DV Handset Issue - Batteries?

[ploppy]

We've had DV phones for about 7 months.  In the last few weeks, one of them - let's call it the downstairs one - has been misbehaving.  Incoming calls failing, the handset rebooting, etc.

I did some investigating today.  The handset would barely do anything properly.  Scrolling through the call list, trying to use Find Handset from the SH2, and many other things would make the handset reboot itself.  It got to the point where it was in an infinite reboot/sync data loop.  No amount of deregistering/registering, rebooting the SH2 made any difference.

So I reported to BT via Twitter/X.

In the meantime, I did some more research and the common answer to such problems seemed to be that the batteries needed replacing.  These batteries were only 7 months old.  To prove the point, I inserted some new, non-rechargeable batteries into the handset and, sure enough, the handset worked perfectly.

By now, I'd had a response from X.  There was no detected fault on the phones.  I complained that the batteries shouldn't have deteriorated after 7 months, and that new ones (Duracell 800mah are over £10 for 4).  They tried to get me to reset the SH2 to factory settings but I complained that I'd then lose all my settings (device names, reserved IP addresses, etc).  So, long story short, I'm getting sent a new handset.

Now, I've gone back to look at the DV Essential Phone manual.  It says fairly early on (must admit I hadn't seen this before) that basically the handset shouldn't be left on the charging cradle permanently.  It says to leave it off for a few hours a day, and to completely drain at least once a week.  Is this correct?  What kind of charging system is this? Is this really 2023?  Who wants to go around taking a handset off its cradle every day - and then remembering to put it back on? I suppose I could use a smart plug and schedule it to be off every night or something?  But really?

I can't say whether this was the cause of my problem but it's a moot point now.  Would be good to know for the future though.

[jac_95]

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[rbz5416]

Unfortunately this is the BT way & applies to their DECT handsets, not just DV. It's just poor design or deliberate cost cutting, either way it is what it is. Seems to be exacerbated by the apparently poor batteries supplied with the DV phones.

But no need to buy Duracell, Amazon Basic will do the job much cheaper at around £10 for a dozen. Absolutely no point in buying premium batteries when the cheapskate chargers will just kill them anyway.

[400]

Must admit I never read the manual regarding this (just never read the manual). Perhaps something I should do.

If you have access to "Which" magazine they have a battery section with best performers. Rechargeable, they are a mixed bag for budget or top dollar ones. I think my handset has a budget brand in but rates well in the budget section of the Which review.

2 years now for mine out the box no replacement batteries, on the charger no issues (I think it might count towards a discharge/recharge cycle that degrades these batteries over time but you are constantly doing it hence leave the handset off for a while).

But batteries are fickle. Even the top brands can come out the packet faulty or degraded. I understand the point about running them down but there are different battery types out there and careful to what is used.

I have a smart AA/AAA for charger for NiCad and NiMh and pretty much run most stuff on rechargeable and the charger can deep discharge and recharge function in an attempt to get the battery back to usable. (some kit wont take them or prefer 1.5v though but that's by the by). The charger will reject faulty batteries (some are too far gone, it is only a bag of chemicals), I find that function handy when things are amiss.

I buy my batteries from an online specialist electronics supplier, the unit cost is far cheaper than most places but there is a min spend for free postage.

[rbz5416]

@400 

Yes, I have a smart charger to refresh the batteries, but I never remember to do it as my DECT phones tend to ring a couple of times a year! But even so, at around £25 for the charger & the time & electricity to perform the refresh, it's probably not cost effective anyway when the Amazon Basic AAAs are so cheap.

[ploppy]

Never had this problem with my old Panasonic DECT phones.  Had them for over 12 years and only changed the batteries once I think.  Same usage pattern as these new BT ones.  Maybe they had more intelligent chargers.

Having said that, my upstairs DV phone which was installed at the same time as the downstairs one, has shown no issues.  It gets used slightly more than the downstairs one perhaps.

I don't have access to Which? so can't see their results.

[400]

My new which doesn't start till next year or I would have looked, but follow above, if not into re charging, get some amazon ones. They wont be far off.

Only problem I had with my old dect was putting in some super powerful aaa. There was a limit on the mAh on my dect.

But batteries are fickle. I use re chargeable a lot so invested in it and find the odd pack with duff batteries from new or go faulty quickly. It happens.

[TimCurtis]

@ploppy 

Just a note to say that you can backup your SH2 settings and your contacts list should you need to reset the SH2 in the future. Very worthwhile doing IMHO.

[ploppy]

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@TimCurtiswrote:

@ploppy 

Just a note to say that you can backup your SH2 settings and your contacts list should you need to reset the SH2 in the future. Very worthwhile doing IMHO.

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Well, every day's a school day!  I knew you could back up contacts, and have done that, but didn't know you could back up the SH2's settings.  I shall do that immediately.  Makes me feel bad now that I refused to do it due to losing all the the settings!

Thanks very much.

[barnpiece]

I have two DV handsets and only use one base to charge (the other does not have its power supply connected). I swop the phones over ever 12 hours so they spend half the time on charge. The reason I do this is that many years ago a BT engineer told me that the batteries will last much long if allowed to discharge in this way (and it is true).

I have been using these two phones for over3 years now with no problem. The batteries still charge fully and are healthy

Richard