Hearing Aid Batteries

It depends on the size, how much you stream, and how loud your day is. Rough figures: size 10 gives three to seven days, size 312 five to ten, size 13 nine to fourteen, and size 675 two to three weeks.

Heavy Bluetooth use for calls, television, or music can cut those numbers by a third or more, which surprises patients who just started streaming. One habit helps: after peeling the tab, let the cell sit for a full minute before you close the battery door, since zinc-air cells need air to activate properly. If your batteries start dying much faster than they used to, call the office so we can check the aid itself.

For a lot of patients, yes. If small tabs and battery doors are getting frustrating, or arthritis is making the swap awkward, a rechargeable set that sits on a charger overnight removes the fiddly part of ownership and the running cost of packs.

Disposables keep two real advantages, though. You can swap a dead cell in ten seconds anywhere, and there is no charger to remember on a trip or a hospital stay. Rechargeable batteries also lose some capacity after several years of cycles. Most current RIC and BTE families come both ways, so this is a routine decision rather than a clinical one. Bring it up at your next visit and we will sort it out.

A sealed pack holds its charge for about three years at room temperature, so buying a few packs at once is fine. Keep them somewhere cool and dry, like a drawer or a cabinet shelf, and leave the tabs on until you are ready to use each cell.

Three things to avoid: the refrigerator, where condensation does more harm than the cold does good; a pocket or bag with coins and keys, where a loose cell can short out; and a parked car in July, since heat drains them fast. Store them indoors and out of direct sun and they will be ready when you need them. Call 410-766-6320 if you would like to pick up extras.