Do your hearing aid batteries seem to drain faster than they ought to? Here are a few unexpected reasons that might happen.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the typical amount of time for charge to last.
That’s a really wide range. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and leaves you in a serious situation.
You could be at market on day 4. Unexpectedly, your sound cuts out. The cashier is talking to you but you can’t hear what they are saying.
Or it’s day 5. You’re appreciating a night out with friends. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling really alone because you can no longer hear what your friends are saying.
Perhaps you go to your grandchild’s school to see a play. And the children’s singing disappears. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, they even sometimes drain after a couple of days.
It isn’t only inconvenient. You’re missing out on life because you don’t know how much power you have left in your hearing aids.
If your hearing aid batteries drain too quickly, check out these seven possible culprits.
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 get rid of extra sodium or toxins in the blood. In addition, you may live in a rainy humid climate where things get even wetter.
This excess moisture can clog up the air vent in your device, making hearing aids less efficient. It can even interact with the chemicals that produce electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Here are a few steps you can take to avoid moisture-caused battery drain:
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for a prolonged period of time, take out the batteries
- Get a dehumidifier
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- Open up the battery door before storing the hearing aids
Advanced hearing aid functions can drain batteries
Even a decade ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for people with hearing loss than current devices. But these added functions can cause batteries to drain more quickly if you’re not watching.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use these amazing features. But just know that if you stream music for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to change the battery sooner.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these added features can drain your battery.
Altitude changes can affect batteries as well
Your batteries can be drained quickly when you have a rapid climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is particularly true. Be certain that you bring some spares if you’re in the mountains or on an aircraft.
Is the battery actually drained?
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is getting low. These warnings, as a general rule, aren’t telling you that your batteries are dead, they’re simply a heads up. Additionally, you might get a warning when the charge drops because of an altitude or humidity change.
Take the hearing aids out and reset them to quiet the alarm. There could be hours or even days of power left.
Improper handling of batteries
Wait until it’s time to use the battery before you pull off the protective tab. Make sure you wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries so you don’t get hand oil or dirt on them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. This may increase the life of other batteries but that’s not the case with hearing aid batteries.
Hearing aids will drain more quickly if you mishandle them in these ways.
Buying a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
It’s often a practical financial decision to buy in bulk. But you can expect that the last few batteries in the pack will drain faster. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re okay with the waste.
Online battery vendors
This isn’t a broad critique of buying things online. You can get some great deals. But some less honest individuals will sell batteries on the internet 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 expiration dates. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at when it expires. The same goes with batteries. Be certain that the date is far enough in the future to get the most use out of the pack.
If you buy your batteries at a hearing aid center or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the packaging, but if you’re going to shop online make sure the seller states when the batteries will expire. Only purchase batteries from reputable sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer
Hearing aid batteries might drain faster for numerous reasons. But you can get more power from each battery by taking little precautions. You may also consider rechargeable hearing aids if you’re in the market for a new set. You dock these hearing aids on a charger each night for a full day of hearing the next day. Every few years, you will need to replace the rechargeable batteries.