From cameras to phones to music players, how we power our electronics has progressed. A powerful, rechargeable hearing aid battery is finally living up to the hopes of hearing aid makers to replace the outdated disposable power sources of the past.
Size 312 batteries are the most common of the disposable batteries that have traditionally been used to power hearing aids. The most popular form of this battery, now, is “zinc-ion”.
Disposable Hearing Aids Have a Downside
The presence of air effects a zinc-air battery, as the name implies. The user has to pull a small tab off the back of a 312 zinc-air battery to activate it.
As soon as it is fully oxygenated, it begins to lose power. That means power is start to drain even if the user isn’t ready.
Most users regard the length of life to be the greatest disadvantage of disposable batteries. With 312 batteries, the user might be changing the batteries in their hearing aids about 120 times each year because they die in 3 to 12 days according to some reports.
Because of this, besides having to purchase 120 batteries, the user will need to change and properly dispose of batteries at least twice a week. From a cost perspective alone, that likely equals over $100 in battery costs.
Advancements in Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable hearing aid technology has progressed to the point where it’s now a viable option and that’s great news for people who use hearing aids.
The vast majority of individuals would use rechargeable hearing aids if given an option according to various research. In the past, these models were impractical because they didn’t hold a charge long enough. However, modern developments now allow a full day of use per charge.
Users won’t see significant cost benefits by changing to rechargeable batteries, but where they will see a demonstrated improvement is in quality of life.
In addition to supplying 24 hours of use time, these new models lead to less aggravation for the user, since there’s no more changing and properly disposing of batteries. They simply need to put the battery on the charger.
When a disposable battery gets near the end of its life it won’t run your hearing aid at full capacity. There’s also no real way to know how near to being inoperable the battery actually is. Consequently, users risk putting themselves in a position where their battery might die at a crucial time. A dead battery will not only lead to a safety hazard, it could cause the user to miss key life moments.
Types of Rechargeable Hearing Aid Batteries
Rechargeable batteries come in numerous different materials, each offering unique advantages. The ability to maintain a charge for 24 hours is one reason why integrated lithium-ion batteries are one viable option that manufacturers supply. You might be surprised to learn that this same type of technology is what charges and powers your smart-phone.
Silver-zinc technology is another material used for modern rechargeable hearing aids. This innovative technology was originally manufactured for NASA’s Apollo moon missions. You can even use this technology to upgrade and retrofit the existing hearing aids you’re comfortable with by converting the device to rechargeable power. These batteries, similar to lithium-ion, will also last all day before needing to be recharged.
Some models even let you recharge the battery while it’s still in the hearing aid. For these, users will slip the entire hearing aid on a charging station when they sleep or at another time when the device is not in use.
While each of these rechargeable solutions offers substantial advantages over disposable batteries, each approach should be properly vetted to get a complete picture and to identify if it’s right for you.
If you’re searching for more information about hearing aid technology or how to determine the ideal hearing aid to satisfy your needs, we encourage you to check out our hearing aids section.
