Does it seem like your hearing aid batteries lose their charge too quickly? The reasons for this are sometimes surprising. How long should hearing aid batteries keep a charge? The typical hearing aid battery lasts between 3 and 7 days. That’s a very wide range. In fact, it’s so wide that it probably won’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 go quiet and you’re unable to hear the cashier. Or maybe on day 5, you’re enjoying a conversation with friends when you suddenly feel really alone because you can’t participate because you can’t hear. Now, you’re watching TV. All of a sudden you can’t hear the news. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, sometimes they even drain before that 3-day mark. 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. Here are the likely culprits if your hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
A Battery Can be Depleted by Moisture
Did you know that humans are one of the few species that release moisture through their skin? It’s a cooling method. It’s the body’s way of ridding the blood of toxins and sodium. Moreover, you may live in a rainy or humid climate where things are even more moist. The air vent in your hearing aid can get clogged by this extra moisture and it will be less reliable. Moisture can also interact with the chemicals of the battery causing it to drain faster. You can prevent moisture-related battery drainage with these measures:
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom, kitchen or other damp conditions
- if your storing them for a few days or more, remove the batteries
- A dehumidifier for your hearing aid is recommended
- Open the battery door before storing the hearing aids
Advanced Hearing Aid Features Can Deplete Batteries
You get a much better hearing aid nowadays than you did even 10 years ago. But these extra features can cause batteries to run down faster if you’re not paying attention. You can still use your favorite features. But keep in mind, you will have to switch out the battery sooner if you are streaming music from your phone all day. Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these extra features can drain your battery.
Batteries Can be Affected by Altitude Changes
Moving from a low to high altitude can deplete your batteries, particularly if they’re on their older. When skiing, flying or climbing always takes some spare batteries.
Are The Batteries Really Low?
Some models will give you an alert when the battery begins to get too low. Generally, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. It doesn’t mean you have a depleted battery. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm gets triggered. In order to end the alarm, remove the batteries, and then put them back in. You may be able to get several more hours or even days of battery life.
Improper Handling of Batteries
You should not 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 washing your hands before touching them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. 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 more quickly.
It’s Not a Good Idea to Buy a Year’s Supply of Batteries
If you can afford to do it, purchasing in bulk can be a smart idea. But the last few batteries in the pack most likely won’t have full power. Try to stay with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Buying Hearing Aid Batteries Online
This isn’t a general criticism of purchasing things on the web. You can get some great deals. But some less honest people sell batteries on the internet that are very close to the expiration date. Or even worse, they are already passed. So buyer beware.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have a date they will expire. If you were going to buy milk, you would look at the expiration date. You have to use the same amount of caution with batteries. Be sure that the date is not close to the expiration so that you can get the most use out of the pack. It’s probably a good idea to message the vendor if there isn’t an expiration date or better yet, come see us for your battery needs. Only buy batteries from reliable sources.
Today You Can Get Rechargeable Hearing Aids
There are several reasons that hearing batteries could drain quickly. But you can get more power from your batteries by taking some precautions. If you’re in the market for a new pair of hearing aids, you might consider a rechargeable model. You dock them on a charger each night for a full day of hearing the next day. And you only need to replace them every few years.