Rechargeable Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are now available not only as battery-powered, but also as a rechargeable version. You simply charge your devices overnight, just like your phone, to use them fully charged the next day. The demand for rechargeable hearing aids is so high that an increasing number of powerful, rechargeable batteries is being developed.
In the past, rechargeable batteries provided only limited power, even when charged several times. Today, a long run time is no longer a hopeful thought - modern lithium technology offers more capacity than old rechargeable batteries. That's why they can run all day on just a single charge.
As a rule of thumb, the fully charged battery yields a runtime of about 30 hours. However, it depends on how intensively you are using the hearing aid. Anyone who listens to music or sits in front of the TV for long time stretches, must expect a shortened run time of 20-24 hours.
Generally speaking, tasks that place a heavy load on the hearing aid will result in decreased battery life. A crowded environment that requires a lot of noise cancellation demands more power from the hearing aid than a one-on-one conversation. Consequently, it requires more power.
As the battery gets older, it can no longer provide the same capacity as it did in the beginning. A decrease in run time is usually noticeable after 2-3 years of use. In most cases, however, such a deficit is covered by the warranty of the device.
Hearing Aids: Battery or rechargeable?
Whoever operates his hearing aid with batteries must replace them regularly. That means paying not only the purchase price of the device, but also affording its maintenance. With a rechargeable hearing aid, the cost of batteries is eliminated.
Moreover, the battery-powered hearing aid offers advantages for impatient individuals or those with a stressful daily routine - there is no need to laboriously replace the batteries. You simply insert the hearing aid into your ear in the morning and you're ready for the day! Also, you can no longer run out of batteries in case your device runs out of power while you're on the go.
Another advantage is that there is no need to dispose the batteries any more. Since batteries can not simply be disposed in your regular waste, they must be separately brought to a disposal point. This results in an additional expenditure. The lithium battery, on the other hand, lasts the entire lifetime of the hearing aid. You only need to regularly remember to charge your device.
But probably the biggest benefit is that you finally have your pockets free of spare batteries!
So, when you consider the benefits of a rechargeable hearing aid, there's actually no reason for using battery-powered devices any more. Rechargeability offers significantly more comfort than battery-powered hearing aids.
Forgot to Charge? No Problem!
Charger cases are power banks that can charge your hearing aid on the go. But even these must be charged first in order to deliver power to the hearing aids. Nevertheless, they are clearly advantageous: they are easy to transport and in some cases provide up to six hours of hearing after only half an hour of charging. That means they're able to save the day if the nightly charge had been forgotten. Many manufacturers offer a charger case as an extra accessory for purchase
How sensitive are Rechargeable hearing aids
Because the battery of the devices is sealed, hearing aids of this type are more resistant to damage from moisture or dust. Mostly, brief contact with moisture does not bother the devices. However, you should still always pay attention to a careful handling of your hearing aid to promote a long life.
Which Manufacturers Offer Rechargeable Hearing Aids?
All major brands, such as Phonak, Oticon, Widex, Signia, ReSound and Starkey, offer multifunctional devices with rechargeable batteries. There is little difference in battery life. All models range from 19 to 30 hours of run time. A full charge of the hearing aid takes between 4-8 hours.