Environment Requirements: Temperature, Floor Heating & Unsuitable Locations
Before setting up Kachaka, confirm that your site meets the environment conditions below. Floor surface, temperature, and layout all affect how stably the robot moves and how the battery performs, so ruling out unsuitable locations in advance saves a lot of later troubleshooting.
Operating Temperature Range
The recommended operating temperature for Kachaka is 5-35°C, and the environment must be condensation-free (moisture in the air must not condense into droplets on the robot).
Even within this range, if the actual temperature is close to the upper or lower limit, the robot may automatically stop charging the battery for safety, depending on the ambient temperature and operating pattern. This is normal protective behavior. If the robot sits on the dock but is slow to charge, the cause is often temperature-related — see Battery Overheats and Won’t Charge (Code 21111) and Placed on Dock but Not Charging for further diagnosis.
Floor-Heated Rooms Are Fine
Kachaka can be used in rooms with floor heating (underfloor heating).
However, we recommend placing the charging dock outside the heated floor area. If the dock sits on a heated section of floor, charging may slow down or fail to start.
Unusable Locations
The following floor surfaces prevent Kachaka from moving or localizing properly. Avoid using the robot in these places:
- Long-pile carpet: long fibers catch the wheels and disrupt travel
- Delicate or soft flooring materials: surfaces too soft to provide stable support
- Black or near-black floors: dark surfaces interfere with the downward sensors
If your site has localized carpets or mats, Block Entry Onto Carpets lets Kachaka detect and avoid them with its camera. For travel behavior on dark surfaces, also see Dark Mode.
Locations to Avoid
The following are not strictly off-limits, but they carry a risk of tipping, pinching, or damaging objects. Avoid them where possible, or be sure to add protection and no-go zones first:
- Unstable surfaces, stairs, stair landings, lofts, entryway steps (raised thresholds), and other spots with height differences or fall risk
- Sloped floors and ramps, and rooms holding easily scratched furniture, ornaments, or folding screens
- Sticky surfaces, or places with ceramics and similar items that could break or fall when vibrated
- Rooms with uncleaned pet waste, rooms with floor-length curtains, and areas next to equipment whose controls/buttons are near the floor
- Locations with open flames such as candles or incense
If Kachaka Pro needs to operate on gentle slopes, see Kachaka Pro: Slope Operation & Parking Brake to enable the parking brake and stay within the allowed grade.
Preventing Falls: Always Set No-Go Zones
Anywhere there is a height difference where the robot could fall, you must first set a no-go zone in the app — for example, stairs, stair landings, lofts, entryway steps, and other drop-offs.
For how to set this up, see No-Go Zones and Enterable Areas. Once a zone is drawn, Kachaka will not pass through that area, effectively preventing damage and hazards from falling off a high spot.