Hearing Aid Batteries

Battery life depends on size, how much streaming you do, and how loud your typical environments are. As a rough guide: size 10 lasts 3 to 7 days, size 312 lasts 5 to 10 days, size 13 lasts 9 to 14 days, and size 675 lasts 14 to 21 days.

Heavy Bluetooth streaming for phone calls, TV, or music can cut runtime by 30 to 50 percent. After peeling the tab, wait 60 seconds before inserting the battery, which lets the zinc fully activate and gives you the longest possible life. If your batteries are dying noticeably faster than expected, call our office so we can check for a hardware issue.

For many patients, the answer is yes, especially if dexterity is becoming an issue, if you dislike handling tiny tabs, or if you travel often. Rechargeable hearing aids deliver a full day of use from an overnight charge and eliminate the recurring cost and landfill load of disposable batteries.

That said, disposables still have advantages: an instant swap when you are out and about, no charger to pack, and no loss of battery capacity a few years in. Most modern RIC and BTE models come in both versions, so the choice usually comes down to routine and lifestyle rather than hearing loss. We will walk through it together at your next visit.

Zinc-air batteries start losing capacity the moment you peel the tab and expose them to air, but a sealed, unopened pack stays fresh for up to three years when stored properly. Keep extras at room temperature in a cool, dry place, such as a drawer or cabinet.

A few things to avoid: do not store batteries in the refrigerator, since condensation can damage them; do not carry loose batteries with coins or keys, which can short them out; and do not peel the tab until you are ready to use the cell. Heat can spike inside a parked car, so keep them indoors and out of direct sun. Call (912) 431-3193 if you would like to stock up.