Hearing aid battery sizes
Although many of today’s hearing aids are rechargeable, most hearing aids still use a conventional, replaceable battery as their power source.
Hearing aids should use zinc-air button disposable batteries that are mercury-free (some still are not) and come in four standard sizes – 10, 13, 312 and 675 – ranging from smallest to largest.
They also come colour coded in yellow for size 10, orange for size 13, brown for size 312 and blue for size 675.
Hearing aid batteries come in 4-packs and 8-packs. These packs can also be bought in boxes of 40.
How long do hearing aid batteries last?
There’s no hard and fast rule about hearing aid battery life. In fact, there are several factors that will affect how long your hearing device’s batteries last.
A rough estimate of battery life is around 3 to 22 days with some experts quoting up to 30 days, but that all depends on…
Factors affecting hearing aid battery life
| Severity of hearing loss | For instance, people with a profound hearing loss would need more amplification, which would reduce your hearing instrument’s battery life. |
| Technology | Hearing aids are packed with tiny, sophisticated technology that includes all the features you need to hear better. The more advanced the hearing aid, the more features it has and this will affect how long your batteries will last. |
| Environment | A reduction in humidity can cause batteries to dry out too much and decrease your batteries’ power. |
| How long you wear your hearing aids each day | Some people can wear their hearing devices for as little as 4 hours per day and others can wear them up to 16 or 18 hours per day. The longer you wear them the more battery power you’ll use. |
| Location | Modern hearing aids are made to adapt to your listening environment and automatically switch programs to help you deal with background noise. You’ll use less battery life in a quiet setting, like at home versus at a party or a concert because your hearing aids don’t have as much work to do. |
| Altitude | When altitude increases, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases. This lowers a battery’s voltage and possibly its lifespan. |
| Streaming | Many newer hearing aids allow you to stream audio directly into your hearing aids from your Bluetooth-enabled devices including smartphones, TVs, Tablets and portable mp3 players. As a result, the demands on your hearing aid increase, which can affect the lifespan of your hearing aid battery. |
Six tips to maximize hearing aid battery life
Below are a few tips to ensure that you get the most out of your hearing aid batteries and by extension the most out of your hearing aids.
- Store batteries at room temperature. Contrary to popular belief you shouldn’t put your hearing aid batteries in the freezer or refrigerator. Heat and humidity – like in a bathroom or a hot climate – can shorten battery life. Device dehumidifiers can be handy to get rid of any excess moisture in your hearing aid.
- Keep your batteries in the package because they shouldn’t be stored loose. Be sure to keep them away from metal objects like keys, coins or even other batteries, as this can cause them to short out, leak, or in rare cases, to rupture.
- Zinc-air hearing aid batteries come with a seal on them that ensures that they’re ready to use. To activate them you peel off the sticker on the back, which reveals three small air holes. If you don’t plan on replacing your batteries don’t remove the seal, as oxygen immediately starts to fill the holes, making them ready for use. It’s recommended to let the battery sit for between one and five minutes after the sticker on the back has been removed for oxygen exposure to maximise the activation process before inserting them inside your hearing aid. This will ensure optimum battery life.
- Fresh batteries are better than aged ones, as they slowly lose energy over time. Be sure to pay attention to the expiry date on the package.
- Remove dead batteries immediately and dispose of them in a place that’s hard to reach by young children.
- Remember to turn your hearing aid off when not in use, like when going to bed. Simply leave the battery door open. This will also help dry out any excess moisture that has accumulated in your hearing instrument throughout the day.
Where to find hearing aid batteries
If you need hearing aid batteries, visit a Hearing Solutions clinic near you.
If you have any questions or concerns about hearing aid batteries and how to use or insert them in your hearing devices, contact us anytime or drop into one of our clinics.