Do your hearing aid batteries seem to drain faster than they should? Here are a few unexpected reasons that might occur.
So how long should the charge on my hearing aid battery last? The typical hearing aid battery lasts anywhere between 3 and 7 days.
That’s a very wide range. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and could leave you in trouble.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery store. Suddenly, things get quiet. You can’t hear the cashier.
Or, you’re out for lunch with friends on day 5. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer hear the conversation.
Now, you’re attending your grandson’s school play. You can no longer hear the children singing. Wait, it’s just day 2. Yes, they even occasionally die after a couple of days.
It’s more than inconvenient. You’re losing out on life because you’re not sure how much juice is left in your hearing aids.
If your hearing aid batteries die too quickly, check out these seven possible causes.
Moisture can drain a battery
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that human beings do that most other species don’t. You do it to cool down. It also helps clear the blood of unwanted toxins and sodium. Your battery may be subjected to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy place.
This excess moisture can clog the air vent in your device, affecting the hearing aid’s efficiency. It can even interact with the chemicals that make electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Here are several steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- A dehumidifier is helpful
- Don’t leave the batteries in if you’re storing them for several days
- Before you go to bed, open up the battery door
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
Sophisticated modern features are power intensive
Even a decade ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for people with hearing loss than current devices. But these extra functions can cause batteries to drain faster if you’re not paying attention.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use these amazing features. But be aware that the battery will drain faster if you spend hours streaming music from your phone to your hearing aids.
All these extra features, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery faster.
Batteries can be affected by altitude changes
Going from a low to high altitude can deplete your batteries, especially if they’re on their last leg. Make sure you bring some spares if you are in the mountains or on an aircraft.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t actually drained
Many hearing aids will warn 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. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm will sound.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to quiet the alarm. There may be hours or even days of power left.
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. Keep your batteries away from the freezer. This may increase the life of other batteries but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries.
Hearing aids will drain more quickly if you mishandle them in these ways.
Buying a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
It’s often a practical financial decision to buy in bulk. But you can anticipate that the last few batteries in the pack won’t last as long. It can be a waste to buy any more than 6 months worth.
Buying hearing aid batteries online
We’re not suggesting it’s necessarily a bad idea to buy things online. You can get some great deals. 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 expiration dates. When you purchase milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the expiration date. You shouldn’t do that with batteries either. In order to get the most out of your battery, make sure the date is well into the future.
If you purchase your batteries at a hearing aid center or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the labeling, but if you are going to shop online make sure the seller states when the batteries will expire. Make sure you check reviews to be certain you’re buying from a reliable source.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
Hearing aid batteries might drain faster for numerous reasons. But by taking little precautions you can get more power from each battery. And if you’re thinking of an upgrade, think about rechargeable hearing aids. You dock these hearing aids on a charger every night for a full day of hearing the next day. The rechargeable batteries only have to be replaced every few years.