Even though it may seem to be a simple question to ask just how long hearing aid batteries are good for, it isn’t. Precisely how long hearing aid batteries last depends on many factors. Battery life will depend on the model of your hearing aid, and may vary widely across unique models developed by the exact same manufacturer. The length of time your batteries will last will also depend on the way in which you use your hearing aid – hearing aids require constant power when they are turned on, so the more hours of the day you use yours, the more quickly you will use up batteries.
There are even different battery lives in the exact same size of battery depending on the manufacturer, and depending on whether you’re buying that manufacturer’s “premium” line or their “normal” line of batteries. Battery life also depends on battery type; for example some types are only discharging power when they are inside a hearing aid that is on, and other varieties (such as, zinc-air batteries) start losing power as soon as you take away the adhesive strip on the bottom of the battery and they’re exposed to oxygen, whether the hearing aid is on or not.
Because the expense of batteries adds up, if you’re looking for a new hearing aid, you should do some research to see which types and models of hearing aids are known for the best battery life, because that may influence your choice. In the same way, a bit of time invested in research may help you find better batteries for your existing hearing aids. Thankfully, when shopping for hearing aid batteries, their manufacturers have made things a lot easier for you by standardizing their sizes and color-coding each size; the identical color codes are used by all hearing aid battery manufacturers. The following list of battery life is estimated, of course, but it may give you a basic idea of how long batteries of each size should last:
- 80 hours – Size 10 – Yellow
- 175 hours – Size 312- Brown
- 240 hours – Size 13 – Orange
- 300 hours – Size 675 – Blue
Remember to turn your hearing aid off when you are not wearing it for the longest battery life. Store your unused hearing aid batteries at room temperature, indoors, and in their original, unopened packaging to ensure their longest possible life.