Do your hearing aid batteries seem to die faster than they should? Here are some unexpected reasons that may occur.
So how long should the charge on my hearing aid battery last? The standard hearing aid battery lasts anywhere between 3 and 7 days.
That range is pretty wide. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and leaves you in a serious predicament.
You could be on day 4 at the supermarket store. Suddenly, your sound cuts out. You can’t hear the cashier.
Or it’s day 5. You’re enjoying a night out with friends. All of a sudden, you can’t follow the conversation and it’s leaving you feeling quite alone.
Maybe you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a 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 power 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 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. It also cleans the blood of unwanted toxins and sodium. Your battery could be exposed to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy setting.
The air vent in your device can become plugged by this excess moisture which can cause less efficient performance. It can even interact with the chemicals that make electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Here are several steps you can take to avoid moisture-caused battery drain:
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for an extended period of time, take out the batteries
- A dehumidifier is helpful
- Before going to bed, open up the battery door
- Keep your hearing aids in a spot where moisture is at a minimum
State-of-the-art hearing aid functions can run down batteries
Even 10 years ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for individuals with hearing loss than modern devices. But these extra functions can cause batteries to drain more quickly if you’re not watching.
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 change the battery sooner.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these added features can drain your battery.
Altitude changes can affect batteries as well
Going from a low to high altitude can sap your batteries, especially if they’re low already. Be certain that you bring some spares if you’re in the mountains or on a plane.
Is the battery actually drained?
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is low. Generally, these warnings are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to stop the alarm. You may be able to get several more hours or even days out of that battery.
Handling the batteries incorrectly
You should never pull off the little tab from the battery before you’re 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 extend their life as it might with other kinds of batteries.
Basic handling mistakes like these can make hearing aid batteries drain faster.
Buying a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
It’s often a practical financial decision to purchase in bulk. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely won’t last as long. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re okay with the waste.
Buying hearing aid batteries online
We’re not saying it’s automatically a bad idea to buy things on the internet. You can find a lot of bargains. But you will also find some less honest vendors who will sell batteries that are close to or even past their expiration date.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have an expiration date. You wouldn’t purchase milk without looking at the expiration. The same goes with batteries. Make sure that the date is well in the future to get the most usage out of the pack.
If the website doesn’t declare an expiration date, message the seller, or buy batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the packaging. Make sure you look for reviews to be certain you’re buying from a trustworthy source.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no more
There are several reasons that hearing aid batteries might drain quickly. But you can get more power from each battery by taking small precautions. And if you’re considering an upgrade, consider rechargeable hearing aids. You dock these hearing aids on a charger every night for a full day of hearing the next day. Every few years, you will have to replace the rechargeable batteries.