get the error message to replace the dust bin. I have put a small piece of duct tape on the bin to make it a bit thicker at the spot where the sensor is located and if I press down hard enough on the bin it will usually stay snapped in place enough to operate. However, the bin can work it’s way loose and then the error message will appear asking to replace the dust bin.
The tabs that hold the bin in place are quite minimal and I am wondering if they are just worn enough so that the bin is no longer held firmly enough in place to completely activate the bin sensor/switch. I have considered that maybe replacing the bin would help … that it would be a tighter fit and stay securely in place. However, I don’t want to replace the bin if that won’t solve the problem and waste the money.
Any suggestions? Is this a problem that others have encountered for which there is a known fix? I look forward to your advice.
If the dust bin has problems staying in place, then we suggest you to replace it.
The tabs could be worn enough so the bin cannot be held in place. You can find a new dust bin here.
I ordered a new dust bin for the XV-11 when this problem first occurred and it really didn’t make any difference. The problem is the little rubber switch that needs to be depressed by the dust bin. The dust bin doesn’t depress the switch far enough so I have to wiggle the switch, press it in an out a few times and press down hard on the dust bin in order to get it to “stick.” Unfortunately, I don’t think there is an easy way to replace this switch without a major disassembly of the vacuum. Any advice?
@jwramsay Thank you for your update on this problem.
(Welcome back to our community!)
If you need to press down hard on the dust bin switch in order to have the robot detect the dust bin, it means the dust bin sensor is probably just dirty and it doesn’t make contact properly.
To fix the issue, you can simply open the robot and clean the dust bin sensor with a clean wipe and put the robot back together.
You can use the following video to help you disassemble your robot:
The Dust Bin Sensor that was being referenced is a micro-switch that is depressed when the Dust Bin has been inserted into the robot. The problem is that the normal vibration can cause the the dust bin to rise and no longer depress the micro-switch. When this happens you get an error message to “Replace my Dust Bin” This is different from when the Dust Bin is full. I personally have this problem every time the robot goes over the tile threshold to my bathroom. The bump of the threshold causes the dustbin to rise triggering the micro-switch to report the problem, the temporary fix is to just push down on the front of the dustbin and hit the Okay entry. Cleaning the sensor won’t do anything as there is no optical connection and the switch is sealed.
Thank you for your input. Please let me correct you on this affirmation.
The cleaning the sensor does change something. The dust bin sensor is in fact a capacitive sensor, which triggers when the black rubber on top of it get depressed by the dust bin sensor and comes in contact with it. The black rubber has a capacitive overlay, which makes contact on the capacitive sensor and triggers it.
In the case of the error “Replace my dust bin” there’s two option:
1- The dust bin is out of place and no longer press down on the black rubber.
2- The dust bin is indeed in place, but the connection is not being made properly. To fix this, simply remove the black rubber, clean the underneath and put it back in place. I’ve repaired numerous Neato dust bin sensor that way.
Can you be more specific about what you mean by “simply remove the black rubber” — as far as I can tell, the rubber plunger cannot be removed from the switch. Removing the two screws on either side of the switch does not release the switch. Is it possible to clean the switch without totally disassembling the unit?
I have taken my Neato XV Signature Pro apart to clean the bin sensor, but a small flexable bit of rubber fell out that I cannot find where it belongs. It fell out from behind the front bumper, it is not one of the 4 the plastic bumper paddles, below is a pic (the pen is to show the size). Can anyone tell me where this bit of rubber is from, thanks in advance - Alan
Easy fix here. Put a colored marker on the bin and press it down on the vac. When you see the dot drill a hole through and put a nail slightly smaller than the hole and put electrical tape on the nail so you can push the nail in with resistance until it pushes in the microswitch and you’re done. It will come out with the bin and you might have to much slightly on the nail when you put the bin back
Really don’t know what you mean by this. Drill a hole in the dust bin? What do you mean "push the nail in with resistance until it pushes in the microswitch”? Can you post a photo or explain your idea a little more fully?
And I am just so sick of this sensor/switch!
Can I just completely bypass it by shorting the two wires together?
Okay, so I’ll have to pause the robot myself when I go to remove the bin. And it won’t thank me for emptying the bin. Will it keep track that it never gets emptied anymore? Anything catastrophic if it runs when I didn’t quite close the dust bin…?
Amen! This should have been considered a defect in this model with a recall and replacement of the switch. Given the number of view on this issue (6,100) I would say this is a common issue.
I love the response above that says “you can simply open the robot and clean the dust bin sensor.” HAAA! “simply open the robot” - did you watch the video? It should say “completely dismantle the robot as though you were building it for the first time. Then wipe off the sensor.” Which in fact won’t work because the pressure switch is the issue. In the video at 4:42 they just remove the switch without taking it apart or accessing the faulty trigger.
