Landline phone eats batteries

[dontlookdown]

Cordless landline phone with rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries. Eats them - a fresh set of good quality batteries lasts less than 6 months. Fraction of the time the same batteries last in other devices.

t's a Gigaset A 550. Any ideas what's going on? It's a pain as we only keep the landline for the aged parents to call us on. And I hate killing 8 batteries a year (two handsets), it's so wasteful.

[steve-V8s]

Are you recharging them in the phone handsets by parking them in a cradle which has a charger or are you removing them and using an external unit ?

[Vipers]

My batteries are over 10 years old, maybe your cradle isn’t charging them.

[Ham_and_Jam]

dontlookdown said:

Cordless landline phone with rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries. Eats them - a fresh set of good quality batteries lasts less than 6 months. Fraction of the time the same batteries last in other devices.

t's a Gigaset A 550. Any ideas what's going on? It's a pain as we only keep the landline for the aged parents to call us on. And I hate killing 8 batteries a year (two handsets), it's so wasteful.

I had the same with a Gigaset twin set at work, they are crap and just don’t charge properly. They eventually failed completely even with new batteries.

Just replace them with something better. Loads in Argos for under £40, and will save you in the long run.

[dontlookdown]

Ham_and_Jam said:

dontlookdown said:

Cordless landline phone with rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries. Eats them - a fresh set of good quality batteries lasts less than 6 months. Fraction of the time the same batteries last in other devices.

t's a Gigaset A 550. Any ideas what's going on? It's a pain as we only keep the landline for the aged parents to call us on. And I hate killing 8 batteries a year (two handsets), it's so wasteful.

I had the same with a Gigaset twin set at work, they are crap and just don’t charge properly. They eventually failed completely even with new batteries.

Just replace them with something better. Loads in Argos for under £40, and will save you in the long run.

Interesting thanks. It must be something about the phone/cradle I agree. Annoying as it is only a couple of years old and was well reviewed at the time. Any suggestions for a replacement that might last a bit longer?

[Tymb]

You are using cordless phone batteries, not normal ones?
I think they have slightly altered chemistry to deal with being always on charge.
Something like:
https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/varta-2-x-rechargeabl...

[dontlookdown]

Tymb said:

You are using cordless phone batteries, not normal ones?
I think they have slightly altered chemistry to deal with being always on charge.
Something like:
https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/varta-2-x-rechargeabl...

Ordered, tks! I had no idea these were even a thing. I confess to being a little sceptical - there is no mention of special batteries in the phone user manual for example - but I am happy to risk a tenner to find out if they make any difference;)

[biggiles]

If those don't work, you could also try NiCad batteries - even lower tech, but can outlast NiMH.

[Ham_and_Jam]

dontlookdown said:

Ordered, tks! I had no idea these were even a thing. I confess to being a little sceptical - there is no mention of special batteries in the phone user manual for example - but I am happy to risk a tenner to find out if they make any difference;)

Personally I really think your tenner would have been better put towards a better handset that comes with a new set.

[LuS1fer]

My Gigaset stopped charging too. S79H but I think it may be the charger itself which the casing cracked on and I taped back together.
Ironically, just checked it and it's fully charged again
Batteries need to be the right power.
May try a new uprated charger.

[dontlookdown]

Ham_and_Jam said:

Personally I really think your tenner would have been better put towards a better handset that comes with a new set.

I did look at new phones, but upwards of 60 quid for a decent one with 2 handsets and answering machine. Old man loves to leave long messages detailing the latest IT problem he wants me to solve;)

I May well end up going that way anyway but willing to give those batteries a try first.