You rely on your hearing aid to get you through the day – whether it’s at school, work or simply enjoying time with friends. In order for your hearing aids to function correctly, you need to keep them powered, with a button battery.
So much emphasis is placed on the hearing aid, including how to use all of the accessories, whistles, gadgets and bells, but often, many people forget about the most critical part of the device: the battery. Without the hearing aid battery, your device would cease to work. As hearing aids have continued to advance technologically, battery manufacturers have similarly responded to the demand, creating longer-lasting batteries and batteries that are even rechargeable.
How long a battery lasts depends on three factors:
- Type/style of hearing aid
- Size of hearing aid
- Features used (Example: Bluetooth, Wireless)
The general rule goes: The smaller the hearing aid and hearing aid battery, the shorter the battery will last; the larger the hearing aid and hearing aid battery, the longer the battery will last.
Battery types
You can choose from two types of batteries: zinc-air batteries and rechargeable batteries. Zinc-air batteries were the first batteries available on the market and are still the most common batteries used. At Arkansas Professional Hearing Care, you can find every type of zinc-air battery needed to power your hearing aids. These batteries are activated once a factory-sealed sticker is removed. Once you have peeled off the sticker, oxygen will activate the zinc.
Rechargeable batteries are also available in all sizes. Most take about two hours to recharge. While rechargeable batteries are available in every size, not every hearing aid is suitable for these types of batteries. Talk to the audiologist to learn what’s right for you.
Both batteries are available in four sizes: 10, 312, 13 and 675.
- Size 10: 5.8 mm wide by 3.6 mm high
- Size 312: 7.9 mm wide by 3.6 mm high
- Size 13: 7.9 mm wide by 5.4 mm high
- Size 675: 11.6 mm wide by 5.4 mm high
Because the sizes can be challenging to remember, hearing aid battery manufacturers have created a color-coded system to make it easier for you to remember:
- Size 10 batteries: Yellow label
- Size 312 batteries: Brown label
- Size 13 batteries: Orange label
- Size 675 batteries: Blue label
Some common types of hearing aid batteries include:
- Size 13 batteries/Orange label: In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids
- Size 312 batteries/Brown label: Completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids
- Size 10 batteries/Yellow label: In-the-canal (ITC) and CIC hearing aids
- Size 675/Blue label: Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids
Extending the life of batteries
How long the battery lasts depends on many factors, but usually, the battery size and your hearing aid features will affect longevity the most. Based on the size, hearing aid battery life is estimated as follows:
- Size 10/Yellow: 5.8 mm wide by 3.6 mm high — 80 hours
- Size 312/Brown: 7.9 mm wide by 3.6 mm high — 175 hours
- Size 13/Orange: 7.9 mm wide by 5.4 mm high — 240 hours
- Size 675/Blue: 11.6 mm wide by 5.4 mm high — 300 hours
It is recommended to keep the battery doors open when the hearing aid is not in use. Doing so, while also storing the devices in a cool, dry place, may extend the life of the hearing aid battery.