Tenergy 14.4V 3800mAh NiMH Battery Pack for IRobot Vacuum Cleaner 400 series such as Roomba 4905 --New!! A Screwdriver included LIMITED SALE!
by Tenergy
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Our Price: $25.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Tenergy 14.4V 3800mAh NiMH Battery Pack for IRobot Vacuum Cleaner 400 series such as Roomba 4905 --New!! A Screwdriver included LIMITED SALE!
Customer Review: Battery has short lifetime
Summary: 2 Stars
This battery is difficult to install as noted in other reviews. But once it is installed it restores the run time of the Roomba to what it was initially.
The downside is that this new battery looses its ability to hold a charge much more quickly then the original Roomba battery. My impression of using the Tenergy battery for only a few months is that it's life is less than the original Roomba's battery was after a year of use.
Given the difficulty of installation and what appears to be inferior battery technology to the original Roomba, I would not recommend buying this product but would rather recommend buying an a new battery from iRobot.
4/25/09 update
Original battery pack died completely after four months. I opened up the pack and measured the voltage across each cell while under charge and discharge. From doing this it became clear that one cell in the pack (of 12 cells) had died and the others were fine. But one dead cell makes the whole pack unusable in the Roomba.
The manufacturer was willing to send me a new pack. I went through the hassle again of changing it. The new pack lasted about one month before it also stopped working.
At this point I would give this product the lowest rating. I will also avoid any other products from Tenergy since the quality of their cells, from my small sample set, is very poor.
Customer Review: second Tenergy Roomba pack I've used
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the second battery I have replaced for one of our Roombas. The first one has been going strong for six months and easily increased the run time by a third over the Roomba battery when the original was new. I found that using a wood chisel and a light touch with a hammer has been a good way to begin cracking the case and can be used (carefully) to open the gap between the top and bottom by tapping the chisel in the opened crack to split the glued joint. Be patient and work slowly. The soldering is straightforward, but you need a soldering iron, solder and a fireproof place to work. If you just want to pop out one battery and put in another, plan on spending $70 on a new battery from iRobot; I'm glad to pay less than half and invest an hour in getting a strong battery.Customer Review: Worth the cost
Summary: 4 Stars
I didnt seem to have the same issues others did when taking the original battery apart. Yes, it was glued... however it only took me about 20 minutes to separate the top from the rest of the battery compartment. This was accomplished by using two very small regular screwdrivers, and working my way along slowly (but i guess not as slowly as the people for whom it took two hours). I found it easiest to start at one of the ends, where the glue was lightest (under the latching mechanism where the contacts are.
All in all I think I spent less than an hour from start to finish (between opening the case, removal of old battery and connectors, sodering connecters on new battery, putting case back together). The most time consuming aspect was removing the new battery from the case after I had dropped it in to 'dry fit' it and measure the wires. It's a TIGHT fit.
First running after full charge - 65 minutes
2nd running - was not timed
3rd running - approx 75 minutes
4th running approx 75 minutes
At this time, obviously it's unknown how long the battery will last. Unfortunately, I'm not receiving anywhere close to 120 minutes as some other people have claimed. Maybe pot luck depending on the quality of the cells you receive. Even at running for an hour to 75 minutes, i'll be happy if the battery lasts one year of normal use. Otherwise, probably worth the extra $20 to purchase a true replacement.
Customer Review: Worth the effort and $$$
Summary: 5 Stars
Thanks to those who have shared their know-how. I followed the posted instructions to replace the APS battery with the Tenergy 14.4V 3800mAh NiMH battery pack for my Roomba Scheduler during the holiday break (took me 3 hours from start to finish) and ever since it runs like a charm - I mean it cleans up 4 rooms and still has some juice left.Customer Review: No legs on this battery
Summary: 1 Stars
After only 4 months of steady use the cleaning cycle duration supported by the battery can be measured in seconds. In contrast, the original battery lasted about 1 year under a load of 4-5 cleaning cycles per week. Even at twice the price, the authentic Roomba battery is a better buy.