Bowl grinding along brim...

[Robert Deliën]

Hi Guys,

One of my boxes had problems flushing away the waste water and it turned out to have a hugh amount of lime under the bowl and around the hopper, so I deep cleaned it and all appeared to be well. But being in maintenance mode, I decide to investigate another problem this box has: Sometimes the bowl is stuttering a bit while going round. I has had this problem since the first day.

I figured the PU cog didn't grab the bowl cog properly and I've read something about putting washers under the bowl, but nothing was written about these washers in the manual, so I kept it the way it was. Now I think the stuttering, sometimes completely stalling bowl is the cause of a less-than-clean box.

The box isn't on a completely flat floor, and pushing the rim down on different placed make the problem better and worse. So I started shimming the bowl with the washers, but that didn't help. Taking out the scrubbed didn't help much either.

The I discovered that the bowl wash grinding along the inside of the brim, producing a lot of friction: I could hardly turn it by hand. So the stuttering was in fact a stalling over-loaded motor. I guess that's the reason why one of my bowl motors already broke down.

So I started swapping parts with another box and the consistent part with the problem was the base. Even if all other parts are swapped with another box, the problem remains with the base. Anybody else had this problem? Any fixes? If I don't click the brim onto the base, but leave it a bit higher, everything turns well. I've fixed the brim into this position now, using two little screws, but there must be a better solution...

Cheers,

Robert.

[Dylan Farrell]

I have had pretty good luck assuming the bowl with washers that on sent out. I also have doubled up a towel, and found that helped even out the frame.  that being said,  I have however discovered that some frames aye just not as well built as others, or more warped at least.  do you have plastic shims that came with it? I can't remember when i got mine... Some upgrade.

On Mar 13, 2011 9:08 AM, "Robert Deliën" <Rob...@delien.nl> wrote:

[Richard W.]

I noticed a few weeks ago during a deep cleaning of the catgenie that my bowl seems to ride against the rim from a small wear pattern in the rim. I don't know how much it actually helped but I rubbed some petroleum jelly into the inside rim. I think it's thick enough to stay in place and it's somewhat natural.

Sent from my iPhone

[Robert Deliën]

I've got the wear pattern too. I wonder if removing one or more of the conducting wheels in the base will relieve the friction.

[Sonagi]

Hi. I actually had this or a similar problem. My bowl was getting
stuck. The processing unit sometimes popped off the base and the gears
teeth weren't touching each other). I could make the base bowl rotate
again by removing and then putting back the processing unit was the
gear was still moving. What I ended up doing was using the included
washers (all the ones included in the spare parts bag) AND create
another washer using plastic packaging (the clear plastic wrap
packaging). This reduced the frequency of gear popping and eventually
fixed the problem (as the bowl which somehow got warped got unwarped
due to repeated heat applied during the dry cycle). Also I think
having a level ground is important, and I placed an excercise foam
mat. I think it's possible for an uneven floor to raise the bottom
part of the cat genie base which has the peg where the base bowl
rotates or warp the base (after all the cat genie is made of really
thin and easily bendable plastic). Over time, this uneven ground can
warp the base or the bowl.

I think removing one of the conducting wheels will actually make the
problem worse. I do not think it's the friction that is the problem
(as even with using all the washers and having virtually no space
between the outer base and inner rotating bowl), the rotating bowl is
flexible enough accommodate the extra pressure. I am leaning towards
the angle of gears (mismatch between the gears due to warped base or
bowl). Good luck.

[Richard W.]

I don't think that would be a great idea to remove the wheels. I think it would do more harm than good. They help keep the bowl somewhat centered.

Sent from my iPhone

[Robert Deliën]

An old topic, I know, but I have some news.

> Hi. I actually had this or a similar problem. My bowl was getting
> stuck. The processing unit sometimes popped off the base and the gears
> teeth weren't touching each other). I could make the base bowl rotate
> again by removing and then putting back the processing unit was the
> gear was still moving. What I ended up doing was using the included
> washers (all the ones included in the spare parts bag) AND create
> another washer using plastic packaging (the clear plastic wrap
> packaging). This reduced the frequency of gear popping and eventually
> fixed the problem (as the bowl which somehow got warped got unwarped
> due to repeated heat applied during the dry cycle). Also I think
> having a level ground is important, and I placed an excercise foam
> mat. I think it's possible for an uneven floor to raise the bottom
> part of the cat genie base which has the peg where the base bowl
> rotates or warp the base (after all the cat genie is made of really
> thin and easily bendable plastic). Over time, this uneven ground can
> warp the base or the bowl.

My boxes are installed in my garage, on a concrete floor, covered with raisin. I think it is quite even, but I didn't measure it. When the bowl motor was rattling, it could be 'fixed' by lifting the right-hand front side of the box. I think that didn't level the bowl, but actually warp it a bit. As a result, friction was slightly reduced.

Even in this position, the bowl grinds along the brim. I have 'solved' this by lifting the brim a bit and fix it in that position with a screw. Not really nice, but it does the job.

Last week I notice my second box picking up the same problem. So I deep cleaned it, reassembled it and I noticed that the bowl was turning rather light, even with the brim installed. Some lime has built up at the point where these two meet, so cleaning that off reduced friction too, but still the motor had problems turning the bowl. The only conclusion I can draw from that is that the bowl motor too can become weaker, just like the scooper motor does witt the weak-arm-syndrom.

When I have time, I'll start swapping motors, to isolate the problem part.

> I think removing one of the conducting wheels will actually make the
> problem worse. I do not think it's the friction that is the problem
> (as even with using all the washers and having virtually no space
> between the outer base and inner rotating bowl), the rotating bowl is
> flexible enough accommodate the extra pressure. I am leaning towards
> the angle of gears (mismatch between the gears due to warped base or
> bowl). Good luck.

Yeah, I have to admit: That was a pretty bad idea ;-)

Cheers,

Robert.

[Jaime Fischer]

DId you all get this bowl stalling problem worked out?

Jaime

[Jaime Fischer]

It is not the flexibility of the bowl.

It is interference between the bowl gear and the scooping hand gear.

I have had the same problem with mine.

I have the solution for the problem.

 

Jaime

[Robert Deliën]

> DId you all get this bowl stalling problem worked out?
> Jaime

No, I didn't. I ended up lifting the brim a bit and fixing it in that position with two screws. Even without a processing unit installed, the bowl had a lot of friction. When removing, or just lifting the brim a bit, the friction was gone. Nothing seemed warped though.

[Jaime Fischer]

I will get you some pics sent up to google.

My unit did that in the very beginning and I got it worked out.

Jaime

[Robert Deliën]

That would be great! I ended up buying a third box for that, but I'd rather have it fixed, so I can save the new box for software experiments in my office.

(Sent from a mobile device; Please excuse grammar, typos and brevity)

[Robert Deliën]

> No, I didn't. I ended up lifting the brim a bit and fixing it in that position with two screws. Even without a processing unit installed, the bowl had a lot of friction. When removing, or just lifting the brim a bit, the friction was gone. Nothing seemed warped though.

Not trying to revive an ancient topic, but I do want to let you guys know I have found the cause of the problem: Switching the bowl with a new one cured the problem. When the brim in installed on the base, the new bowl turns very lightly, just like it does on my other box. With the old bowl, I needed to press my fingers down pretty hard to get enough grip to turn it. I suppose this extra friction is also the primary cause for the worn out bowl motors I had on this box. And given the reports on broken boxes on the forum and demand for new bowl motors, I think my case is far from unique. Unfortunately replacing the motor is just temporarily solving a symptom, not curing the problem.

I had a new and unused third box on 'stock' as a spare for a year. I feel rather stupid for not starting to swap parts earlier: Now I went through two bowl motors first, and still needed to swap the bowl. But at least it's solved now.