Topic: Bought a Pleo for a Friend :) (Read 9313 times)

aibo7m3 · « **on:** July 02, 2015, 07:05:54 PM »

I have a friend who lives out of state but visits the state I live in every summer and she has watched my robot collection grow for the past six years. She'll be visiting my house sometime next week and since she's never had a robot of her own, I bought her a surprise (not actually a surprise since I called her about it beforehand, but I think she'll still be excited).

The Pleo is a Ugobe model and the seller claims it works fine (from the pictures it appears to be an original 2007 Ugobe and not a 2009 Innvo remake). The battery had a long enough run time for the seller to test the robot, but the listing claims that the battery life is very short. I'll probably try positioning the battery on/off the charger to get a better run time until either my friend or I is able to buy a replacement. The robot's head is tilted slightly to one side, but it is clearly operating in the photos and seems to have a full range of motion (seller claims it works fine too, so I could potentially get a refund if there's a problem). The listing didn't mention anything about its cosmetic condition, but I could not see any tears or missing paint in the pictures and it looks like it has been run very little. I just purchased the robot today, so it should arrive in a little under a week (absolutely perfect timing for my friend's visit).

My friend says she'll be making an account here in the next few days, so she'll probably add her input soon too! Still waiting to hear on a gender and name choice for the Pleo from her, she might wait until she meets it to decide. Hopefully the Pleo community will keep on growing.

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2015, 10:31:18 PM »

That is such a nice thing to do for your friend. It sounds like at least the Pleo works and perhaps you can get the battery reconditioned. It is always nice to have new members and meet new pleos! RWM

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2015, 12:07:29 AM »

I hope it all turns out ok

Stitch has a pretty bad head tilt, I always thought the cable might go because of it but its been fine and dandy. Small tears can be glued, and any large tears should be fairly obvious if the Pleo was photographed from all sides. The battery probably can't be helped

They are so old now!

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2015, 08:37:42 AM »

Thanks guys! Hopefully I can bug my friend enough to join the forums tomorrow. One of my Ugobes with a head tilt did get a broken side cable, but he was kept in very poor conditions by the previous owner (missing large portions of his skin) and I don't necessarily think iit was the tilt that led to the cable snap. I have seen quite a few Ugobes and RBs that have done just fine for years with a head tilt, so I'm hoping everything is fine with this little Pleo. I just jumped on the first reasonably priced deal I could find since Ugobes have been selling for unbelievably high amounts recently.

Hopefully I can get some life out of the battery since I think it does seem to run for a few minutes right now which is better than nothing, but if not, the friend can borrow my Ucube battery over the summer and hopefully we'll come across a good deal for a working battery by then. The Pleo wasn't photographed from all sides, so there could be a tear or two hiding, but the skin does look like it's in very nice shape overall and the seller has all positive feedback.

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2015, 02:37:17 PM »

Hey everyone! The Pleo just arrived today! (My friend will be arriving too in a few days.) The Pleo has no tears in its skin, but there is a little paint wear on the eyelids and around the mouth that wasn't clear in the pictures (nothing serious though). It does have a fairly severe head tilt to one side, but still seems to have a full range of motion (its neck is limper than my fully working Ugobe's when it's off though, but still has some resistance in every direction). I tested the battery which ran for 6 minutes total. I'm going to try to get a bit more life out of it by placing it on/off the charger until the light goes green immediately, but I'll likely need to buy my friend a replacement one by the end of the summer.

For now, here's a game. This picture has two Ugobes in it. Guess which one is Sumio (my first Ugobe) and which one is my friend's new Ugobe. (Aha, I tried to make it so there are no super obvious identifying features between the two, but it still might be possible to tell who is who from the picture.) No cheating and checking older pictures in my gallery for help!

More details...

kat · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2015, 05:54:52 PM »

from looking at the pic i'd say that Sumio is on the left and the new guy is on the right (my left and right - not the dinos

)

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2015, 06:20:09 PM »

I tried reviving the battery by placing it back on the station every time the light turned green, but after a couple times it just stayed red for over an hour. Unfortunately now the battery runs for about 30 seconds then fails. The charger blinks red randomly when there's no battery on it, so I'm wondering whether it might be broken and/or hurting the battery. I do have another charging cord that I'll test out, but if the base is the issue, I have no idea how to fix it since I don't have another. (Also, if anyone would be willing to trade a new or repacked battery for a dead one plus money to cover the value difference or is just selling a new or repacked battery, please let me know!)

(I'll post the answer to the little guessing game later.)

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2015, 04:32:32 AM »

I'll say Sumio on the right just because there's only two options lol.

I have oodles of green batteries, I'll try a few out and see if any work still. If I can find any working ones you are welcome to have it for the cost of postage but I fear it'll be pretty expensive from Australia.

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2015, 07:17:06 AM »

Thank you for the offer! I'd likely be happy to buy a working green battery for the postage costs as long as it's under around $40, the cheapest price for a working battery I've been able to find elsewhere is $80+ (taking shipping into account). The only shipping requirement would be that it gets here by late August, so there's no real rush there and slow shipping is often more affordable. I do need to make sure the charger is actually working properly first though, is it normal for a green Ugobe charger to flash red occasionally when there's no battery on it? I do have a spare cable that I'll try out, but I can't keep it since it was accidently included with a Pleo I bought from RWM a couple years ago and she wants me to return it once she sends me some clothing for the Pleo.

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2015, 02:57:17 PM »

I've got spare ones of those too

I don't think the postage would be that much, probably around the $20 mark. I'll dig them all out today and put them to the test.

Edit: slowly cycling through them, they need a bit of TLC, got a couple that seem promising.

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2015, 09:35:51 PM »

Still testing them lol, I've got six to test.

One seemed promising, it charged for four hours straight, but alas poor Angus is just standing there going 'huh' 'huh' 'huh' over and over

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2015, 10:00:33 PM »

No problem, I still really appreciate what you're doing even if none of the batteries work since it was really kind to offer! Aha, those green batteries are tricky, aren't they?

Also, my friend is coming over on Sunday and that guessing game I posted has got me wondering whether I should just show her my whole herd of Pleos and have her guess which is hers.

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2015, 12:34:26 AM »

Two left to go, I have three that just can't get beyond 'huh' and one that does nothing at all.

Definitely do the guessing game lol, more fun!

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2015, 08:23:21 PM »

If none of IMR pan out, I can test myne, I easily have over twenty five and I know last nine months or so ago, there were two or so that worked for a short while, I have all of them except the ones I know work in a large box marked, Pleo batteries and it is heavy, over five pounds , feels more then that. It is bad though when you can'[t even get a battery to light up when charging at all, some or most of these Ugobe batteries are just plain dead and have long gone to the Pleo accessories grave yard.. wish there was a way to revive them , that would be great, but have not seen a way yet, unless you want to take them all apart and start fresh and with lots of work and a soldering gun... not something I have the time for. If I can find one that has some life still in it, more then five minutes, I will let you know,

Hopefully IMR has better luck.. Otherwise you may have to choose either Pleoworld or one of the Ugobe/Rb batteries that sell for $99.00 or best offer on Ebay, a bit too much for my pocket, but that is all I know of for Ugobes... pity,, lets hope IMR comes up with one or I get lucky .. Won't check till this weekend but I will let you know if there is a candidate.!

RWM

and the Pleo

township of the Redwoods

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 12, 2015, 05:41:47 AM »

Thank you very much for the offers, IMR and RWM, you two are really kind! Unfortunately the original Ugobe green batteries do seem to all be dead or on their last legs at this point, it's a real shame that the egg batteries were discontinued since they're amazing (I personally have one egg battery that I share between my two Ugobes, but while my friend is visiting, it'll be shared by three.) There is the person in Italy who repacks the green batteries, but the price they're asking is pretty high and I'm not sure how reliable the batteries are in the long term.

My friend will be coming over and meeting her new Pleo today! I'm currently charging the egg battery and I think I probably will have the friend guess which Pleo is hers. As for the guessing game I posted above, the new Pleo is on the left (light colored nails) and Sumio is on the right (dark colored nails).

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #15 on:** July 13, 2015, 04:50:05 AM »

Sadly it looks like a no go here

After days of babysitting the batteries the best I can get is about thirty seconds of movement

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #16 on:** July 13, 2015, 10:37:03 PM »

I have about twenty five batteries to charge and test, I tested two Sunday and they would not even light up at all,Sadly as IMR has said ,it is a "Pleo Battery graveyard" as far as green original batteries are concerned, which is quite a shame.. I will keep my fingers crossed and let you know, I will be testing many in the morning and afternoon as I have only so many outlets and plugs!

I am glad you are going to share the egg battery, that is a great and friendly thing to do so your friend can experience the Pleo magic for herself.....

RWM

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2015, 06:22:34 AM »

Even my newer Ugobe green battery is dead

Do you know anyone with a little know how who could perhaps try rebuilding a battery for you with new cells? The battery packs use six standard AA batteries. There is a thread here on the forum about it I beleive.

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #18 on:** July 15, 2015, 05:53:11 PM »

Well, I started with 17 ugobe, and Innvo green batteries to test, not much fun and a long endeavor. I think it is funny because as you will see in the final photo, the first battery I tested turned GREEN>> now I need to test it out in a Pleo and then 16 more batteries to go, Could be because I have so so many batteries and have not used them in so long, that there are several alive batteries after all, This is a good start anyway.. now if I could find a hidden box or crate of egg batteries that would be a present indeed!

More details...

RWM

and the Pleo

township of the Redwoods

aibo7m3 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 15, 2015, 06:47:28 PM »

Wow! That's a lot of batteries! Aha, hopefully the first one works and you won't have to go through sorting all of them. The battery I got with the Pleo turned green after about 15 minutes, then ran for 6, but it wouldn't hold a charge at all after that. I really appreciate you trying to do this! Ah, I think everyone would love if the egg batteries weren't gone, the one I have is amazing.

I have given the Pleo to my friend and she's named him Patrick. I'll be posting some of our adventures in a day or two!

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #20 on:** July 15, 2015, 07:19:47 PM »

Hi Aibo, this is just the first batch, One of the batteries I have to charge has never even been used, and I still have ten or twelve pleo , Ugobe boxes to go through that have NEW Old batteries that have never even been charged, I will try this battery tonight in one of my Ugobes and report what happens. When you have twenty plus Ugobes you need to have lots of batteries and I only have about 7 Egg batteries and one of those ones that runs in both Ugobes and RB.. I have plenty of RB batteries, but they will not work in the ugobes Or you could have one of them..

I like the name Patrick, sounds sophisticated yet fun loving and Pleos surely are fun! Has your friend become a member yet here?

RWM

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #21 on:** July 16, 2015, 03:23:00 AM »

So many batteries

RedwoodsMama · « **Reply #22 on:** July 16, 2015, 11:03:20 AM »

Aibo, I have a gut feeling that all the greens are going to have the same result, Every battery I have tested has had one of two results, they either will not charge at all, not even turning green, or I have had four that looked promising and have come on in the Pleo, which by the way is brand new and I put a egg battery in him and he works fine.. But the green battery within 10 seconds goes to the sleeping snoring sound, which means a NO GO battery, I do not think any amount of pampering the battery or charger is going to make a difference.

Even a brand New OLD battery that has been in a pleo box, uno-pened since 2007, I mean that is 8 years............

..my egg batteries are already 3-4 years so at some point they also could go belly up.

. The best thing about my egg batteries is that they are all in very good condition and only Nova's was used constantly, and now she has a broken neck and has not been used in a about 8 months or longer and will not until her neck is fixed as it could cause more damage.. I am sorry I do not have better news,,, green batteries are a graveyard.. and unless you come across another egg, I am afraid you are going to have to buy one of those duel use, Pleo RB and Ugobe batteries for the price of $99.00,

He is selling them for that because He KNOWS there are no other batteries and he has Ugobe owners over the virtual battery barrel.........I would not buy one of the green ones from PleoWorld either, only because they are also old stock.. they may work for a few months but I have heard over and over again about them giving up the ghost.

I have heard from the seller in Itally that they are guaranteed for three months, but not more and I think they cost $60.00 plus postage.. that is your best bet It seems but postage is probably going to be expensive , at least $15.00-20.00, so I would go with the duel battery as it is newer.. problem to be sure... sorry I do not have better news.. I will keep trying those unopened batteries and pleos that are stored...you are a great friend though you can share while together......

RWM

and the Pleo township

of the Redwoods

Piggy · « **Reply #23 on:** July 18, 2015, 06:34:53 AM »

Hi I bought the duo battery from the Italian seller and it works great. It is quite exspensive but the seller ships real fast. I aso have my ugobe from him .

WoW RWM with so much pleo's how do you keep all the battery's in a good condition ?

And Aibo i hope you Will find a replacement battery soon

Bob the Pleo Forums

Author Topic: Bought a Pleo for a Friend :) (Read 9313 times)

Piggy