Do your hearing aid batteries seem to drain quicker than they ought to? Here are some surprising reasons that might happen.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the standard period of time for charge to last.
That range is rather wide. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and could leave you in trouble.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery store. Unexpectedly, your sound cuts out. The cashier is talking to you but you don’t hear what they are saying.
Or it’s day 5. You’re enjoying a night out with friends. All of a sudden, you can’t follow the conversation and it’s leaving you feeling quite alone.
Now, you’re attending your grandchild’s school play. And the children’s singing disappears. But it’s only day 2. Yes, occasionally they even drain before the 3rd day.
It’s not simply inconvenient. 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 drain quickly.
Your Battery can be drained by moisture
Did you realize that human beings are one of the few species that discharge moisture through their skin? It’s a cooling system. It also helps clear the blood of excess toxins and sodium. In addition, you may live in a humid or rainy climate where things get even wetter.
The air vent in your device can become plugged by this excess moisture which can result in less efficient performance. It can even kill the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that make electricity.
Here are several steps you can take to prevent moisture-caused battery drain:
- Before going to bed, open the battery door
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
- Use a dehumidifier
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for an extended period of time, remove the batteries
Advanced hearing aid functions can run down batteries
Even 10 years ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for individuals with hearing loss than current devices. But when these sophisticated functions are in use, they can be a draw on battery power.
Don’t quit using your favorite 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.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these extra features can drain your battery.
Batteries can be impacted by altitude changes
Your batteries can be quickly depleted when you have a quick climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is particularly true. When flying, skiing, or climbing always takes some spares.
Is the battery actually drained?
Many hearing aids will warn you when the batteries need to be changed. As a general rule, these warnings are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. On top of this, sometimes an environmental change in humidity or altitude briefly causes the charge to drop and the low battery alarm will sound.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to quiet the alarm. There may be hours or even days of juice left.
Incorrect handling of batteries
You should never remove the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Make sure you wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries to avoid getting hand oil or dirt on them. Keep your batteries out of the freezer. It doesn’t increase their life as it might with other types of batteries.
Hearing aids will drain more quickly if you mishandle them in these ways.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
Buying in bulk is usually a smart money choice when you can afford to do it. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely won’t last as long. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
internet battery vendors
This isn’t a broad critique of buying things on the internet. You can find lots of bargains. But some less scrupulous individuals will sell batteries on the internet that are very near to the expiration date. Or even worse, it has already passed.
Most kinds of batteries, including hearing aid batteries, have expiration dates. When you purchase milk, you wouldn’t forget to look at the expiration date. The same goes with batteries. In order 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, message the seller, or buy batteries at a pharmacy or hearing aid center where you can see it on the packaging. Only buy batteries from reliable sources.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
Hearing aid batteries may drain faster for several reasons. But by taking little precautions you can get more energy 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 each night for an entire day of hearing tomorrow. Every few years, you will have to replace the rechargeable batteries.