So let's say you've got a problem with your CatGenie: the arm won't come out, the bowl isn't turning or is full of yuck, you're not sure it's pumping solution, the granules are always wet - the list of possibilities is a million billion miles long, but you get the idea.

Your CG, as a complex electronic device, has a built-in diagnostic mode that you, as a CG owner, can use to help you get it working again. Now those nice folks at CatGenie don't want this to be common knowledge for the very legitimate reason that you can damage your CG and quite possibly your whole house if you screw this up. Leave the motor running or the fan blowing and you could burn the dumb thing up - or burn your house down. Leave the water running and you'll have one helluva mess. So be careful with this information.

That said, let me say this: I am giving you the codes and the knowledge to use them - but you do so at your own risk. I have had my CG's long enough that they are out of warranty, and it appears that CatGenie is really not that enthused about supporting them - they'd rather upgrade ya to the fancy new 120. Fine - a company's gotta make money; on the other hand, if they're not going to support us, I figger we need all the information we can get to support ourselves. Damn the man!!! :-)

Step 1: Sorry, But I'm Out of the CatGenie Business.

I am leaving these tutorials up for people that might still benefit from them, but I've been without a CatGenie for several years now. Odds are I won't have any helpful information for you if you have questions. Ask away, but don't get your hopes up. Sorry.

Step 2: Doing Your Diagnostic Thang

How To Enter Diagnostic Mode:

Unplug the CG.
Push and hold both buttons on the control panel.
Plug the unit back in, holding both buttons.
Hold both buttons about six seconds - until you see the lights on the control panel finish the normal power up sequence that you always get when you plug it in AND it starts a new sequence of flashing and beeping. NOW you can let go of the buttons.
If you did it right, the "4" will light up, go out and then the "1" will light up. All other lights will be off.
Congratulations, you're ready to get your diagnostic on!

To Select a Test:

Press and release the Auto Setup ("AS" from now on) button. This will advance to the next test. Test numbers are designated by the 1 - 4 lights across the top. More than one light might be on at a time.

To Start/Stop a Test:

Press and release the Start Cycle/Pause ("SCP" henceforth) button. Pressing once will start a test. You have to press it again to stop the test or it'll run until it burns out the motor or floods the room and shorts out or until some sort of disaster occurs, so PAY ATTENTION!

To Exit Diagnostic Mode:

Simply unplug the unit and plug it back in without holding the buttons - or pick up the processor and reseat it on the unit.

About The Tests:

Tests are referred to by the lights that illuminate (1 thru 4) for each test. Press the AS button until the right lights are lit up.

Step 3: Test 1: Extending and Retracting the Arm

Pressing the SCP button the first time retracts the arm. Press it again to stop. Press again to extend the arm into the bowl. Press again to stop. Press again to retract. Press again to stop... you get the idea.

Step 4: Test 2: Turning the Bowl

Pressing the SCP button rotates the bowl clockwise, press again to stop, again to go anti-/counterclockwise (depending on where you're from) and again to stop.

By the way, according the folks at CatGenie, 'un-clockwise' is the best direction to rotate for manual drying - more on that later.

Step 5: Test 3: Running the Water

This is an easy one: press SCP to start water flow, press again to stop.

A helpful hint - dumb as it sounds, if you haven't got any water flow, did you remember to turn on the shutoff valve? Hey - I've left the water off too. Don't feel badly. :-)

Step 6: Test 4: Dispensing Solution

Is the cartridge putting out juice? Press SCP to start, again to stop.

Step 7: Test 1 + 4: Draining the Bowl

Let's say you've got a CG that's full of nastiness and there weren't any beeps or anything to let you know. It has happened to me. You clear the drain line of any possible clogs - but then what? If all you want is to drain the muck so you can get on with fixin' el problemo, this is your test. Press SCP to start the impeller, press it again when she's empty.

If you want the unit to clean up it's own mess - drain, rinse, drain and dry - don't use this test, use test "3 + 4: Clean-Up Mode" in step 8 of this 'ible. From a CatGenie perspective, its your very best friend.

Step 8: Test 2 + 4: Blow Drying

Press SCP to start the blower and heater, again to stop. Put your hand in the airflow to see if it's getting warm or not.

Step 9: Test 3 + 4: Clean-Up Mode

This mode might possibly be your bestest friend - BFF Forever! (Yeah, I know - redundant. "Best Friends Forever" Forever? It irritates me too).

Anyway... this mode is the one and only exception (there is always one) to the "pay attention" guidance I gave you earlier. If you had a problem of some sort but fixed it and now you need to fix the mess left behind in your CG - you will love this test. It will drain, fill, drain again and then dry. All by itself. Like magic. Wonderful, automatic CatGenie magic. Press SCP and walk away.

Step 10: Test 1 + 3 + 4: Sensor Test

Press the SCP button ... and nothing happens! That's okay. This test is for the "occupied" sensor eyes on the front of the processor.

Ever been using one of those fancy public toilets with the electric eye, and had it flush on you out of the blue? This sensor prevents that from happening to your cat when he/she is doing what cats do in litterboxes.

Pass your hand slowly across in front of the sensors, and the 3 and 4 lights should come on/flicker and then go out. Light 2 will stay on for one minute, then extinguish itself too: sensor checks ok!

Step 11: Multiple Mode

Now this is all well and good, but wait! There's more! Buy now and get ... wait, sorry - wrong website. :-)

The CG also has multiple modes which can come in very handy. Let's say you had a cycle run just fine, but for some reason your granules aren't dry. You fix whatever the problem was, but you want to dry your granules.

Easy Peasy: just select the dry cycle, and hit SCP to start the blower. without stopping the blower you can advance to the bowl test, hit SCP a few times to get the bowl turning ccw, then advance to the arm test and extend it out into the granules. You have three tests running at once, and in ten minutes or so your granules are dry! You can then go through the steps to stop all three tests - or just do what I do and pick up the processor, move the arm back into the stowed position and put the processor back down.

Step 12: Do or Do Not - There Is No Try.

Enjoy what you have learned here, young padawan. Use the knowledge wisely, and benefit from it. Remember: with great power comes great responsibility.