How long will a hearing aid battery last

Common questions

Why is the answer a range rather than a number?

Because the capacity it is calculated from is a range. No standards body publishes a capacity in milliamp hours for hearing aid cells, and the figures that circulate come from the trade rather than from makers. Presenting a single number would imply a precision the underlying data does not have.

Why does streaming use so much more power?

Because the device is running a radio as well as an amplifier. Typical daily amplification draws around 1.2 milliamps; regular streaming roughly doubles that. It is by far the largest single factor in hearing aid battery life and it accounts for most of the complaints from people who recently paired their aids to a phone.

My batteries do not last as long as this says. Why?

The commonest causes are removing the tab well before the cell goes into the device, since air starts the discharge and replacing the tab does not stop it, and more amplification than the estimate assumes. A device programmed for a greater degree of loss draws more current. Cold weather and very dry air also reduce zinc-air performance.

Does leaving the battery door open at night help?

Yes, and it is worth doing for two reasons. It stops the cell discharging overnight, and more importantly it lets moisture out of the device, which is one of the main causes of hearing aid failure. The exception is a rechargeable device, which has no door and should go into its charger instead.

Is a rechargeable device cheaper over time?

Usually somewhat, but the arithmetic is closer than it looks once an eventual battery replacement is counted, and that replacement is a service item rather than something bought off a shelf. The stronger argument for rechargeable is dexterity: it removes the need to handle a cell the size of a shirt button every few days.