Inemi,
I have to thank you for your help but that quote means nothing to me. I don't know what 'discharge on load' means' or what the significance of '3.0V per cell (used in a series combination)' means. I have no other gadgets in my home that stop working when the battery goes flat....I'm sure you are right though.. I'm not having a go at you... but am really angry with Onyx if this is what has happened. Something so fundamentally important should be included with the instructions for the thing.
Thanks.