Do you feel as if your hearing aid batteries won’t keep a charge as long as they should? Here are some unexpected reasons that might happen.How long should hearing aid batteries keep a charge? The normal hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days. That range is fairly wide. As a matter of fact, it’s so wide that it probably can’t help you predict what should be taking place with your hearing aid. You could be on day 4 at the grocery store when all of a sudden, things go quiet and you can’t hear the cashier. Or perhaps on day 5, you’re having an enjoyable conversation with friends when you unexpectedly feel really alone because you can’t participate because you can’t hear. Occasionally the batteries don’t even make that 3 day mark. Like when you’re watching TV on day 2 and all of a sudden you can’t hear the show your that’s on. It’s more than a little 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 most likely culprits if your hearing aid batteries drain too soon.
Moisture Can Drain a Battery
There aren’t many species that release moisture through their skin but humans do. We do it to cool down. We do it to clear out excess toxins or sodium in the blood. On top of this, you may live in a rainy or humid climate where things get even more moist. The air vent in your hearing aid can get clogged by this additional moisture and it will be less reliable. Moisture can also interact with the chemicals of the battery causing it to deplete faster. You can avoid moisture-related battery drainage with these steps:
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom, kitchen or other moist environments
- if your storing them for several days or more, take the batteries out
- When you store your hearing aids, open the battery door
- Get a dehumidifier for your hearing aids
Batteries Can be Drained by Advanced Hearing Aid Functions
You get a much better hearing aid nowadays than you did even ten years 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 be aware that if you stream music for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll have to replace the battery sooner. Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these additional functions can deplete your battery.
Batteries Can be Affected by Altitude Changes
Moving from a low to high altitude can sap your batteries, specifically if they’re on their older. Bring some extra 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, under normal circumstances, a “heads up”. They’re not actually saying the battery is depleted. Also, the charge can occasionally dip briefly due to environmental or altitude changes and that can trigger a false low battery warning. In order to end the alarm, remove the batteries, and then put them back in. The battery may last several more hours or even days.
Handling Batteries Improperly
You should not take out the little tab from the battery until you’re ready to use it. Always wash your hands before touching your hearing aids or batteries to protect against getting dirt or hand oil on them. Never freeze hearing aid batteries. This strategy might increase the life of some types of battery but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries. Hearing aid batteries might lose battery power more quickly if you make these basic handling mistakes.
Purchasing a Year’s Supply of Batteries Isn’t a Good Idea
If you can afford to do it, purchasing in bulk can be a smart idea. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely won’t last as long. Try to stay with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re okay with the waste.
Purchasing Hearing Aid Batteries on The Internet
Buying from the web can be a good thing. You can get some great deals. But some less scrupulous people will sell batteries on the internet that are very near to the expiration date. They might even be beyond their expiration date. So buyer beware.
There’s an expiration date on both zinc and alkaline batteries. If you were going to buy milk, you would check the expiration date. You need to do that with batteries too. Be sure that the date is well in the future so that you can get the most use out of the pack. It’s probably a smart idea to message the vendor if there isn’t an expiration date or even better, come see us for your battery needs. Only purchase batteries from reliable sources.
Modern Hearing Aids Are Rechargeable
There are several reasons that hearing batteries could drain rapidly. But you can get more power from your batteries by taking some precautions. You might also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re going to buy a new set. If you charge them while you sleep, you get a full day of hearing the next day. And you only have to change them every few years.
