Does it seem like your hearing aid batteries drain way too fast? There are numerous reasons why this might be taking place that might be surprising.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? From 3 to 7 days is the standard amount of time for charge to last.
That range is rather wide. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and may leave you in a bind.
You might be on day 4 at the supermarket store. Unexpectedly, things get quiet. The cashier is speaking to you but you can’t hear what they are saying.
Or, you’re out for lunch with friends on day 5. All of a sudden, you can’t follow the discussion and it’s leaving you feeling rather alone.
Now, you’re at your grandson’s school play. And the children’s singing goes quiet. Wait, it’s just day 2. Yes, occasionally they even die before that 3-day mark.
It’s more than annoying. You have no idea how much juice is left and it’s causing you to miss out on life.
Here are 7 likely culprits if your hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Your Battery can be drained by moisture
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that human beings do that most other species don’t. You do it to cool down. You do it to eliminate extra sodium or toxins in the blood. Your battery may be subjected to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy setting.
This excess moisture can clog up the air vent in your device, affecting the hearing aid’s efficiency. It can even drain the battery directly by interacting with the chemicals that generate electricity.
Prevent battery drain caused by moisture using these steps:
- Open the battery door before storing the hearing aids
- Don’t leave the batteries in if you’re storing them for several days
- A dehumidifier can be helpful
- Store your hearing aids in a place where moisture is minimum
Sophisticated modern features are power intensive
Modern digital hearing aids help individuals 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.
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.
All these extra features, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery more quickly.
Batteries can be affected by altitude changes
Your batteries can be drained quickly when you have a rapid climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is particularly true. When flying, skiing, or climbing remember to bring some spares.
Is the battery actually drained?
Many hearing aids will warn you when the batteries need to be replaced. Generally, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They aren’t telling you the battery is dead. In addition, you may get a warning when the charge takes a dip due to an altitude or humidity change.
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 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. 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.
Purchasing a year’s supply of batteries isn’t a great idea
It’s usually a wise financial choice to purchase in bulk. But you can expect that the last few batteries in the pack won’t last as long. Try to stick with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re okay with the waste.
Buying hearing aid batteries online
We’re not saying it’s automatically a bad idea to purchase things on the internet. You can find a lot of bargains. But you will also find some less honest vendors who will sell batteries that are close to or even past their expiration date.
Most kinds of batteries, including hearing aid batteries, have expiration dates. When you buy milk, you wouldn’t forget to check the expiration date. You shouldn’t forget to check the date on batteries either. Make sure that the date is well in the future to get the most use out of the pack.
If you buy your batteries at a hearing aid center or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the packaging, but if you’re going to shop online make sure the vendor specifies when the batteries will expire. Only purchase batteries from trustworthy sources.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
There are numerous reasons that hearing aid batteries could drain quickly. But by taking small precautions you can get more power out of each battery. You might also think about rechargeable hearing aids if you’re in the market for a new pair. You put these hearing aids on a charger each night for a full day of hearing tomorrow. Every few years, you will need to change the rechargeable batteries.
