Do you feel like your hearing aid batteries are not keeping a charge as long as they should? Here are a few unexpected reasons that might occur.What is the average amount of time that your hearing aid batteries should stay charged? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days. That range is pretty wide. As a matter of fact, it’s so wide that it probably won’t help you predict what should be going on with your hearing aid. You may be on day 4 at the grocery store when suddenly, things get quiet and you’re unable to hear the cashier. Or it’s day 5 and you’re enjoying a call with friends when suddenly you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer follow the conversation. Now, you’re watching the TV. You can no longer hear the news. Hold on, it’s only day 2. Yes, sometimes they even drain before that 3-day mark. It isn’t just inconvenient. You simply can’t tell how much battery power you have left in your hearing aids and it’s making you miss out on life. Here are the likely culprits if your hearing aid batteries die quickly.
Moisture Can Drain a Battery
Did you know that humans are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? We do it to cool off. We do it to clear out excess toxins or sodium in the blood. In addition, you may live in a rainy or humid climate where things get even more moist. This additional moisture can clog the air vent in your device, making it less effective. Moisture can also mix with the chemicals of the battery causing it to deplete faster. Here are some steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Open the battery door before storing the hearing aids
- Obtain a dehumidifier for your hearing aids
- if your storing them for a few days or more, remove the batteries
- Moist environments, like the kitchen or bathroom aren’t a good place to keep your hearing aids
Advanced Hearing Aid Features Can Drain Batteries
Current digital hearing aids help people hear a lot better than ones that you could get just a decade ago. But if you’re not keeping your eye on them, these advanced features can cause faster battery drain. You can still use your favorite features. But remember, you will have to change the battery sooner if you are streaming music from your phone for hours. Your battery can be drained by any of the advanced features, like multichannel, Bluetooth, noise cancellation, and tinnitus relief.
Altitude Changes Can Impact Batteries Too
Going from a low to high altitude can drain your batteries, specifically if they’re on their last leg. Take some spare batteries if you are going on a plane or high up into the mountains.
Are The Batteries Really Low?
Some models will give you a warning when the battery starts to get too low. These warnings are, ordinarily, a “heads up”. They’re not telling you the battery is dead. In addition, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to dip and the low battery alert gets activated. Remove the hearing aids and reset them to stop the alarm. The battery may last a few more hours or even days.
Improper Handling of Batteries
You should never remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Make sure you wash your hands before touching your hearing aids or batteries to protect against getting hand oil or dirt on them. Never freeze hearing aid batteries. This trick may extend the life of some kinds of battery but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries. Basic handling mistakes like these can make hearing aid batteries drain more quickly.
It isn’t a Good Plan to Purchase a Year’s Supply of Batteries
When you can afford to do it, buying in bulk can be a smart plan. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely won’t be at full power. Try to stick with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Purchasing Hearing Aid Batteries Online
This isn’t an over-all criticism of buying things on the internet. There are some pretty great deals out in cyberspace. But some batteries that are available online are being sold by less honest individuals and are close to their expiration date. Or worse, it has already passed. So buyer beware.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have a date they will expire. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at the expiration date. You need to do that with batteries too. Be certain that the date is not close to the expiration so that you can get the most use out of the pack. If the website doesn’t state an expiration date, send the online vendor a message, or buy batteries directly from us. Only purchase batteries from reliable sources.
Now You Can Get Rechargeable Hearing Aids
Hearing aids may drain too rapidly for a number of reasons. But by taking some precautions you can get more life out of each battery. You may also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re going to buy a new set. You dock them on a charger every night for a full charge the next day. And you only have to change them every few years.