Batteries for hearing aids
One of the most annoying things that can happen with hearing aids is when you hear the tiny voice say “Low Battery.” But how long do hearing aid batteries last? There are a lot of factors that impact on the lifespan of batteries for hearing aids: the quality of your batteries, amount of streaming usage and your specific type of hearing loss to name a few. We’ve compiled the top 7 factors that impact on how long your hearing aid batteries will last below…
1. Your hearing loss. The greater your hearing loss, the stronger the amplification the hearing aids need to provide. The harder your hearing aids work to provide amplification, the faster the battery drains.
2. How often you use your hearing aids. Just like your mobile phone battery drains the more you text or use social media apps, your hearing aid batteries will drain quicker the more you use your hearing aids. More specifically, the number of hours and days you use your hearing aids dictates how long you can go before changing batteries. Lighter use will make hearing aid batteries last longer than if you are constantly streaming.
3. What you do with your hearing aids. Hearing aids at their simplest provide you with the ability to hear lost frequencies better. When you add on cool capabilities such as wireless streaming of phone calls, music and movies, you also increase the battery drain. Wireless streaming can increase the drain rate by up to 300 percent. Furthermore, if you use FM or looping technology, you could see a 100 percent increase in drain rates.
4. If your hearing aids include tinnitus technology. Tinnitus can be an ongoing bother for many. Today’s hearing aids often include tinnitus technology designed to help provide relief from tinnitus symptoms. This is typically done by using sound to mask the symptoms. When your hearing aids work to battle tinnitus, they are adding to their overall workload, thereby increasing the use of the hearing aid batteries.
5. The weather. As the seasons change and bring hot and cold temperatures, your hearing aid batteries may last longer or function differently. Two big weather factors that can impact battery life include humidity and temperature.
- Low humidity can cause higher battery drain due to batteries drying out faster.
- High humidity can result in moisture issues that lead to swelling, leakage and reduced battery life.
- Low temperatures can shorten battery life as voltage can dip and deplete earlier, especially for users who work outside in the winter months. [Our hearing aids can function in -40 degrees Fahrenheit]
- High temperatures can make hearing batteries last longer or drain quicker. When temperatures start to hit between 30-36 degrees celcius and/or when humidity is greater than 50 percent.
6. How far above sea level you are. Your elevation can impact hearing aid battery life. Higher altitudes may cause batteries to reach their endpoints sooner due to reduced oxygen in the environment. Users living in higher altitudes will most likely experience faster battery drains, and if you are flying with a battery that is already low, you may see it drain faster.
7. Did you remember to take the battery out at night? Leaving batteries in your hearing aids when not wearing them drains their life faster. Remember to remove before drying overnight or when not in use to make hearing aid batteries last longer.