Need to replace Nicad Battery on Southwestern Bell cordless GH5850

[[email protected]]

This model seems to be out of date. I have the base/handset, plus an
auxiliary handset for the bedroom. The base handset, the LCD seems to
be failing, and the battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the
phone seems to disconnect while I'm on it. This does not happen with
the newer, auxiliary handset. But I can't find the battery for this
model--at least not on the common internet sites selling batteries. I
really don't know what to do. Thanx. It's a 3.6 v 800 mAh whatever that
means, it looks like there are 3 long skinny batteries inside this
green plastic casing.

 

[Jussi Peltola]

This model seems to be out of date. I have the base/handset, plus an
auxiliary handset for the bedroom. The base handset, the LCD seems to
be failing, and the battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the
phone seems to disconnect while I'm on it. This does not happen with
the newer, auxiliary handset. But I can't find the battery for this
model--at least not on the common internet sites selling batteries. I
really don't know what to do. Thanx. It's a 3.6 v 800 mAh whatever that
means, it looks like there are 3 long skinny batteries inside this
green plastic casing.

Very probably you can find the battery under some other model. Try to
shop somewhere where you can take the original battery for reference. Be
sure to check the connector and polarity.

 

[g. beat]

This model seems to be out of date. I have the base/handset, plus an
auxiliary handset for the bedroom. The base handset, the LCD seems to
be failing, and the battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the
phone seems to disconnect while I'm on it. This does not happen with
the newer, auxiliary handset. But I can't find the battery for this
model--at least not on the common internet sites selling batteries. I
really don't know what to do. Thanx. It's a 3.6 v 800 mAh whatever that
means, it looks like there are 3 long skinny batteries inside this
green plastic casing.

Fry's Electronics stores have large variety for many phones (Outpost.com -
Internet web site)

E.H. Yost - Batteries America rebuilds about any pac made.
http://www.batteriesamerica.com/

 

[Mike Berger]

The original Nicad replacement is probably not available. You
should be able to find a Nickel Metal Hydride battery with the
same connector and comparable specs. Your old charger should work
ok, but may not detect the battery charge condition correctly.

 

[Pooh Bear]

This model seems to be out of date. I have the base/handset, plus an
auxiliary handset for the bedroom. The base handset, the LCD seems to
be failing, and the battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the
phone seems to disconnect while I'm on it. This does not happen with
the newer, auxiliary handset. But I can't find the battery for this
model--at least not on the common internet sites selling batteries. I
really don't know what to do. Thanx. It's a 3.6 v 800 mAh whatever that
means, it looks like there are 3 long skinny batteries inside this
green plastic casing.

It'll probably take a generic replacement type. Look on Ebay.

Graham

 

[isw]

The original Nicad replacement is probably not available. You
should be able to find a Nickel Metal Hydride battery with the
same connector and comparable specs. Your old charger should work
ok, but may not detect the battery charge condition correctly.

A NiCd charger is a very bad choice for charging a NiMH battery; their
requirements are very different. It may seem to work, but the NiMH will
probably have a much reduced lifetime.

Isaac

 

[jakdedert]

This model seems to be out of date. I have the base/handset, plus an
auxiliary handset for the bedroom. The base handset, the LCD seems to
be failing, and the battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the
phone seems to disconnect while I'm on it. This does not happen with
the newer, auxiliary handset. But I can't find the battery for this
model--at least not on the common internet sites selling batteries. I
really don't know what to do. Thanx. It's a 3.6 v 800 mAh whatever that
means, it looks like there are 3 long skinny batteries inside this
green plastic casing.

Forget trying to find the original battery if it's not at a local
outlet. Examine the pack. How long, how skinny? IME most cordless
phones take a pack consisting of three AA nicads. Buy a similar sized
pack and swap the connectors. Be sure to observe polarity.

I always buy obsolete packs at Office Depot when they go on sale. As
long as the cells are similar, the package is immaterial, be it a
plastic pack (crack it open, discard the old cells, install the new) or
a shrinkwrapped pack like yours.

jak

 

[[email protected]]

I want to thank everybody for their answers! I've never posted on this
group before and you are all quite helpful. To Jak...and the others...I
did look at pics on the internet and at ebay, but they look like
different sizes. I was baffled by that. Why there would not be a
standard. I'm not very mechanical/handy, so the idea of having
batteriesamerica making me one sounds better. I don't really know how
to 'swap connectors' though I suppose if someone could refer me to an
internet site explaining it, I could learn .

It's clearly the handset, and not the base, since I switched the
phones, using the good one in the livingroom where I mostly do
professional work. So I'm hoping it's just the battery, and that the
phone itself is not failing for some mysterious reason.

Thanx again!

 

[Mike Berger]

Ordinarily I'd agree, but since the original nicad replacements are
unavailable there aren't many alternatives. As for the much reduced
lifetime, that certainly hasn't been the case for me. I'm careful
to pull the phone off the charger after a few hours. Vtech, the
manufacturer of my ancient phone, told me their charger would handle
the nimh batteries without any problems. It works better than the
original nicad.

 

[jakdedert]

I want to thank everybody for their answers! I've never posted on this
group before and you are all quite helpful. To Jak...and the others...I
did look at pics on the internet and at ebay, but they look like
different sizes. I was baffled by that. Why there would not be a
standard.

There are 'many' standards. I redid one pack for a phone that had
shorter than normal AA's, with standard-sized ones. It was just a
matter of breaking out a plastic tab in the battery compartment. Given
that there was room inside for the standard cells, I can only assume the
company (V-Tech) used the smaller cells to save money. It worked fine.

The internet is not the best resource (IMO) for comparison. Going to a
store that has a variety of these packs, like--well, like almost
anywhere here in the States (Office Depot, Home Depot, Walgreens,
Wal-Mart, the local hardware store...they all have 'some' replacement
packs)--will give you a better visual 'feel' for what's available.

I'm not very mechanical/handy, so the idea of having
batteriesamerica making me one sounds better. I don't really know how
to 'swap connectors' though I suppose if someone could refer me to an
internet site explaining it, I could learn .

It's a matter of cutting the plug off the old pack and soldering it onto
the new. Observe polarity (red wire to red wire--black to black) and
use heat shrinkable tubing to insulate the connections. If this is
beyond your capability, you're probably better off to proceed as you have.

It's clearly the handset, and not the base, since I switched the
phones, using the good one in the livingroom where I mostly do
professional work. So I'm hoping it's just the battery, and that the
phone itself is not failing for some mysterious reason.

I hope so, too. OTOH, cordless phones--even new--are pretty cheap these
days. I buy them at thrift (second hand) stores. Many people simply
donate the phone when the batteries die. I've yet to get a used one
which needed more than basic cleaning and a new battery; but pass on
ones which have obvious physical problems. I usually pay about $3-$5
for them.

jak

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

There are 'many' standards. I redid one pack for a phone that had
shorter than normal AA's, with standard-sized ones. It was just a
matter of breaking out a plastic tab in the battery compartment. Given
that there was room inside for the standard cells, I can only assume the
company (V-Tech) used the smaller cells to save money. It worked fine.

That sounds like the AE cells I had to use for old Regency handheld
battery packs. BTW, I used an old business card to cover the ends of the
cells before I heat shrink that thin white sleeve over the cells to
prevent shorts. I also used a fine line Sharpie to write the date and
customer's name on the heatshrink first, which leaves a permanent
marking that can only be removed by cutting it away. It keeps people
with lots of the same battery packs from claiming a pack didn't last
through the warranty.

 

[[email protected]]

Just want to update everybody. This site helped me:

https://www.ibsa.com/estore/

Interstate batteries. I called him and he had me read him the P/N. He
said it was made by Golden Peak and that he had a 600mAH or whatever
that is , anyway that is less than mine (800) but since by the same
maker, and the same height and length, it would likely work, just give
me a little less talk time. He said that is also the likely cause (the
battery) of the LCD fading. So I hope it works. The battery was less
than $15 including shipping.