Forget 312 Batteries – Why You Should Start Thinking About Rechargeable

Up until fairly recently, hearing aids used standard 312 batteries. Now customers have a choice between 312 batteries and rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable offer a lot of advantages over standard 312 batteries. That’s why audiologists are increasingly recommending hearing aids with rechargeable batteries to their patients. Here are just some of their benefits.

You Can Stop Swapping Out Batteries

For many of the people who use hearing aids, this is the stand-out benefit of rechargeable batteries. Swapping out regular batteries can be a major pain even for people with good eyesight and full dexterity. If people are also experiencing sight loss and reduced dexterity, changing hearing aid batteries can be a stressful undertaking.

When you use rechargeable batteries, you simply connect your hearing aid batteries to a charger. You usually don’t even need to use a cord. Most hearing aids charge by induction. In the event that your hearing aid’s rechargeable batteries run out completely while the device is still usable, you can still have them swapped out.

It’s highly unlikely that rechargeable batteries in hearing aids will fail on you unexpectedly. Firstly, they’re designed to last for an extended period. Secondly, you’ll almost certainly take your hearing aid in for periodic services. Your hearing aid’s battery will usually be checked then and swapped out if necessary.

You Get Full Power All Day Long

One of the main reasons why hearing aid manufacturers have been switching to rechargeable batteries is that modern hearing aids have much more functionality than older ones. In particular, they often support Bluetooth connectivity and remote control. Both options are highly convenient but they’re also quite a strong drain on the battery.

If modern hearing aids use standard 312 batteries, users may, understandably, be hesitant to use the full functionality of their hearing aids. In simple terms, most people would probably prefer to be able to trust their hearing aid to do its basic job consistently than to use the advanced features and risk the batteries running out at a particularly awkward moment.

With rechargeable batteries, that isn’t a problem. Firstly, they tend to be high strength. Secondly, you would usually charge them every night, so they always have plenty of power. Even if you only use your hearing aid as a basic hearing aid, rechargeable batteries are still good news for you. This is because cold weather drains all batteries. This means that rechargeable batteries are a much more reliable option than standard 312 batteries.

The Environment Will Thank You

Another major reason for switching to rechargeable batteries is that they are much kinder to the environment. This goes for battery-powered devices in general not just for hearing aids. It is, however, particularly relevant to people who use hearing aids. This is because modern hearing aids can drain regular batteries very quickly.

In other words, if you stick with regular 312 batteries, you can expect to go through batteries very quickly. Even if you recycle them, you’ll still be contributing to environmental damage through the production process. This uses a lot of chemicals and energy.

If you can’t recycle them then the damage gets worse. In addition to filling up landfills, the chemicals can leak into the earth and the water supply. This can lead to major damage to both the natural environment and wildlife. It can also enter the human food chain.

You Can Save Money

How quickly you go through batteries depends on a number of factors. These include:

• Type of hearing aid
• Features and functions
• Weather and environment
• Quality of battery

It’s More Convenient

Summing everything up, rechargeable batteries are just a whole lot more convenient than standard 312 batteries. If nothing else, you never have to worry about remembering to buy them. They’re never going to be delayed in the mail and they’re never going to be out of stock when you need them.

You’re never going to lose them and have to hunt around the house and hope you find them. Nobody is going to borrow them leaving you short when you need them. That sort of convenience would be worth paying for but as previously mentioned, rechargeable batteries are the more affordable option.

To learn more about rechargeable batteries for hearing aids, please contact Quality Hearing & Audiology Center at (816) 205-7220.