Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries die way too fast? Here are some surprising reasons that might occur.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? The standard hearing aid battery lasts anywhere between 3 and 7 days.
That’s a very wide range. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and may leave you in trouble.
You may be at market on day 4. Unexpectedly, your sound cuts out. You can’t hear the cashier.
Or it’s day 5. You’re appreciating a night out with friends. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer hear the conversation.
Perhaps you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a play. You can no longer hear the children singing. But it’s only day 2. Yes, they even occasionally die after a couple of days.
It’s more than annoying. You’re missing out on life because you don’t know how much juice is left in your hearing aids.
Here are 7 possible culprits if your hearing aid batteries die quickly.
Your Battery can be drained by moisture
Producing moisture through our skin is one thing that humans do that the majority of other species don’t. It’s a cooling mechanism. You do it to get rid of extra sodium or toxins in the blood. In addition, you may live in a rainy humid environment 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 kill the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that produce electricity.
Prevent battery drain related to moisture with these steps:
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- Take the batteries out if you’re storing them for several days
- Open up the battery door before storing the hearing aids
- Use a dehumidifier
Advanced modern features are power intensive
Current digital hearing aids help people hear so much better than ones that came out just a decade ago. But these extra features can cause batteries to drain faster if you’re not paying attention.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use these amazing features. But be aware that the battery will drain faster if you spend all day streaming music from your cellphone to your hearing aids.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these added functions can drain your battery.
Altitude changes can affect batteries too
Your batteries can be quickly depleted when you have a quick climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is especially true. When flying, climbing, or skiing always takes some spares.
Is the battery really 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 just a heads up. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm will sound.
You can stop the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. There could be hours or even days of power left.
Handling the batteries improperly
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 you handle them. Keep your batteries away from the freezer. This may increase the life of other batteries but that’s not the case with hearing aid batteries.
Basic handling mistakes like these can make hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
It’s often a practical financial decision to buy in bulk. But you can expect that the last several batteries in the pack will drain faster. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
internet battery vendors
We’re not claiming it’s necessarily a bad idea to buy things online. You can find a lot of bargains. But you will also find some less honest sellers who will sell batteries that are close to or even past their expiration date.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have an expiration date. When you buy milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the expiration date. You shouldn’t forget to check the date on batteries either. If you want to get the most out of your battery, make sure the date is well into the future.
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 packaging. Only buy batteries from reputable sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer
Hearing aid batteries might drain faster for several reasons. But by taking small precautions you can get more power from each battery. You may also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re shopping for a new set. You put these hearing aids on a charger every night for a full day of hearing the next day. Every few years, you will have to replace the rechargeable batteries.