Do your hearing aid batteries seem to die quicker than they ought to? There are numerous reasons why this may be occurring that may be unexpected.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere between 3 and 7 days.
That’s a very wide range. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and could leave you in trouble.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery store. All of a sudden, you can’t hear anything. You don’t hear the cashier.
Or it’s day 5. You’re enjoying a night out with friends. All of a sudden, you can’t hear the discussion and it’s leaving you feeling quite alone.
Now, you’re attending your grandson’s school play. You can no longer hear the children singing. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, sometimes they even die before the 3rd day.
It’s more than annoying. You have no clue how much juice is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.
If your hearing aid batteries drain too quickly, look to these seven possible culprits.
Moisture can kill a battery
Did you know that human beings are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? You do it to cool down. You do it to get rid of extra sodium or toxins in the blood. In addition, you might live in a humid or rainy environment where things get even wetter.
This excess moisture can clog the air vent in your device, affecting the hearing aid’s efficiency. It can even interact with the chemicals that make electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Avoid battery drain caused by moisture with these steps:
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged period of time, remove the batteries
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- A dehumidifier is helpful
- Before going to bed, open the battery door
Advanced hearing aid functions can drain batteries
Current digital hearing aids help individuals hear so much better than ones that came out only 10 years ago. But when these advanced features are in use, they can be a draw on battery power.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use these amazing features. But just know that if you stream music for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to change the battery sooner.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these added features can drain your battery.
Batteries can be affected by altitude changes
Going from a low to high altitude can sap your batteries, especially if they’re low already. When flying, climbing, or skiing remember to bring some spares.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t actually drained
Many hearing aids will alert you when the batteries need to be changed. Generally, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to drop and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to quiet the alarm. You might be able to get several more hours or even days out of that battery.
Handling the batteries improperly
You should never remove the little tab from the battery if you’re not ready to use it. Make sure you wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries so you don’t get hand oil or dirt on them. Never freeze hearing aid batteries. It doesn’t increase their life as it might with other types of batteries.
Hearing aids will drain faster if you mishandle them in these ways.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
It’s usually a practical financial decision to purchase in bulk. But you can expect that the last several batteries in the pack will drain faster. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
internet battery vendors
This isn’t a general criticism of buying things online. You can find lots of bargains. But you will also come across some less honest vendors who will sell batteries that are near to or even past their expiration date.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have expiration dates. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at when it expires. You shouldn’t do that with batteries either. If you want to get the most from your battery, make sure the date is well into the future.
If the website doesn’t declare an expiration date, send the online vendor a message, or buy batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the box. Make sure you look for reviews to be certain you’re purchasing from a trustworthy source.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
Hearing aid batteries might drain more quickly for several reasons. But you can get more power from each battery by taking little precautions. You might also consider rechargeable hearing aids if you’re in the market for a new set. You will get a full day of power after each night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.