Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries die way too fast? There are several reasons why this might be taking place that might be unexpected.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere between 3 and 7 days.
That’s a really wide range. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and could leave you in a bind.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery store. Unexpectedly, your sound cuts out. The cashier is talking to you but you don’t hear what they are saying.
Or it’s day 5. You’re enjoying a night out with friends. All of a sudden, you can’t follow the conversation and it’s leaving you feeling rather alone.
Now, you’re attending your grandson’s school play. And the kid’s singing goes quiet. But it’s only day 2. Yes, they even occasionally drain after a couple of days.
It isn’t simply inconvenient. You’re losing out on life because you don’t know how much juice you have left in your hearing aids.
If your hearing aid batteries drain too quickly, check out these seven possible culprits.
Moisture can kill a battery
Did you realize that human beings are one of the few species that release moisture through their skin? You do it to cool down. You do it to get rid of excess sodium or toxins in the blood. Your battery may be subjected to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy place.
This extra moisture can clog up the air vent in your device, affecting the hearing aid’s efficiency. It can even drain the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that produce electricity.
Here are several steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Before you go to bed, open the battery door
- Store your hearing aids in a place where moisture is minimum
- A dehumidifier is helpful
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged period of time, take out the batteries
State-of-the-art hearing aid features can run down batteries
Modern digital hearing aids help individuals hear so much better than ones that came out only a decade ago. But these extra features can cause batteries to drain faster if you’re not paying attention.
Don’t stop using your favorite features. But be aware that the battery will drain faster if you spend hours streaming music from your cellphone to your hearing aids.
All these added functions, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery more quickly.
Batteries can be impacted by altitude changes
Going from a low to high altitude can drain your batteries, especially if they’re low already. Make sure you bring some spares if you are in the mountains or on an aircraft.
Is the battery actually drained?
Many hearing aids will alert you when the batteries need to be replaced. These warnings, generally speaking, aren’t telling you that your batteries are dead, they’re just a heads up. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in altitude or humidity temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm will sound.
Take the hearing aids out and reset them to stop the alarm. There could be hours or even days of juice left.
Improper handling of batteries
You shouldn’t pull off the little tab from the battery if you’re not ready to use it. Hand oil or dirt can be a problem for batteries so wash up before you handle them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. It doesn’t increase their life as it might with other types of batteries.
Simple handling errors like these can make hearing aid batteries drain faster.
Purchasing a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
Buying in bulk is often a smart money choice when you can afford to do it. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last few batteries most likely won’t last as long. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Buying hearing aid batteries from the internet
We’re not claiming it’s automatically a bad idea to buy things on the internet. You can find lots of bargains. But you will also find some less honest sellers who will sell batteries that are near to or even past their expiration date.
Most kinds of batteries, including hearing aid batteries, have expiration dates. You wouldn’t purchase milk without looking at the expiration. The same goes with batteries. If you want to get the most out of your battery, be certain the date is well into the future.
If the website doesn’t declare an expiration date, message the seller, or buy batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the box. Only buy batteries from reliable sources.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
There are numerous reasons that hearing aid batteries might drain quickly. But by taking little precautions you can get more energy out of each battery. And if you’re thinking of an upgrade, think about rechargeable hearing aids. You will get an entire day of power after each night of recharging. Every few years, you will have to replace the rechargeable batteries.