ARWadsworth wrote
Roger Mills wrote
gremlin_95 wrote

Since September we have been running a Vaillant VRC430f Weather
compensator*, it all works very well apart from one thing; it seems
to drain batteries for fun.

The batteries only last a few months before the unit displays a
warning, then the backlight won't come on and then then you can't
use the unit at all but it will continue working in accordance with
the last settings. I haven't let it go further than this. In 7
months, we have used replaced the 4 x AA batteries, twice. The
batteries I am currently using are Duracell Procell**

Can anyone suggest some better batteries? The manual states that
rechargeable batteries are not suitable although it doesn't say why
and apparently good quality alkaline batteries should last 1.5
years! The unit was simply set up with a small amount of tweaking
in the first few weeks but after that it is simply left alone (the
display turns it self off completely if it isn't tampered with),
the only time it is actually used is when the heating is required
earlier. I have no clue why it's using batteries so quickly.

*
http://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners...-vrc-430f.html

**
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duracell-Pro.../dp/B000KHDXLG

Dunno why it's getting through batteries, butb the reason you can't
use re-chargables is probably that they are usually only 1.2v whereas
alkaline batteries are 1.5v

Or that re-chargables self discharge too quickly?

Not anymore, there are plenty that dont now.