Rearranging furniture or redesigning an apartment often dictates new rules for smart appliances. Xiaomi and its sub-brands, such as Roborock or Viomi, rely on precise geometry of space. The dock is not just a place to recharge, but also a key reference point for the device's navigation system. Any physical base shift without software adaptation can cause the gadget to get lost in its own map or be unable to return to charging.
The process of changing the base location depends on the type of navigation you have installed in your model. Laser lidars and visual navigation cameras process data differently. If you just moved the base a couple of meters to the side, the robot can find it itself using the Recharge & Resume function. However, a radical change of location, such as moving from the living room to the hallway or to the other floor, requires the user to intervene through the Mi Home application.
In this article, we will examine the technical nuances of moving the charger, the algorithms for rearranging maps and the typical errors that smart equipment owners make. Ignoring the rules for reinstalling the base can lead to incorrect construction of the cleaning route. The navigation system should receive a clear signal that the coordinates of the start point have changed.
Choosing the best location for a new base installation
Before physically moving equipment, you need to analyze the new space. Xiaomi vacuum cleaners with laser rangefinder (LDS) require free space around the base, the area within a radius of 0.5 meters left and right, and 1.5 meters in front must be free of obstacles, which is necessary for the correct scanning of the room at the time of the start of cleaning.
It's important to consider the presence of infrared sources. IR sensors located on the base help the robot precisely dock to charge. If there are working air conditioners, heaters or mirrors nearby that reflect the signal, the docking process can be delayed or impossible.
The floor should be flat and firm. High-pile carpets can prevent the base from sliding tightly to the floor, causing the body to fluctuate when the robot approaches. The navigation module may mistakenly consider the base to be a moving object if it wobbles.
- 📏 Provide a minimum of 1.5 meters of free space in front of the manoeuvre base.
- 🔌 The socket should be in close proximity, the use of extension cords is not recommended.
- 🚫 Avoid areas with direct sunlight hitting the base's IR receiver.
- 🧱 The wall behind the base should be flat, without deep niches or protrusions in the docking zone.
Algorithm of base movement for models with LDS and camera
The procedure for changing the location for different types of navigation has its own peculiarities. For models with laser lidar (LDS) that build a map of the room, moving the base often requires updating the anchorage. If the robot simply can not find the base in the old place, it goes into search mode, but if it is strongly biased, it can take a long time.
For models that use visual navigation (camera), the situation is more complicated: the camera navigates the ceiling and objects in the room. A sudden change in the basing point can disorient the device. In such cases, it is often necessary to create a new map or manually reset the current position through the application.
What is the difference between LDS and VSLAM?
If you move the base within the same room, modern Xiaomi Vacuum algorithms can automatically adjust the route. However, if the base moved to another room, the robot will assume that it is in an "unknown location." In the Mi Home application, a notification may appear to confirm a new location or save a new map.
⚠️ Warning: Never move a robot vacuum cleaner manually during work or map construction if you want to keep the navigation accurate, and this applies to moving the base when the robot tries to dock.
Set up a new map and reset navigation data
When the physical movement is complete, you need to update the digital model of the apartment in the device memory. In the Mi Home application, go to the settings of the particular device. Find the section responsible for managing maps. Depending on the firmware version, this item can be called "Map", "Map settings" or "Multi-floor mapping".
If the robot cannot correctly match the old card to the new base position, the best solution is to create a new map. To do this, select the option "Reset the card" or "Delete the card" from the map management menu. After that, start a full cleaning so that the device will re-scan the room, fixing the new base coordinates.
☑️ Checklist before resetting the card
For advanced users, multi-tier mapping is available, so if you move the base to another floor, don't delete the old map, but create a new one by giving it a name (e.g., "Second Floor"), which will allow you to store several layouts in your memory.
| Action. | Models with LDS | Models with a camera (VSLAM) | Models with a gyroscope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer within the room | Autocorrection | Calibration required | Navigation failure |
| Transfer to the other floor | Keeping the new map | Creation of a new map | Total reset |
| Time for adjustment | 1 cleaning cycle | 1-2 cycles of cleaning | Depends on the area. |
| Risk of data loss | Low. | Medium. | High-pitched |
Working with virtual walls and zones after moving
Once the base is repositioned, all previously established virtual constraints (walls, no-go zones, carpets) remain tied to the coordinates of the old map, so if you didn't create a new map, but just moved the base, the robot can start ignoring the prohibitions or, conversely, stop cleaning up the available areas.
In the app interface, go to map editing mode. Visually check the location of virtual walls. They'll probably have to be removed and repainted to match the current position of the furniture. This is especially true for the No-go zones, which are often set around animal bowls or flower pots.
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Use the "Divide Rooms" function after rearranging the map so that the robot correctly determines the boundaries of the rooms and can clean only selected rooms on command.
Some models allow you to copy the restrictions from one map to another if you use the multi-storey feature, but if you completely reset the navigation, you will have to do this by hand, and the accuracy of installing virtual walls directly affects the safety of your furniture and accessories.
Solving Connection and Base Search Problems
A common problem after moving the base is the loss of communication between the robot and the charger. The robot can circle around but not dock. First, check the contacts on the base and below the robot. Dust or oxidation can prevent the signal to start charging.
If the robot reports an error, "Base not found" or "obstacle to base", try manually bringing it to base and pressing the return button. In some cases, a complete reset of the device helps by holding the switch off button for 5-10 seconds, this will restart the navigation module and the communication module.
⚠️ Warning: If the robot vacuum cleaner uses 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, make sure that the new base installation site has a sufficient signal level. Walls and metal structures can shield the signal, which will lead to loss of control through the application.
It is also worth checking whether it has changed. IP-The device address on the router, if you're using static routing or complex network settings. While this is not critical for local operation, you need a stable channel to update maps and manage remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I move the base while the robot is on it?
Will the map go wrong if I just move the base 10cm?
What if the robot stopped seeing the base after the reshuffle?
Do I need to reconfigure the cleaning schedule after changing the base?
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The main conclusion: Successful change of base location depends on the type of navigation of the robot. For LDS it is quite common to just wait for autocorrection, whereas for chamber models it may be necessary to create a new map and manually adjust the restrictions.