land line phones not holding a charge

Brie

Hey

We've got a landline phone that has 2 handsets.  Might have had this for about 10 years perhaps?

Anyways - it's always worked fairly well.  One handset lives in the phone base proper and the other is a secondary base that is in another room.  Both ring when someone calls.  

A few years back the secondary base stopped charging the handset.  Not too big a problem as they have held a charge for a very long time (a week++?) so we've just swapped them occasionally as required. 

But now they are not charging properly in the main base.  One handset won't charge at all and the other shows "no battery" but charges enough for 1 short call.  

So question 1 - if someone calls us will they get a busy signal or will the call go to voicemail so we would at least know that someone called?  

Question 2 - being MSE (ish) how do I fix this?  Can one get new batteries for land line phone handsets?  Because of the age of the device I can't find an online guide - it's a BT Essential Twin.  I know a replacement phone would only cost maybe £50 but I'd rather only pay £5 for new batteries if that is all that is required. 

victor2

Brie said:

Hey

We've got a landline phone that has 2 handsets.  Might have had this for about 10 years perhaps?

Anyways - it's always worked fairly well.  One handset lives in the phone base proper and the other is a secondary base that is in another room.  Both ring when someone calls.  

A few years back the secondary base stopped charging the handset.  Not too big a problem as they have held a charge for a very long time (a week++?) so we've just swapped them occasionally as required. 

But now they are not charging properly in the main base.  One handset won't charge at all and the other shows "no battery" but charges enough for 1 short call.  

So question 1 - if someone calls us will they get a busy signal or will the call go to voicemail so we would at least know that someone called?  

Question 2 - being MSE (ish) how do I fix this?  Can one get new batteries for land line phone handsets?  Because of the age of the device I can't find an online guide - it's a BT Essential Twin.  I know a replacement phone would only cost maybe £50 but I'd rather only pay £5 for new batteries if that is all that is required. 

1. Someone calling will get a normal outgoing ring sound then the answering machine or voicemail if it is set to answer after so many rings.

2. See what batteries are in the handsets - quite possibly something like AA or AAA rechargeables. You can then buy rechargeable batteries to replace them with.

gefnew

The BT Essential Digital Home Phone comes with two rechargeable batteries already fitted in the handset. The batteries are of type AAA NiMH 800mAh (Type A) and AAA NiMH 850mAh (Type 1. It is important to note that only the mains power adaptors, cables, and rechargeable batteries supplied in the box should be used. Using any other type of batteries might cause the product to malfunction 1.

If you need to replace the rechargeable batteries, make sure to use the same type of batteries as the ones that came with the phone 1. The removable cover of the handset can be removed by pressing and sliding your thumb downwards on the three pips located on the back cover 2.

I hope this helps!

Tiexen

Can you remove the batteries  - looking on E-bay about £5 for a new set:

4 x Rechargeable NiMH 900mAh AAA Cordless Phone Battery for BT Essential Phone £4.99 each

400ixl

Don't they just use AAA rechargeable batteries?

Brie

Thanks all - I'll look for the rechargeable batteries when I'm next at the shops.  No point in buying new - cheaper this way and we wouldn't have to learn how to operate the new phone!!!  (took me 7 years to realise I could use this one hands free!!!)

Lorian

You'll find them cheaper even on Amazon than in the shops 

badmemory

Can you use them as intercoms too?  I wish I had tried replacing my rechargables before I replaced my phones.  But I have 5.

Brie

Lorian said:

You'll find them cheaper even on Amazon than in the shops 

even if I have to pay for delivery?

Neil_Jones

Brie said:

Lorian said:

You'll find them cheaper even on Amazon than in the shops 

even if I have to pay for delivery?

If you have Prime you don't pay any delivery charges.

Otherwise spend more than £25 you get free delivery (or £10 worth of books).

Batteries are one of these items that it's worth buying in bulk for, as they're usually good for three years.

Brie

Neil_Jones said:

Brie said:

Lorian said:

You'll find them cheaper even on Amazon than in the shops 

even if I have to pay for delivery?

If you have Prime you don't pay any delivery charges.

Otherwise spend more than £25 you get free delivery (or £10 worth of books).

Batteries are one of these items that it's worth buying in bulk for, as they're usually good for three years.

Yes but no but.....having lasted nearly 10 years I don't really want to buy more than I need as I'm likely to lose them or they will go past their best (supposedly batteries do....)  I've no need of Prime until I've got an emergency present I need to buy....so maybe if it was closer to Christmas I'd set this up but otherwise not.