Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries drain way too quickly? Here are a few unexpected reasons that may occur.
So how long should the charge on my hearing aid battery go? From 3 to 7 days is the standard period of time for charge to last.
That’s a very wide range. 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. Out of the blue, you can’t hear anything. You can’t hear the cashier.
Or, you’re out for dinner with friends on day 5. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer hear the conversation.
Perhaps you go to your grandchild’s school to see 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’s not just inconvenient. You have no idea how much juice is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.
Here are 7 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 discharge moisture through their skin? You do it to cool down. You do it to get rid of extra sodium or toxins in the blood. On top of this, you may live in a humid or rainy environment where things get even wetter.
This excess moisture can clog the air vent in your device, making hearing aids less efficient. It can even kill the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that make electricity.
Prevent battery drain related to moisture using these steps:
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged time period, take out the batteries
- Open the battery door before storing the hearing aids
- Keep your hearing aids in a place where moisture is minimum
- A dehumidifier can be helpful
Advanced hearing aid functions can drain batteries
Current digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that came out just 10 years ago. But when these sophisticated functions are being used, they can be a drain on battery power.
That doesn’t mean you should stop using these amazing features. But be aware that the battery will drain faster if you spend hours streaming music from your cellphone to your hearing aids.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these extra features can drain your battery.
Batteries can be impacted 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 particularly true. Be certain that you bring some spares if you’re in the mountains or on a plane.
Maybe the batteries aren’t really drained
Many hearing aids will alert you when the batteries need to be replaced. These warnings, generally speaking, aren’t telling you that your batteries are dead, they’re simply a heads up. Additionally, you might get a warning when the charge drops because of an altitude or humidity change.
Take the hearing aids out and reset them to stop the alarm. There may be hours or even days of juice left.
Incorrect handling of batteries
You should never remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Always wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries so you don’t get hand oil or dirt on them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. It doesn’t increase their life as it might with other kinds of batteries.
Hearing aids will drain more quickly if you mishandle them in these ways.
Purchasing a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
Purchasing in bulk is often a smart money decision when you can afford it. 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 6 months worth.
internet battery vendors
We’re not suggesting it’s necessarily a bad idea to buy things online. You can find lots of bargains. But you will also find 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 an expiration date. You wouldn’t buy milk without checking the expiration. You shouldn’t do that with batteries either. Make sure that the date is well in the future to get the most usage out of the pack.
If you purchase your batteries at a hearing aid store or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the packaging, but if you are going to shop online be sure the seller states when the batteries will expire. Only buy batteries from reliable sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer
There are several reasons that hearing aid batteries could drain quickly. But by taking little precautions you can get more power out of each battery. And if you’re considering an upgrade, consider rechargeable hearing aids. You will get a full day of power after each night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.