Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries lose their charge too fast? Here are some surprising reasons that might happen.How long should hearing aid batteries keep a charge? Between 3 to 7 days is normal. That’s a really wide range. As a matter of fact, it’s so wide that it probably doesn’t help you predict what should be happening with your hearing aid. You may be on day 4 at the grocery store when suddenly, things get quiet and you can’t hear the cashier. Or maybe on day 5, you’re enjoying a conversation with friends when you unexpectedly feel very alone because you can’t hear what anyone is saying. Occasionally the batteries don’t even make 3 days. Like when you’re watching TV on day 2 and all of a sudden you can’t hear the show your watching. It’s more than a little inconvenient. You’re missing out on life because you’re not sure how much juice you have left in your hearing aids. If your hearing aid batteries are dying too quickly, there are a small number of likely causes.
A Battery Can be Drained by Moisture
Did you know that humans are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? It’s a cooling mechanism. We do it to get rid of excess toxins or sodium in the blood. Moreover, you might live in a rainy or humid climate where things get even more moist. This extra moisture can clog the air vent in your device, making it less efficient. It can even deplete the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that create electricity. Here are a few steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom, kitchen or other damp conditions
- if your storing them for several days or more, remove the batteries
- Open the battery door when you store the hearing aids
- Obtain a dehumidifier for your hearing aids
Batteries Can be Depleted by Advanced Hearing Aid Functions
Current digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that you could get just a decade ago. But these extra features can cause batteries to run down faster if you’re not keeping an eye on them. Don’t stop using your favorite features. But remember, you will have to replace the battery sooner if you are streaming music from your phone for hours. Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these additional functions can drain your battery.
Altitude Changes Can Affect Batteries Too
Your batteries can be sapped out if you go from low to high altitudes particularly if they are already low on juice. When skiing, flying or climbing always takes some spare batteries.
Maybe The Batteries Aren’t Really Low
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is running low. These warnings are, under normal circumstances, a “heads up”. They’re not telling you the battery is dead. Also, the charge can sometimes dip briefly due to altitude or environmental changes and that can activate a false low battery warning. In order to stop the alarm, remove the batteries, and then put them back in. The battery may last a few more hours or even days.
Handling Batteries Improperly
You should never remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Refrain from getting skin oil and dirt on your hearing aid by cleaning your hands before touching them. Hearing aid batteries should never be frozen. This technique 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 quicker if you make these basic handling errors.
Getting a Year’s Supply of Batteries Isn’t a Very Good Plan
When you can afford to do it, buying in bulk can be a smart plan. But the last few batteries in the pack probably won’t have full power. Try to stay with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re okay with wasting a few.
Purchasing Hearing Aid Batteries Online
Buying from the web can be a good thing. You can get some great deals. But some less honest people sell batteries online that are very near to the expiration date. Or even worse, they are already passed. So you need to be careful.
There’s an expiration date on both alkaline and zinc batteries. If you were going to buy milk, you would look at the expiration date. You need to do that with batteries also. If you want to get the most out of your pack, make sure the date is well in the future. It’s probably a good idea to message the vendor if you don’t see 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 a number of reasons that hearing batteries might drain quickly. But you can get more life from your batteries by taking some precautions. You might also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re in the market for a new set. If you charge them at night, you get a full day of power the next day. The rechargeable batteries only have to be changed every few years.