Swimming with Phonak Life Lumity underwater aids

Goretex filters probably (used to be) or a similar Aquaphobic filter. Some newer MEMS mics are less susceptible to moisture too.

I know they were quite advanced in respect of acoustically transparent micrometer thickness film layers. They did it for the receiver with the ‘Wax Sentry’ a while ago.

Receivers are still the weak point in my book. I’m not entirely sure why the diaphragm ’needs’ to be fully enclosed. From an engineering point of view the capsule could be made with one fully dynamic (wipeable) face that just ‘stuck out the back’ of the ITE/CIC/RIC mould. Thuras function could come from internal venting within the mould. Hiding the driver surface away just makes the issues worse in my book: unless it’s sitting directly into wet wax (but that could just wipe off) or into a canal wall. A wipeable dynamic gold plate (or Mylar encased) occupying a 4mm oval on the rear face would seem to be a good solution.

Hoping for the new MEMS receivers soon.

WH

@Volusiano said:

Does Phonak give any instruction on how to rinse off the aids after each salt water use?

Nope! I got not one U-Post-It on how to take care of my so-called “waterproof” Phonak Lumity Life aids. I think Um_Bongo nailed it: it’s the speaker/receiver that is the weakest link. I’d need a magnifying glass to look at the mics, but I’m guessing they are indeed protected by some kind of water resistant material.

However, once I dipped my head under water (with snorkel mask on, but never going below 6") I could feel the water flood into my ear canals. Almost immediately, the aids started to fail. I “lost connection” between them, as evidenced by a rapid, 5-note tone that repeated over and over and over the entire time I swam (in a chlorinated pool). Second time I swam, the right aid up and DIED. I got out of the water, and it just HUMMED like an electrical buzzing sound. No amount of dry time in even a high end ReDux dryer fixed that.

I also agree that salt water is likely the kiss of death ultimately. There’s no getting around the dried salt sediment.

And so, I finally accepted that NO hearing aid is waterproof. Any maker who says that (or, with all due respect, Dr Cliff, who said he tried to KILL the Lumity Life aids by submerging in water for 100 hrs) is either deluded or they are not putting the ENTIRE aid - from BTE to receiver/speaker - truly IN water.

Hello,

My name is Bill and I have unilateral hearing loss in my left ear, which my ENT thinks is probably caused by otosclerosis. The good news is that it may be fixable; the bad news is that the very invasive procedure, which might leave me with less hearing than before, probably will cost a lot.

So for the time being, I decided to go with a hearing aid and, after reading a lot of posts on this forum and elsewhere, to go with the Lumity Life, mainly because I could just see myself going swimming with the thing and forgetting I had it in.
Which is exactly what happened about a month ago, so I wanted to come back here and report on my experience, now that some time has passed.

What happened is that I went lane swimming in the local natatorium and forgot I had my HE in. My workout is 1/2 hour of crawl stroke, up and back, and I do flip turns at the ends of the pool. This is important to note because I think that the flips put my head more than the 19.6" that Phonak claims for waterproofness.

When I realized that I had them in, I said, “Oh well, maybe this will be good research for the forum!” and I finished my workout.

Note that I do not have a HE dryer: I simply rinsed it under the water after my shower and dried it off with a towel.

So far, I have not noticed any difference in the functioning of the HE. However, I do not plan to use them swimming again, because I don’t trust the waterproof claim to hold. Frankly, I think I got lucky.

My 2¢.

Bill