When choosing the perfect hearing aid, one thing you need to consider is your hearing aid batteries. Different hearing aid models require different size batteries, with rechargeable batteries as an option as well. Learn more below.
Smaller batteries can be used in smaller hearing aids, and if discretion is your main concern, you’ll use a smaller battery. However, if you have severe hearing loss, or need a hearing aid that packs a lot of punch, you might consider a hearing aid that accommodates a larger battery.
Below are the different size hearing aid batteries.
10: The smallest hearing aid batteries are size 10, and they have a yellow label. While they have a short battery life, and you’ll have to replace them more often, these batteries can easily fit into tiny devices, like Completely in the Canal devices.
312: With a brown label, size 312 is the most common battery size. They have a moderate battery life, lasting for a few days, and still provide enough power for all the programs and features you love. They are found in In the Canal and Receiver in the Ear devices.
13: Size 13 batteries come with an orange label, and they are the second most powerful battery you can find. You’ll find size 13 batteries in most In the Ear hearing aids.
675: Batteries with a blue label are size 675, and they are the most powerful batteries on the market. These batteries are normally fitted into Behind the Ear devices, provide a lot of power, and can last longer than some of the smaller batteries.
How long your battery lasts will depend on a few variables, including the battery size, the number of hours per day you use your hearing devices, and the power output needed by the programs you are running.
If you spend your days in a noisy environment with a background noise suppression program activated, you’ll use more power than if you spend the day in the quiet of your living room. On average, hearing aid batteries will last anywhere from 3 to 10 days.
When using hearing aid batteries, it’s important to realize that the advanced programs and features you’re using will drain your batteries throughout the day.
Unlike the batteries in your alarm clock that use a very small amount of power, hearing aid batteries power your entire hearing aids for many hours each and every day.
One way to get more out of your batteries is to open the battery doors at night, or whenever you take your devices out of your ears. This ensures that the hearing aid batteries and contact posts dry out every night, improving function and extending the battery life.
Changing hearing aid batteries is quick and easy, and just requires a few simple steps.
First, take off the tab on the battery. You should never remove the tabs before you need to use the batteries, as this will oxygenate the battery, and start draining power.
After removing the tab, insert the battery into the hearing aid with the positive (+) sign facing up.
If you’re tired of fiddling with hearing aid batteries, ask us about our latest hearing aids that feature rechargeable batteries. They’re simple and straightforward.
All you have to do is place the entire hearing aid onto the charger overnight, and in the morning, you’ll wake up to a full day of clear hearing without needing to worry about your batteries running out of power.
Rechargeable vs. Disposable Hearing Aid Batteries. Which is right for you?
Today’s rechargeable hearing aid solutions utilize lithium ion technology, which is the same type of battery found in smartphones and many other applications.
Lithium ion batteries allow hearing aids to be recharged so you don’t have to physically swap out disposable batteries. There are several factors to consider when choosing a rechargeable hearing aid vs. one with disposable batteries. Below is a list of considerations:
Do you feel like your fingers get in the way of each other? Or do you have fingers geared towards surgical precision? When you are dealing with disposable batteries you want to have confidence that you can pick up the battery and place it in the battery door.
Dr. Ivory has heard stories where patients are on all fours searching for batteries or find themselves hysterically watching the battery roll from one end of the kitchen floor to the other.
There are others who handle disposable batteries quite easily and rather enjoy the process of taking the batteries out and replacing them weekly.
The rechargeable hearing aid option allows you to simply place the hearing aids in the charger at night and upon waking, place the hearing aids back in your ears.
In this case, there is no need to change the battery weekly. You don’t have to worry about draining your battery when it’s not in use or panicking because you forgot to restock your battery supply. This is also convenient if your vision is compromised and you can’t see well.
On the flip side, even though rechargeable hearing aid batteries last over 30 hours on a single charge, some patients mention that they find the rechargeable option worrisome because they feel that if they forgot a night of charging, they would have to go without hearing for a few hours while the rechargeable hearing aids charge back up.
With the disposable batteries you simply must remember to open the battery door at night time to turn them off and have spare batteries on you.
The debate as to which option is better could go on and on. One question posed quite often is how long will the battery last. This will all depend on the wearer of the hearing aids. If you are streaming a lot of content through Bluetooth hearing aids, the battery will drain faster.
This applies to both the disposable and the rechargeable battery. If you have disposables however and do not turn them off when not in use, then this will contribute to you having to change the battery more often.
The size of the disposable battery also matters. The more energy the battery can store the longer it will last when all things are equal. Consider the cost of buying disposable batteries versus a rechargeable solution over a long period of time.
The rechargeable will save money over the long run. The batteries longevity in both cases depend on the user. Another good thing about battery chargers is that you are not filling our landfills with little batteries the rechargeable route is more eco-friendly.
Book a consultation with Dr. Kevin Ivory to start hearing better today.
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