Rechargeable versus battery hearing aids

@roybrocklebank said:

It really comes down to life style.

Exactly. And if you keep your charger on your bedside table, you’ll need an aluminium foil “hat” to cut out the bright lights!

@nsjmgm said:

Exactly. And if you keep your charger on your bedside table, you’ll need an aluminium foil “hat” to cut out the bright lights!

Another case where it pays to say what brand/model you’re talking about. The ReSound Quattro LED lights are not particularly bright, at least compared to the LED night light we have on all the time at night. And the lights are only on the HA bodies, not the charging case. If you simply turn the case facing away from you or close the lid of the case, you won’t be able to see the HA LED’s at all.

In addition to that, I wear a sleep mask at night. I really like the one that I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJQFJX8/7. It’s expensive but it has soft domes under the mask that keep it off your eyelids and eyelashes. The only trouble is that after about a year to a year and a half of use the domes will start coming loose (I haven’t tried gluing them back on-I just get a new one). They say the most effective “medicine” for sleeping well is “cognitive behavioral therapy” - maybe just a fancy way for saying recognizing bad habits, avoiding them, and forming good habits instead. I think using a sleep mask is a form of “cognitive behavioral therapy” - putting it on announces to my brain, “time to go to sleep.” Since my wife gets up before I do, turns the bath room lights on and goes in and out of the bath room while I’m still sleeping, the sleep mask certainly helps me keep catching those zzzeds while far more light is flitting through the room than any mere little old HA LED’s.

MDB, Mine must have used the ZPower system as their charger looks identical to the one in the ZPower website.

I charged them daily and my first pair lasted about 10 months before they wouldn’t keep a charge all day. They replaced them and they did the same thing in less than 6 months.

So I guess there is no reason for me to investigate ZPower any more. Inadequate for my needs.

Since my Oticons eat up batteries, about 4.5 days, I just change them twice every 4 days and don’t have dead battery issues. I keep a spare with me ‘just in case’ though. You never know when a battery will die before it’s time.

It seems a waste to keep tossing the batteries and dispensers, but unless the 312 type rechargeable gets improved to last longer, I don’t see it in my future.

I know Oticon has a newer, better system, but before COVID I travel once a year. I need aids that I can substitute disposables for the rechargeable, and for that the ZP worked fine. I understand the new Oticons don’t have a 312 backup function.

I’m glad there are the choices for those of us who have different needs.

Bob

I have rechargeable, and would never do regular battery operated hearing aids. I have arthritis in both hands and it would be very difficult for me to be changing tiny batteries on a weekly or 10 day or whatever basis. The battery charger is very small and it also dehumidifies my aids while they are charging. I have an 1100 square foot home built in the 1950s, and had no problem finding an outlet in our computer/library to plug the charger into. The charger holds a charge itself, and can be used without the cord on trips, to store and charge your aids. The batteries will last several years, just like those in a cell phone do.

Did you have to power those zpower every day or they held for a few days?

First let me qualify by saying that my Oticons eat up disposable batteries every 4 days. This will give you something to base my answer on.

And yes, I looked at the old rechargeables and they are ZPower cells.

Now for your answer.

When I first got them, they barely lasted all day (16 hours) before going dead. By the end of the first year they couldn’t make 10 hours and quite soon ater that 3 hours. I got a replacement set from my audi and they couldn’t hold a charge all day after 6 months so I went back to disposables.

I have a ZPower power supply that I suppose I could sell if anyone wants it,

Bob

I don’t believe that there is a hard-and-fast rule of performance since each user’s expectations are different. I wear my new Phonak Marvels ~14 hours a day, plus using them via BT with my iPhone, both for phone usage and for streaming. My audiologist gave me the option of conventional batteries or rechargeable, but she said with my daily usage, they would have to be recharged each night … that I should consider what I would do if there was a power failure at night (which does happen from time-to-time). Using conventional batteries, I get almost 6 days use before changing, but battery cost is not a factor for me since I don’t have to pay for the batteries.

I can’t tell someone else what would be best for them, but I can say that, for me, conventional batteries seemed to be the best route.

About 4 hours per day…I have them on about 17 hours daily…The right one quits sooner, but it is working harder?

Lol my Linx Quattro rechargeables can last 2 days with 2 hrs / day streaming on one charge.

Ive been testing Linx Quattros with batteries, they could last 3 days (312s).

Gone for rechargeables, theyre so much better, I dont have to worry about batteries and theyre same price as non-rechargeable model.

@dmrljes said:

theyre same price as non-rechargeable model.

Yeah, that makes decisions somewhat easier.

Here rechargeable paradises are that 500 eur more expensive (one pair + charger). I tried them only because phonak has some features only in them. Given that I don’t like rechargeable things that don’t hold their charge for at least several days, they really had to be really good for that price difference. Not to mention that charger case and connection is really obsolete design compared to the competitors’ solutions.

Didn’t notice any hearing difference, only faster connection to BT devices. Decided that I’ll just work on my patience and breathing exercises considering those connections and save 500 eur

Well, the left one won’t go 3 full days anyway, so I just change them both every other day…keeps from getting nasty surprises…

If it would be at all inconvenient to change them separately, changing them when the first one goes makes total sense. If I’m and not doing much of anything, I will sometimes switch the battery that is still good to replace the bad one. Then when it goes, the more demanding aid has the fresher battery.

I tested batterypowered HA for a period and then switched to the ReSound LiNX Quattro. I charge them at night and don’t need to bother about batterys any longer and i value the the peace of mind. When i go out for longer than a day i take the case/powerbank/charger with me. Braveheart says it lasts 9 days, didnt know that, thanks for checking. Happy user for almost two years now.
Another advantage is the hearingaids dont need to be openened and closed, gues that ads to its lifetime span?

The extra gain also demands more feedback manager control, the combination of the two means more receiver activity.

As an aside, if you find your batteries not lasting as long, it might be you’re getting a bit of wax in the way causing the reflection of more sound and feedback manager to work harder.