Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries drain way too quickly? There are several reasons why this may be occurring that may be unexpected.
So how far should the charge on my hearing aid battery 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 may leave you in a bind.
You might be on day 4 at the grocery store. Out of the blue, you can’t hear anything. The cashier is talking to you but you don’t hear what they are saying.
Or, you’re out for lunch with friends on day 5. All of a sudden, you can’t hear the discussion and it’s leaving you feeling quite alone.
Maybe you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a play. And the children’s singing disappears. Wait, it’s just day 2. Yes, they even occasionally die after a couple of days.
It isn’t only inconvenient. You’re losing out on life because you’re not sure how much power is left in your hearing aids.
If your hearing aid batteries die too quickly, look to these seven possible causes.
Moisture can drain a battery
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that humans do that the majority of other species don’t. You do it to cool down. You do it to remove extra sodium or toxins in the blood. On top of this, you may live in a humid or rainy climate where things get even wetter.
The air vent in your device can get plugged by this excess moisture which can cause less efficient performance. It can even drain the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that produce electricity.
Here are a few steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Before going to bed, open the battery door
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged time period, remove the batteries
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
- Get a dehumidifier
Sophisticated modern features are power intensive
Current digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that came out only 10 years ago. But when these sophisticated features are in use, they can be a drain on battery power.
That doesn’t mean you should stop using these amazing features. But just know that if you stream music for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to replace the battery sooner.
All these added features, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery more quickly.
Batteries can be affected by altitude changes
Your batteries can be quickly depleted when you have a quick climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is especially true. When flying, skiing, or climbing always takes some spares.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t really drained
Many hearing aids will warn you when the batteries need to be replaced. As a general rule, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in altitude or humidity temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm will sound.
You can stop the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. You may be able to get several more hours or even days out of that battery.
Improper handling of batteries
Wait until you’re ready to use the battery before you pull off the protective tab. Always wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries so you don’t get hand oil or dirt on them. Keep your batteries out of the freezer. This may extend the life of other batteries but that’s not the case with hearing aid 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 choice to purchase in bulk. But you can anticipate that the last several batteries in the pack will drain faster. It can be a waste to purchase any more than a 6 month supply.
internet battery vendors
This isn’t a general critique of buying things online. You can find a lot of bargains. But some less scrupulous people will sell batteries online that are very near to the expiration date. Or even worse, it has already passed.
Most kinds of batteries, including 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. Make sure that the date is well in the future to get the most use out of the pack.
If the website doesn’t declare an expiration date, message the seller, or purchase batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the packaging. Only purchase batteries from reliable sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no more
There are several reasons that hearing aid batteries might drain quickly. But by taking small precautions you can get more power from each battery. You may 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 have to be replaced every few years.