Portable phone battery life?

Question

My parents always seem to need to get new portable phones for the house every year or so because the batteries run low and die. They so much as answer the phone and it starts to die within seconds.

Why they stick to GE every time, i have NO idea! our 2.4 GHz phones are a piece of c**p. Basically, i need to find some reasonably priced portable phones with satellites (basically an extra docking station minus the phone to wall connection for any of you who aren't familiar with them) that have a long battery life.

What kinds of portable phones do you have in your houses that seem to last? Is it best not to leave them on the charger when not in use?

Any suggestions, i'm game... but simply buying new batteries seems dumb since i could get new phones for the same price lol

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm going to bet that your parents insist on the phones being put back on the charger every time after use. Phones with Nickel-Cadmium batteries (Ni-Cad) develope a charging "memory" after just a few "short-charges", and will afterwards ONLY charge that short amount. If your phones have Ni-Cad batteries, either replace them or have them reconditioned (which is a slow discharge under load), and then allow them to fully discharge before recharging (run all the way down) AT LEAST once a week. They will last MUCH longer.

   Some newer phones (particularly the Uniden and Panasonic mention in another post) have Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries (Ni-MH), which are much more immune to charging "memory".

    Lastly, using phones as an intercom or walkie-talkie, caller ID, "cool" MP3 ringtones, and flashing lights all will cause batteries to run down quickly. If your phones have these features . . . turn them off!