Do your hearing aid batteries seem to die faster than they ought to? There are several reasons why this might be occurring that may be unexpected.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the typical time-frame for charge to last.
That’s a really wide range. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and leaves you in a serious predicament.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery store. All of a sudden, you can’t hear anything. The cashier is speaking to you but you can’t hear what they are saying.
Or, you’re out for lunch with friends on day 5. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer hear what your friends are saying.
Now, you’re attending your grandchild’s school play. You can no longer hear the kids singing. But it’s only day 2. Yes, sometimes they even drain before the 3rd day.
It’s not simply inconvenient. You have no idea how much juice is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.
If your hearing aid batteries die too quickly, look to these seven possible causes.
Moisture can drain a battery
Producing moisture through our skin is one thing that humans do that the majority of other species don’t. It’s a cooling system. You do it to get rid of excess sodium or toxins in the blood. Your battery may be exposed to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy setting.
This extra moisture can clog up the air vent in your device, making hearing aids less efficient. It can even kill the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that make electricity.
Here are a few steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- Don’t leave the batteries in if you’re storing them for a few days
- Open up the battery door before you store your hearing aids
- Get a dehumidifier
State-of-the-art hearing aid functions can drain batteries
Modern digital hearing aids help individuals hear so much better than ones that came out just a decade ago. But when these advanced functions are being used, they can be a drain on battery power.
That doesn’t mean you should stop using these amazing features. But just know that if you stream music all day from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to replace the battery sooner.
All these extra functions, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery faster.
Batteries can be impacted by altitude changes
Going from a low to high altitude can sap your batteries, particularly if they’re low already. Make sure you bring some spares if you are in the mountains or on a plane.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t really drained
Many hearing aids will warn you when the batteries need to be changed. These warnings, as a general rule, aren’t telling you that your batteries are dead, they’re simply a heads up. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in altitude or humidity temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
You can turn off the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. There could be hours or even days of juice left.
Handling the batteries incorrectly
You shouldn’t remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Hand oil or dirt can be an issue for batteries so wash up before handling them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. This may increase the life of other batteries but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries.
Simple handling mistakes like these can make hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
It’s often a wise financial choice to buy in bulk. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries likely won’t last as long. It can be a waste to buy any more than a 6 month supply.
internet battery vendors
This isn’t a general critique of buying things online. You can get some great deals. But some less honest individuals will sell batteries online that are very near to the expiration date. Or even worse, it has already passed.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have an expiration date. When you purchase milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the expiration date. You shouldn’t forget to check the date on batteries either. Be certain that the date is far enough in the future to get the most use out of the pack.
If you purchase your batteries at a hearing aid store or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the packaging, but if you are going to shop online be sure the seller states when the batteries will expire. Make sure you look for reviews to be certain you’re purchasing from a trustworthy source.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer
There are several reasons that hearing aid batteries could drain quickly. But by taking little precautions you can get more power from each battery. And if you’re considering an upgrade, consider rechargeable hearing aids. You will get a full day of power after every night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.