What would you do in a storm with rechargeable hearing aids?!

I think you might be missing the point @jeffrey, in simple terms, rechargeable aids aren’t made for the severe/profound threshold, 105db receivers don’t cut the mustard, unfortunately they are too weak, and battery drain is too high, you will keep blowing receivers with custom moulds, because they are permanently maxed out! I have tried rechargeable aids, but in adverse conditions like minus -1’C the BMS can cut in, switch both aids off, until placed back in the their charger, winter time in the Scottish Highlands, it’s fairly common for extended periods of subzero temperatures, and as such, I worked outside then, most of the time… Unfortunately for me, the BMS switched off twice, within a week or so, in very challenging circumstances, out in the sticks! For some of us guys, a BTE UP with 675 batteries is the only game in town, we usually have the most challenging losses, and without our aids, we hear virtually zero… Rechargeable aids work well for the vast majority of HOH folks out there, but for certain losses, they struggle badly, to accommodate their needs! Cheers Kev

Thanks Kev.

I’m leaving this thread.

Take care. See you on another one.

DaveL

No worries Dave, you take it easy…See you about, Cheers Kev

@jeffrey said:

I don’t make my buying decisions based on highly unlikely possibilities. I weigh what works best for me in normal circumstances and normal contingencies–travel etc.

I have two responses from different angles.

First, we wouldn’t be having this discussion if the ability to make a decision wasn’t in danger of being taken away from us.

Second, speaking for myself, concerns about emergencies (of which hospital is only one example) aren’t keeping me from getting what would be better for me under normal circumstances. On a day-to-day basis I prefer the routine with disposable batteries. I think disposable battery technology is better suited to the application. For me, rechargeable aids are all downside, no upside. Ok?

@x475aws said:

First, we wouldn’t be having this discussion if the ability to make a decision wasn’t in danger of being taken away from us.

Exactly this!!

One option that I haven’t seen mentioned. I still have my previous pair of HAs, and they used number 13 batteries. In the event of world collapse I guess I’ll have to go back a generation until the grid is restored.

I inherited my car, and a number of other things, from my mother when she passed. I have found packs of 13s stashed in a number of places.

@david.hendon said:

I said I won’t be able to hear you well because of not having my hearing aids in. He said “That’s ok. I’ll shout. I need the exercise!”

AUGH! That is both funny and kinda BLOCKHEADED of the surgeon. With my hearing, he could blast it out in Morse Code with M-80s and I wouldn’t even hear that. Seriously. I’ve had a couple multi-hour surgeries and INSISTED I keep the aids in. I don’t care if they have to put medical tape on them.

Yes, it’s a liability issue if they go missing somehow, but I absolutely NEED to hear in critical situations. Folks with normal hearing simpy can’t fathom that if someone still has vision (i.e., can see) they may have ZERO ability to hear. That would be me.

Hi @1Bluejay, -15.2C in March this year, in Kinbrace, was the lowest recorded temperature this year in Highlands, which is approximately 63 miles north from me, January/February are normally the coldest months in my area, the winter average will be 0’C to around 6’C, October to April, we get prolonged cold snaps, perhaps a week to 10 days, possibly 20 to 30 days of snow, lowest recorded temperature ever in the UK, was 1995 in Aultnaharra was -27C, a tadge cold about 50 miles north of my home… My biggest problem with Criminal Justice when working, was namely my clients, some of whom had a very violent past, we where lone workers, supervising up to 5 clients per day, that had been sentenced by the courts to do community service, normally doing heavy manual labour in the community, they would sometimes kick off, a fight might break out, at any time with each other, I had to be extremely alert, as they would attack the more vulnerable, or try to settle old scores, it could be a very stressful job, so covering my ears with anything, was a big, no, no… I worked alongside them, I did what they did, I could have just supervised, but that would have meant an incredibly long day…and I liked to lead by example, I did that job for 10 years, the mental aspect probably took its toll, as I now live with anxiety every day, but perhaps that was 2 bouts of Sepsis, who knows? I had no problems whatsoever with disposable battery aids, they are absolutely fine in adversely cold weather. Cheers Kev

Hat’s off to you Kev

Thanks for your service.
(In another lifetime I got to serve 900 sites as an engineer…during that time I provided engineering for 15 jails, 5 psychiatric hospitals. 4 centres for developmentally challenged. I did that for 10 years too. My job was much easier than yours. But they were in, not doing community service.)

@1Bluejay

I have two of those wonderful Tilley hats. Wool. They have two earflaps and I have no feedback. They have a flap for the forehead too. And strap for under the chin, and behind the head too. I’ve used Tilley hats in many of our convertibles. Mr Tilley’s business was sold by his kids after he passed. If you find one better buy it as a spare! I’ve seen cheaper hats being released by them. I still have my first Tilley hat. It’s provided great service when I was sailing or canoeing. Rain is almost bearable.

Dave

TTW2 Wool Bucket Hat1

TTW2 Tec Wool Hat

I have rechargeable aids and they use the same sized and voltage battery as non rechargeables. So keep a pack of standard aid batteries on hand and use those if your charger is not functioning. The batteries are interchangable.

I’m glad yours are. My Phoak rechargeable are sealed in. Paradise P90R

Any HA with an IPxx rating, which is most rechargeables these days, are sealed and the battery welded.

Elsewhere in this forum you can see where I open mine and removed the sealant from the rechargeable battery.

Resound Quattro battery replacement

Update: I just carved into the “latex” seal and the battery is spot welded. On a unit this small, unsealing, breaking the weld, replacement, welding, resealing, etc are all labor intensive. i.e. they are probably just throwing it away. Which speaks to someone’s comment elsewhere in this forum about the true cost if the unit. If they are replacing the entire instrument for $250, the hardware cost (excluding development) is assuredly less than that. [20221215_165536] [20221215_164404]

OK. You are a SURVIVOR! Glad the battery aids gave no issues in that bitter c-c-c-cold. I totally get how you wanted to lead by example with the community service corps.

FORGET the warm hat. I think a copy of Ceasar Millan’s book “Be the Pack Leader”1 would’ve been useful in that situation!

There may even be a tip for how to manage anxiety by living in the present. Not to diminish the sensation for a moment … but that is a technique that has worked for me.