Automatic Litterbox Central

Hi Everyone!

This is my first time posting here, but I have been reading the forums for a while, and it has been so helpful - thank you all for creating this resource by sharing your experiences.

A few weeks ago, someone gave me their old ScoopFree litter box and Forever Tray. They said they had almost never used it, since their cat did not adapt, so it had been sitting in their garage for about a year. I've been using this system with Dr Elsey's crystals (which I really like) for a few weeks, and my cat likes it, and everything is going fine. The one problem is that the rake doesn't seem to rake far enough - it doesn't even push the waste under the purple plastic cover. It seems to just turn around before it gets far enough. It does this even when I cycle the machine without the box underneath, and even when I remove the purple cover.

What could be causing this? Has anyone else experienced this problem, and is there any way to fix it? I'm a little worried that I won't be able to get any customer support since I am using a Forever Tray

Not to worry! There are lots of very helpful folks here who can provide support!

There are a lot of variables as to what might be going on......but I'm thinking there may be something blocking somewhere. You don't mention if you have any blinking lights......?

It could be that the your sensors are either blocked or dirty, or that there's something blocking underneath.

Thanks so much for your response! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.

I don't seem to have any inappropriately blinking lights (they blink when the sensors are activated - like if i wave my hand in front of them or if the cat gets in the box, and they blink while counting down to the rake cycle, while the rake is moving and then they stop when the rake moves back to the home position). I cleaned the sensors, but there was no change.

I actually tried taking the whole thing apart because I wanted to see the rake on its track in case something was blocking it. That was kind of fun. I couldn't see any reason why the rake stops where it does. It just goes far enough to start lifting the lid but then stops and reverses. It doesn't get anywhere near hitting the reverse switch on the lid side, so I'm not sure what is triggering it to reverse. For anyone else who has looked at the inner workings, is it meant to hit that reverse switch or is there something else that causes it to reverse?

I made a little video of it in action, with the outer plastic shell removed so you can see the whole mechanism. It travels less far when it is placed in the litter, but even without litter it doesn't go as far as a normal working scoopfree.
http://youtu.be/08OWzmgFeRg

Any suggestions are welcome!

The video helps a lot!

It looks like the machine is cycling way, way slower than it should -- like there may be something binding and the motor is working too hard. I can tell this is an older machine (from the roller gear on it) -- and you mentioned that it had been in storage for awhile.

One suggestion I'd make is to get some silicone spray lubricant (from any auto parts shop or good hardware store) and give the roller gears (that run the whole length of the machine) a good spray, as well as the friction points on the white plastic sliding "ramps" (where they slide and lift the purple cover when the rake is at the poop compartment end).

This should eliminate the factor of the motor being simply overloaded. Ideally the rake should travel notably quicker, and maybe fix the problem of the rake not traveling the full distance.

Please let me know!

Rick always has good advice. is it my imagination or is the rake bowed. It looks like to me that at some point, the rake got stuck on something that should not have been there and nearly broke it. Again, maybe I only think I saw a bent rake.

Thanks Betty for the very kind words!

I looked again, and for some reason I'm not seeing a bow/bend. But Betty do you agree also that it's going waaaaaayyyy slower than it should?

Seems so to me Rick. It was akin to watching paint dry. It might be worth calling the scoop free people and describe the problem to them. I know did when I was having issues. I did not volunteer that I used the forever tray or crystals that were not theirs. They offered to send me a new machine greatly reduced, but I told them I could not afford it at the time. He put me on hold a second and came to offer me their beta tray for free and the only thing I had to do was respond when I would get questions about it. To this date, I have not had anyone call me about it.

Anyway, it does not hurt to ask.