Does it seem like your hearing aid batteries lose their charge too quickly? Here are a few surprising reasons that might happen.How long should hearing aid batteries keep a charge? Between 3 to 7 days is standard. That range is fairly wide. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and puts you in a challenging predicament. Things could suddenly get quiet when you’re trying to hear the cashier at the supermarket after 4 days of battery power. Or it’s day 5 and you’re having a call with friends when suddenly you find yourself feeling really alone because you can no longer follow the conversation. Now, you’re watching the TV. All of a sudden you can’t hear the news. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, sometimes they even die before that 3-day mark. It isn’t just inconvenient. You just can’t tell how much battery power you have left in your hearing aids and it’s causing you to miss out on life. If your hearing aid batteries are dying too fast, there are a few likely culprits.
A Battery Can be Depleted by Moisture
There aren’t very many species that release moisture through their skin but humans do. It’s a cooling mechanism. It’s the body’s way of ridding the blood of toxins and sodium. You may also live in a climate that’s humid and moist. The air vent in your hearing aid can get clogged by this additional moisture and it will be less reliable. It can even deplete the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals which create electricity. You can avoid moisture-related battery drainage with these steps:
- A dehumidifier for your hearing aid is beneficial
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom, kitchen or other damp environments
- Before you store your hearing aids, open the battery door
- if your storing them for a few days or more, remove the batteries
Advanced Hearing Aid Features Can Run Down Batteries
Modern digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that you could get just ten years ago. But if you’re not paying attention, these advanced functions can cause faster battery drain. You can still use your favorite features. But just know that if you stream music for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll have to replace the battery sooner. Your battery can be drained by any of the advanced features, like Bluetooth, multichannel, noise cancellation, and tinnitus relief.
Altitude Changes Can Impact Batteries Too
Your batteries can be drained if you go from low to high altitudes particularly if they are already low on juice. Take some extra batteries if you are going on a plane or high up into the mountains.
It’s Possible That The Batteries Aren’t Really Low
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is low. Generally speaking, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They’re not actually saying the battery is dead. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alert gets activated. Remove the hearing aids and reset them to end the alarm. You may be able to get several more hours or even days of battery life.
Improper Handling of Batteries
You should not remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Always wash your hands before touching your hearing aids or batteries to avoid getting hand oil or dirt on them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. It doesn’t extend their life as it might with other kinds of batteries. Hearing aid batteries might lose battery power more quickly if you make these simple handling errors.
It’s Not a Good Idea to Buy a Year’s Supply of Batteries
When you can afford to do it, purchasing in bulk can be a smart plan. But the last few batteries in the pack most likely won’t have full power. Try to stick with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Buying Hearing Aid Batteries on The Internet
It’s not an over-all criticism of buying stuff on the internet. You can get some good deals. But some batteries that can be found on the internet are being sold by less honest people and are near their expiration date. Or worse, they are already passed. So buyer beware.
There’s an expiration date on both zinc and alkaline batteries. If you were going to buy milk, you would look at the expiration date. You need to use the same amount of care with batteries. Be sure that the date is not close to the expiration to get the most use out of the pack. If the website doesn’t mention an expiration date, message the vendor, or purchase batteries directly from us. Be sure you know and trust the seller.
Now You Can Get Rechargeable Hearing Aids
Hearing aids could drain too rapidly for a number of reasons. But by taking little precautions you can get more life from each battery. If you’re looking to buy a new pair of hearing aids, you might consider a rechargeable model. If you charge them at night, you get a full day of hearing the next day. And you only need to change them every few years.