Does it seem like your hearing aid batteries die way too fast? There are several reasons why this may be occurring that might be surprising.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the typical time-frame for charge to last.
That’s a very wide range. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and leaves you in a serious predicament.
You may be at the store on day 4. All of a sudden, you can’t hear anything. You don’t hear the cashier.
Or it’s day 5. You’re appreciating a night out with friends. All of a sudden, you can’t hear the conversation and it’s leaving you feeling quite alone.
Now, you’re attending your grandchild’s school play. And the kid’s singing disappears. But it’s only day 2. Yes, they even sometimes die after a couple of days.
It’s not only inconvenient. You’re missing out on life because you’re not sure how much power you have left in your hearing aids.
If your hearing aid batteries die too quickly, check out these seven possible causes.
Moisture can drain a battery
Did you know that human beings are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? You do it to cool down. You do it to eliminate extra sodium or toxins in the blood. Your battery could be subjected to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy setting.
The air vent in your device can get clogged by this excess moisture which can result in less efficient functionality. It can even drain the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that produce electricity.
Here are a few steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- A dehumidifier can be helpful
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- Open up the battery door before storing the hearing aids
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for an extended time period, remove the batteries
Advanced hearing aid functions can run down batteries
Modern digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that came out just 10 years ago. But these extra features can cause batteries to drain faster if you’re not watching.
Don’t quit using your favorite features. But be aware that the battery will drain faster if you spend all day streaming music from your phone to your hearing aids.
All these added functions, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery more quickly.
Altitude changes can impact batteries too
Going from a low to high altitude can sap your batteries, particularly if they’re low already. When flying, climbing, or skiing always takes some spares.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t actually drained
Some hearing aids tell you when the battery is low. Generally, these warnings are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude temporarily causes the charge to drop and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
You can stop the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. You might be able to get several more hours or even days out of that battery.
Handling the batteries incorrectly
Wait until you’re ready to use the battery before you pull off the protective tab. Hand oil or dirt can be an issue for batteries so wash up before you handle them. Keep your batteries away from the freezer. It doesn’t extend their life as it might with other kinds of batteries.
Hearing aids will drain faster if you mishandle them in these ways.
Buying a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a good idea
It’s often a wise financial decision to buy in bulk. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely 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
We’re not suggesting it’s automatically a bad idea to buy things on the internet. You can find lots of bargains. But some less honest people will sell batteries online that are very close to the expiration date. Or worse, it has already gone by.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have an expiration date. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at the expiration. The same goes with batteries. Be certain that the date is far enough in the future to get the most usage out of the pack.
If the website doesn’t declare an expiration date, send the online vendor a message, or purchase batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the box. Make sure you look for reviews to be certain you’re purchasing from a reliable source.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
Hearing aid batteries might drain more quickly for numerous reasons. But you can get more energy from each battery by taking little precautions. And if you’re thinking of an upgrade, think about rechargeable hearing aids. You will get an entire day of power after every night of recharging. Every few years, you will have to change the rechargeable batteries.