Does it seem like your hearing aid batteries drain way too quickly? Here are a few surprising reasons that might happen.
So how long should the charge on my hearing aid battery last? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days.
That range is rather wide. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and leaves you in a serious situation.
You might be on day 4 at the supermarket store. All of a sudden, you can’t hear anything. 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 follow what your friends are saying.
Now, you’re attending your grandson’s school play. And the children’s singing goes quiet. But it’s only day 2. Yes, they even sometimes drain after a couple of days.
It’s more than annoying. You have no clue how much juice is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.
If your hearing aid batteries drain too quickly, look to these seven possible causes.
Your Battery can be drained by moisture
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that human beings do that the majority of other species don’t. It’s a cooling mechanism. It also helps clear the blood of unwanted toxins and sodium. In addition, you might live in a rainy humid climate where things get even wetter.
The air vent in your device can become clogged by this extra moisture which can result in less efficient performance. 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:
- Take the batteries out if you’re storing them for a few days
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
- Before going to bed, open the battery door
- Use a dehumidifier
State-of-the-art hearing aid functions can run down batteries
Even a decade ago, hearing aids were much less helpful for individuals with hearing loss than current devices. But these added functions can cause batteries to drain faster if you’re not paying attention.
That doesn’t mean you should stop using these amazing features. But just know that if you stream music all day from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to replace the battery sooner.
All these extra features, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery faster.
Batteries can be impacted by altitude changes
Your batteries can be quickly depleted when you have a rapid climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is especially true. When flying, skiing, or climbing always takes some spares.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t really drained
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is low. Generally, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. Additionally, you may get a warning when the charge drops due to an altitude or humidity change.
You can turn off the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. You may be able to get several more hours or even days from that battery.
Handling the batteries improperly
Wait until you’re ready to use the battery before you remove the protective tab. Make sure you wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries to avoid getting hand oil or dirt on them. Never freeze hearing aid batteries. It doesn’t increase their life as it might with other types 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 practical financial decision to buy in bulk. But you can anticipate that the last several batteries in the pack will drain faster. It can be a waste to buy any more than 6 months worth.
Online battery vendors
We’re not saying it’s always a bad idea to buy things on the internet. You can find a lot of bargains. But some less honest individuals will sell batteries on the internet that are very near to the expiration date. Or worse, it has already passed.
Both alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.) and zinc hearing aid batteries have expiration dates. When you buy milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the expiration date. 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 purchase batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid store where you can see it on the box. Make sure you look for reviews to be certain you’re purchasing from a reliable source.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no more
There are numerous reasons that hearing aid batteries may drain quickly. But by taking small precautions you can get more power out of each battery. And if you’re thinking of an upgrade, consider rechargeable hearing aids. You will get an entire day of power after every night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.