No matter what hearing aid you have, keeping them supplied with batteries is essential. Although we have seen rechargeable batteries come in leaps and bounds over the past few years, the primary method of powering hearing aid devices continues to be disposable batteries. At Quality Hearing & Audiology Center, we have all the options you need for your device and are on hand to provide advice about how to get the most out of yours.
Types of battery
You will need one of four types of hearing aids batteries for your device. No one is better than the other. The most common type you will see is the zinc-air battery, which require you to pull off a tab before use.
- Blue (#675): This is one of the largest batteries and allows for up to 300 hours of use. It is used for the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices.
- Orange (#13): This is slightly smaller than the blue option but still gets you around 240 hours of use. It is used for receiver-in-canal (RIC) and BTE devices.
- Yellow (#10): These are a small battery, useful for completely-in-canal (CIC) devices. It has a battery life of 80 hours.
- Brown (#312): This is the smallest type and therefore fits in-the-canal (ITC) devices. It lasts for 175 hours.
How to extend the life of your batteries?
Hearing aid batteries are a hassle to replace; there’s no doubt. To ensure your batteries last as long as possible, here are some suggestions:
- Keep the battery door open when the hearing aid isn’t being used.
- Store unused batteries in a cool and dry place. Zinc-air batteries can last for up to three years if they are kept like this.
- When pulling off the tab for zinc-air batteries, wait around 10 minutes before inserting them.
- Try to limit the use of Bluetooth streaming on your hearing aid. This is by far the most power-hungry feature of your device.
Even though these tips will help, at some point, your batteries will get used up. Many hearing aids send you a sound notification when battery power is low, but since you don’t know exactly when this is going to happen, make sure you always have spares on hand.