Automatic Litterbox Central

Boy, I wish I found this message board a while ago! I've had the LR for about 17 months now and have been generally happy with it. Periodically the red light will start blinking for no reason and I would just endure by unplugging and re-plugging it in to make it rotate. But now I've read on this site that some build-up could be throwing the weight off.

But anyway, now one of the notches along the globe broke out (??) and the motorized wheel can't catch it when its turning. It clicks and clicks until I come over and push it along to help it catch the next notch. And then I have to stand there and wait to do the same when its rotating back the other way. I don't know how the notch could have broken out. I never touch it or mess with it.

So I called Customer Service today at 11AM ET and got their Voicemail. Now I'm waiting for a call back. Do you think I'll have to buy a whole new one? My cats are so spoiled by it. They won't use any litterbox unless its totally clean when they go in it.

Has this happened to anyone else?

They'll probably just send you a new globe. You might want to email them a picture of the damage.

I got a call back from the Litter Robot people. Boy, they're really nice! Anyway, the warranty is 18 months long, and they're mailing me a new globe. What great service!

They've been known to repair/replace parts out of warranty too. They have excellent customer service.

My globe is doing the same thing on one of my Litter Robots. Mine has one notch that is bad enough to keep the LR from operating without a helping hand, but I also have a crack along several other notches in a different area of the globe. Mine is out of warranty though so I ordered the new and improved Litter-Robot II.

See links for pictures of my globe.

http://www.ucfpics.com/DSCN1717.JPG

http://www.ucfpics.com/DSCN1715.JPG

Same thing happened to mine. The new globes address this issue and it shouldn't be a problem in the future. If your buttons start to act up or it starts acting wierd, that will be the circuit board. Relatively cheap part and a very simple fix. I got my bot in '04 and also had to replace the globe while under warranty. Just replaced the circuit board a couples weeks ago and I still believe it's the best litter box on the market.

After having my bot for just over two years now, my upper globe just made a horrendous noise and stopped rotating - upon further investigation found that my notches, too, were starting to break completely (and cleanly) right off, rendering my unit inop.

Called the company, and of course, I'm out of warranty, but was informed that this in fact was a problem with the older units (thus the new improved designs) and they only offered 15% off on a new unit for a known problem?

Boy I'll tell you, from someone who was really happy with the Bot, I wasn't so happy with the response from the company - guess I'll have to mull over forking out that money again for a new unit.

If anyone out there has a spare globe from an older unit, and would like to sell it reasonably, please send an email to
alysonrome@comporium.net

THANKS!

I had the notch issue as well. If you can find a piece of thin hard plastic, like the plastic they make those awful clamshell packages everything at Costco comes in, cut a strip long enough to cover the broken out part and wrap over the sides. Super glue it into place, and tape over it (so it wont move while the glue dries). Works like a charm.

If I remember I'll take a picture and attach it.

I ended up buying a new unit anyway, but mine was over three years old and having other problems. I also do not maintain it very well, so I am more than happy to buy another.

Hi,

The same thing has happened to mine. If you could post a picture of the repair that was mentioned using the strip of hard plastic I would appreciate it... I would like to give it a try! thanks.

Just an update to my prior post...
After much discussion with the company, I had the option of either purchasing a new globe ($125) for my old unit (which would also require mailing back the base to change out the gear that makes the unit rotate...probably another $30 in postage!), or order the new unit, so common sense told me to do the latter.

After having it set up in my home for two weeks, it became problematic. The newly designed globe has a spring loaded cover for the port holes (where the waste dispenses into the base), when it is in the open position it's handle blocks entry into the globe. Well, wouldn't you know mine kept getting stuck in the open position, blocking my cat from going inside? AAARRRGGGHHH!

The deeper drawer is a nice feature- they really get a thumbs up for that one, but the MAJOR DOWNSIDE is that they felt the need to put holes on the kitty step portion of it- which, in my case, acted as a lovely way to vent the stinky cat poo out into the room, and it also allowed some litter (not all, mind you) that was on kitty paws to go back inside and UNDER the bag - who wants to clean up that mess every time you change the bag?

Needless to say, they've still got a far way to go to improve this design enough for me to fork over more $$$ on this unit -
BACK IT WENT...and now will come the fight over the return postage-their credit for this machine deducted the original postage amount of $35, and it cost another $32 to mail it back.

TOTAL COST FOR A DEFECTIVE UNIT THAT I NO LONGER HAVE? $67.00!!!