Abstract: A variable geometry battery compartment of an electronic communication device, such as a telephone test set, is readily reconfigurable by the user, so that different sized batteries can be used to power the circuitry of the device. For this purpose, a moveable battery contact wall is repositionable between spaced apart locations relative to a fixed battery contact wall. A charging switch controls the establishment of a charging path for rechargeable batteries, and can only be engaged when the moveable wall is positioned to accommodate longer sized rechargeable batteries. Changing the position of the moveable battery contact wall to accommodate shorter, non-rechargeable batteries, will prevent the charging switch from being engaged by an activating boss in a cover of the device, so that shorter non-rechargeable batteries cannot be placed in circuit with a battery charger.