Do your hearing aid batteries seem to drain quicker than they ought to? There are several reasons why this may be happening that may be surprising.
How long should hearing aid batteries last? The standard hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days.
That range is fairly wide. But it’s so wide that it’s unpredictable and might leave you in trouble.
You could be on day 4 at the grocery 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. All of a sudden, you can’t follow the discussion and it’s leaving you feeling rather alone.
Perhaps you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a play. You can no longer hear the children singing. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, they even occasionally die 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.
Here are 7 possible causes if your hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Moisture can kill a battery
Did you realize that human beings are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? You do it to cool down. It also cleans the blood of excess toxins and sodium. Your battery may be exposed to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy place.
The air vent in your device can become clogged by this excess moisture which can result in less efficient functionality. It can even interact with the chemicals that produce electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Avoid battery drain caused by moisture using these steps:
- Before going to bed, open the battery door
- Don’t store your hearing aids in the kitchen or bathroom
- Get a dehumidifier
- Take the batteries out if you’re storing them for a few days
Advanced hearing aid features can drain batteries
Even a decade ago, hearing aids were a lot less helpful for individuals with hearing loss than current devices. But these added features can cause batteries to drain more quickly if you’re not watching.
That doesn’t mean you should stop using these amazing 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.
Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these added features can drain your battery.
Altitude changes can impact batteries as well
Going from a low to high altitude can deplete your batteries, especially if they’re low already. When flying, climbing, or skiing always takes some spares.
Perhaps the batteries aren’t really drained
Many hearing aids will alert you when the batteries need to be changed. As a general rule, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. They’re not telling you the battery is dead. Moreover, sometimes an environmental change in altitude or humidity temporarily causes the charge to dip and the low battery alarm will sound.
Take the hearing aids out and reset them to quiet the alarm. There could be hours or even days of juice left.
Handling the batteries incorrectly
Wait until it’s time to use the battery before you pull off the protective tab. Always wash your hands before handling your hearing aids or batteries so you don’t get hand oil or dirt on them. Don’t ever freeze hearing aid batteries. This may increase the life of other batteries but that’s not the case with hearing aid batteries.
Basic handling mistakes like these can make hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
It’s often a practical financial decision to purchase in bulk. But as you get toward the end of the pack, the last several batteries most likely won’t last as long. Try to stick with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Online battery vendors
We’re not suggesting it’s necessarily a bad idea to purchase things online. You can find a lot of bargains. But some less scrupulous individuals will sell batteries online 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. You wouldn’t purchase milk without checking when it expires. You shouldn’t forget to check the date on batteries either. If you want to get the most out of your battery, be certain the date is well into the future.
If you buy your batteries at a hearing aid store or pharmacy, the expiration date will be on the labeling, but if you are going to shop on the internet be sure the seller specifies when the batteries will expire. Only buy batteries from reliable sources.
The batteries in hearing aids no longer drain quickly
Hearing aid batteries may drain faster for numerous reasons. But you can get more power from each battery by taking little precautions. You might also consider rechargeable hearing aids if you’re in the market for a new set. You will get an entire day of power after each night of recharging. The rechargeable batteries only need to be swapped out every few years.