Does it seem as if your hearing aid batteries drain way too quickly? There are several reasons why this may be happening that may be surprising.
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 at market on day 4. Unexpectedly, things get quiet. You can’t hear the cashier.
Or it’s day 5. You’re enjoying a night out with friends. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer follow what your friends are saying.
Perhaps you go to your grandchild’s school to watch a play. And the kid’s singing disappears. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, they even sometimes drain after a couple of days.
It’s not only inconvenient. You have no idea 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 die quickly.
Your Battery can be drained by moisture
Releasing moisture through our skin is one thing that humans do that the majority of other species don’t. You do it to cool down. You do it to eliminate extra sodium or toxins in the blood. Your battery could be exposed to even more moisture if you live in a humid or rainy setting.
The air vent in your device can get plugged by this excess moisture which can result in less efficient performance. It can even interact with the chemicals that make electricity causing it to drain even faster.
Here are a few steps you can take to avoid moisture-caused battery drain:
- Use a dehumidifier
- If you’re storing your hearing aids for an extended time period, remove the batteries
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom or kitchen
- Open the battery door before you store your hearing aids
Sophisticated modern features are power intensive
Even 10 years ago, hearing aids were much less helpful for people with hearing loss than current devices. But when these advanced functions are in use, they can be a draw on battery power.
Don’t stop 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 change the battery sooner.
All these extra features, like Bluetooth, tinnitus relief, or multichannel, can drain the battery faster.
Altitude changes can impact batteries too
Your batteries can be drained quickly when you have a quick climb in altitude, and if they’re already low this is particularly true. Make sure you bring some spares if you are in the mountains or on an aircraft.
Is the battery actually drained?
Many hearing aids will alert you when the batteries need to be changed. Generally, these alerts 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 dip and the low battery alarm gets triggered.
Take out the hearing aids and reset them to stop the alarm. There may be hours or even days of juice left.
Handling the batteries incorrectly
Wait until you’re ready to use the battery before you remove the protective tab. Hand oil or dirt can be an issue for batteries so wash up before you handle them. Keep your batteries away from the freezer. This may extend the life of other batteries but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries.
Basic handling errors like these can make hearing aid batteries drain quickly.
Overstocking on batteries isn’t a good plan
Buying in bulk is usually a smart money choice when you can afford it. But you can anticipate that the last several batteries in the pack won’t last as long. Try to limit yourself to a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with the waste.
Buying hearing aid batteries online
We’re not suggesting it’s automatically a bad idea to purchase things on the internet. You can find a lot of bargains. But some less scrupulous individuals will sell batteries online that are very close to the expiration date. Or even worse, it has already passed.
Most types of batteries, including hearing aid batteries, have expiration dates. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at the expiration. You shouldn’t do that with batteries either. Make sure that the date is well in the future to get the most usage out of the pack.
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 online make sure the seller states when the batteries will expire. Only buy batteries from trustworthy sources.
Hearing aid batteries drain quickly no more
Hearing aid batteries may drain more quickly for several reasons. But by taking little precautions you can get more power out of each battery. And if you’re considering an upgrade, consider rechargeable hearing aids. You will get an entire day of power after every night of recharging. Every few years, you will need to replace the rechargeable batteries.