Google TV remote batteries draining

[ziggy81ziggy]

Remote batteries drain in a couple of weeks. Purchased Chromecast with Google Tv in January 2021.

Answers to the questions Google support will ask:

What is the firmware version of your Chromecast and Chromecast Voice Remote?

Up to date, there's no updates available

Are you using AAA 1.5 V alkaline batteries?

Yes

What troubleshooting steps have you already tried?

Reset, disconnected / re connected. Nothing works except changing the batteries.

As short battery life is a known issue, my questions are:

Has this been fixed in recent models?

If yes, how can I exchange my remote for one that doesn't have this problem?

If no, when is it going to be fixed and can Google send me some batteries please as it's costing a small fortune?

[Ashepherdson]

Hi Ziggy, I am flagging this to the google team as it MAY be a faulty remote, as an alternative you can try contacting google support directly as well. 

[ziggy81ziggy]

Hi, thanks for that. I'll try contacting Google Support once I work out how. I just constantly get redirected to the Community.

Though it is a problem experiences by lots of people - all you need to do is a quick Google to see this, yet Google are yet to acknowledge it.

[hdcookies]

This is something that I've been experiencing recently too.  My first set of batteries lasted several months, but since then I'm going through a pair about once a week. 

[ziggy81ziggy]

Will the Google team respond here?

[Ashepherdson]

No this isn't a direct support Channel this is as I said a community forum so your best bet is to visit the link I provided above to get in touch with support directly as you may have a faulty remote.  

https://support.google.com/googlenest?hl=en#topic=7029097

[ziggy81ziggy]

6 days the last ones lasted and we were away for 2 of those.

[ziggy81ziggy]

A tip for others - the hours of operation are wrong. 15.29 on a Sunday afternoon and they're closed.

[Nhowe006]

You're lucky to be getting a week out of a set of batteries. I get an hour or two ever since the factory batteries died. Been using my TV remote to control it, the factory batteries in which haven't died in the year I've owned both devices.

[ziggy81ziggy]

It's ridiculously isn't it?

I spent ages on chat for them to basically tell me to buy better branded batteries or rechargeable ones so I always have a pair ready 🤦‍♀️

How do you get your TV remote to control it? I thought they were infrared and the CC was Bluetooth?

I've tried the remote on my phone but it's a faff not being able to have it as a widget and doesn't help the OH who is Apple....

[Antioc]

Hi Ziggy I'm having the same issue. Changed the batteries 3 times in the past 5ish months.

One thing I remember doing sometime within that timeframe is install the Stadia app and link a controller. This could just be coincidence or be related. If you also did something similar that could help explain why this is happening and hopefully lead to a long term solution. In the meantime, I was able to get Google support to initiate a replacement.

Interested to hear if you're in the same situation.

[ziggy81ziggy]

Linked controller? What do you mean?

We haven't installed anything. Just use it for Netflix and iPlayer really. You couldn't get more basic users than us!

I tried on Google chat (which turned out to be a messenger not chat?) and it took ages. Gave up in the end as they just kept going on about better batteries...

Is your replacement any better?

[Ashepherdson]

Stadia is Google's gaming service and has a game controller , but I use this on my Chromecast with Google tv with no battery drain.   

Did you setup your remote so it can control your tv? Do you also have a sound system the remote controls ?  Need more information on your setup, as the batteries (if they are high quality ones) should not drain like this. 

[ziggy81ziggy]

We haven't done anything other than use the remote to control the Chromecast.

I'm not the only person this happens to though - a quick Google will tell you that.

[Ashepherdson]

I understand, and while there are some that are faulty remotes, in other cases there are other factors (people using rechargable batteries or low quality ones is a big one) that can cause it.  Just trying to help out.

[ziggy81ziggy]

Apologies - please don't read bad tone into that reply 🙂
Google support themselves told me to use rechargeable batteries - I don't, I use Duracell. I don't think there's a better quality out there available without going specialist (which you shouldn't need to for an off the shelf product)?

Someone on a different forum mentioned a reset where the LED flashes (remove batteries, hold home, put back in etc) but there's no LED - any idea what he might have meant?

Someone else said they use their TV remote to control the CC - I thought TV remotes were infared and the CC was bluetooth?

[Ashepherdson]

It is Bluetooth , they may have been using a universal remote with Bluetooth (such as a Logitech Harmony, RIP).  

For the IR LED on the Chromecast remote, you can see if it's on by using your phone's camera, aim the camera at the front of the Chromecast remote and look at your phone's screen, if the IR is on you will see it there.  If it's constantly on then there may be a hardware issue with the remote. I prefer to use CEC to control the tv, but that's beside the point. 

As for using rechargable batteries, you can of course use them, however I find I get a much shorter life out of those vs energizer ultimate batteries. 

I suspect it may be a faulty remote if there are no stuck buttons, probably a short somewhere causing a battery drain.  I'll escalate this so someone from Google can get in touch with you. 

[prsyahmi]

Hi, I too experienced battery draining too fast.

It happens right after I bought the 2nd GCWGTV.

[Ashepherdson]

Did you try using your phone's camera to see if your IR is on for the remote?

[Nhowe006]

I did, good suggestion though! 

[Ashepherdson]

And the IR was not flashing? Really odd.. it's gotta be a faulty remote but I guess it's stuck in pairing mode or something similar 

[Nhowe006]

More like it's draining the batteries. After being in the remote they don't work in other devices either, and replacing them causes the remote to start working again for the x number of hours it takes to drain again.

[prsyahmi]

I just did with your suggestion, its not flashing except when pressing button. Now I remember right before this happen it is in pairing mode. I'm not sure if it was accidentally clicked or it just go into pairing mode itself.

After pairing back (removed previously paired first from bluetooth/remote list) I got an update notification and update the remote.

[ziggy81ziggy]

Just put in new batteries again after leaving it sat on a shelf and not using it for a while and was reminded to check the IR LED.

The remote is working but we can't see the LED at all. We can on all other remotes just not the CC.

Why would the remote have IR LED if it's Bluetooth anyway?

There's not an updated model been released is there?

[Ashepherdson · Accepted solution]

The remote has IR so that it can control your TV via IR , which u do suggest you setup as it makes life much easier controlling everything with one remote.  Not sure that it will help the battery drain situation, but it can't hurt ! 

[Jeran]

Hey there,

Did you have any more questions or need any additional help? If not, I'll go ahead and lock up this thread in 24 hours.

Just checking up,
Jeran
 

[Jeran]

Hey there!

We haven't heard back from ziggy81ziggy, and it's been a few days, so I'm locking the thread. As always, feel free to make a new thread if you have any more questions or concerns.

Thank you for your help, Ashepherdson!

Best regards,
Jeran