Do your hearing aid batteries seem to die faster than they ought to? There are several reasons why this may be taking place that may be unexpected.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days.
That’s a really wide range. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and might leave you in trouble.
You may be at the store on day 4. Out of the blue, you can’t hear anything. You don’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.
Maybe you go to your grandchild’s school to see a play. And the kid’s singing goes quiet. Wait, it’s just day 2. Yes, sometimes they even drain before that 3-day mark.
It isn’t 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 causes if your hearing aid batteries die quickly.
Moisture can drain a battery
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that humans do that the majority of other species don’t. It’s a cooling mechanism. It also helps clear the blood of excess toxins and sodium. On top of this, you may live in a humid or rainy climate where things get even wetter.
This extra moisture can clog up 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:
- Before you go to bed, open the battery door
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged period of time, remove the batteries
- Use a dehumidifier
Sophisticated modern features are power intensive
Even 10 years ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for people with hearing loss than modern devices. But when these sophisticated features are in use, they can be a drain on battery power.
Don’t stop using your favorite 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 functions can drain your battery.
Altitude changes can impact batteries as well
Your batteries can be quickly depleted when you have a rapid climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is particularly true. When flying, skiing, or climbing remember to bring some spares.
Is the battery really drained?
Some hearing aids tell you when the battery is getting low. Generally, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They’re not telling you the battery is dead. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in altitude or humidity temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to stop the alarm. There could be hours or even days of power left.
Handling the batteries improperly
You should never remove the little tab from the battery if you’re not ready to use it. Hand oil or dirt can be an issue for batteries so wash up before handling them. Keep your batteries away from the freezer. It doesn’t extend their life as it might with other types of batteries.
Simple handling errors like these can make hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Buying a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a good idea
It’s often a wise financial choice to purchase in bulk. But you can anticipate that the last several 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 from the internet
This isn’t a general criticism of buying stuff on the internet. You can find lots of bargains. But you will also come across some less honest sellers who will sell batteries that are close to or even past their expiration date.
Most kinds of batteries, including 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 the website doesn’t state an expiration date, send the online vendor a message, or buy batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the packaging. Only purchase batteries from trustworthy sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer
Hearing aid batteries might drain faster for several reasons. But you can get more energy from each battery by taking little precautions. You might also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re shopping for a new set. You will get a full day of power after every night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.
