Hearing Aids And Battery Life
As With Many Things In Life, It Depends
It seems like quite a simple question, that should probably have a simple answer. However as you can probably guess, it actually isn’t. What the battery life is like in modern hearing aids depends on many different elements.
Battery life varies between different manufacturers and how long a battery lasts can depend on who manufactured it. Battery life can even vary between different models from the same manufacturer. The actual life span of a hearing aid battery also hinges upon the length of time the hearing aid is is in use.
As you would expect, the more you use your hearing aid, the faster the batteries will be used up. How and where you use your hearing aids can also have a dramatic effect.
Types of Batteries
As I have said, batteries of the same size from different manufacturers can have different life spans. This is often the case when a battery manufacturer offers premium or extended-life lines. The legth of time a battery lasts also depends on battery type, for example there are some types that only discharge power when the hearing aid is turned on.
However, most hearing aid batteries are zinc-air batteries, zinc-air batteries begin losing power as soon as you take away the adhesive strip on the bottom of the battery and they are exposed to oxygen. This drain happens regardless of whether the battery is in the hearing aid or not. Putting it into the hearing aid and turning it on just increases the drain.
Wireless Connectivity and Protocols
Digital hearing aids placed more demands on battery power than the older analogue technology. Analogue amplifiers did not put huge demands on the battery in comparison to digital processors. Since the early days of digital hearing aids battery life has improved, until the release of wireless hearing aids and communication devices.
The use of wireless accessories and protocols increases the drain on the battery, some of the early wireless protocols dramatically increased battery drain. The more modern wireless hearing aids with upgraded low energy bluetooth demand far less power. Even the most efficient wireless communication protocols do increase battery drain in comparison to an aid working without wireless.
Battery Life As A Purchase Factor
Hearing aid batteries can be purchased relatively cheaply and battery life should not really affect your decision process. However, If you consider battery life as an important element, you can do some research in advance to see which aids have the best ratings for battery life. Keep in mind that the bigger the battery that the hearing aid takes, battery, the longer the battery life.
Battery size does have an impact on which type or which model of hearing aid you can buy. Hearing aid batteries are produced in four common sizes, each of which is marked with a specific color code, which is consistent no matter who the manufacturer is.What follows is an outline of battery life, it is an approximation, of course, but it may give you a general idea of how long batteries of each size should last:
- Yellow – #10 80 hours
- Brown – #312 175 hours
- Orange – #13 240 hours
- Blue – #675 300 hours
To ensure the longest life for your batteries, turn Your hearing aids off when you’re not wearing them. To remain fresh and retain their power as long as possible, store hearing aid batteries in their original unopened packages, and at room temperature.
