Hearing Aid Batteries Die Quickly Because of This

Button battery for hearing aids on the brown wooden table. The object is on the left. The batteries are stacked in a triangle.

Do your hearing aid batteries seem to die quicker than they should? Here are a few unexpected reasons that may happen.

How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the standard time-frame 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 the store on day 4. All of a sudden, you can’t hear anything. 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. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling really alone because you can no longer follow what your friends are saying.

Maybe you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a play. And the kid’s singing goes quiet. But it’s only day 2. Yes, they even sometimes drain after a couple of days.

It isn’t simply inconvenient. You have no clue how much power is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.

Here are 7 likely causes if your hearing aid batteries drain quickly.

Moisture can kill a battery

Did you realize that humans are one of the few species that release moisture through their skin? It’s a cooling mechanism. It also cleans the blood of unwanted toxins and sodium. On top of this, you may live in a humid or rainy environment where things get even wetter.

The air vent in your device can become clogged by this excess moisture which can result in less efficient performance. It can even kill the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that produce electricity.

Avoid battery drain caused by moisture with these steps:

  • Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
  • Before you go to bed, open up the battery door
  • A dehumidifier can be helpful
  • If you’re storing your hearing aids for an extended time period, take out the batteries

Advanced modern features are power intensive

Modern digital hearing aids help individuals hear so much better than ones that came out only 10 years ago. But when these sophisticated features 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 for hours from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to replace the battery sooner.

All these extra functions, 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.

Maybe the batteries aren’t actually drained

Some hearing aids tell you when the battery is low. Generally, these warnings are giving you a “heads up”. They’re not telling you the battery is dead. Additionally, you might get a warning when the charge drops due to an altitude or humidity change.

You can stop the alarm by removing and resetting your hearing aid. You might be able to get several more hours or even days out of that battery.

Handling the batteries incorrectly

You shouldn’t pull off the little tab from the battery before you’re ready to use it. Hand oil or dirt can be a problem for batteries so wash up before you handle them. Keep your batteries out of the freezer. This might increase the life of other batteries but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries.

Simple handling errors like these can make hearing aid batteries drain faster.

Purchasing a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea

Purchasing in bulk is often a smart money choice when you can afford it. But you can anticipate that the last few batteries in the pack will drain faster. It can be a waste to buy any more than a 6 month supply.

Online battery vendors

This isn’t a general critique of buying stuff online. You can find lots of bargains. But you will also come across some less honest sellers who will sell batteries that are near to or even past their expiration date.

Most kinds of batteries, including hearing aid batteries, have expiration dates. When you purchase milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the date it expires. You shouldn’t forget to check the date on batteries either. If you want to get the most from your battery, make sure the date is well into the future.

If you purchase your batteries at a hearing aid store or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the packaging, but if you’re going to shop on the internet be sure the vendor states when the batteries will expire. Only purchase batteries from reputable sources.

Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no longer

There are several reasons that hearing aid batteries might 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 each night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be replaced every few years.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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