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Dear Phonak, your Lumity battery isn't good enough

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In reply to @Markismus

I would still be using hearing aids with disposable batteries if I still had the dexterity I used to have. Now days I just can’t manage those tiny batteries. I agree with folks who think the Phonak Lumity devices don’t hold a charge long enough.

In reply to @BeachBum

@BeachBum said:

I keep handy to charge any device (including HAs that need to be charged in a place where using an electrical outlet is not very handy.

Yup, pretty easy. I live in the boonies where power failures are frequent. So we have a whole house battery/inverter backup system which results in silent, uninterrupted power for 24 hours for all critical loads when the grid goes down. If I had to pick one single thing I might consider a dire need during a power failure, it would be water pressure. As in, making sure the toilets will flush. :slight_smile: For those of us who provide our own water, we could only wish to make that happen by simply plugging into the nearest vehicle or USB port.

In reply to @x475aws

I understand that and have nothing against rechargeable batteries. However, I should be able to choose the type that is best for my lifestyle. I shouldn’t be forced to live in fear that I will not be able to hear if a rechargeable battery does not charge. Unfortunately the hearing aid companies are no longer supporting high quality high technology hearing aids that support disposable batteries. After paying over $5000, for a pair of hearing aids I deserve this choice.

In reply to @x475aws

It is definitely not Signia, the audiologist at Hear USA said that they have no disposable battery hearing aids that have the technology I require. I was offered a lesser hearing aid, but it would not cover my hearing loss. I hope you are correct about Phonak.

In reply to @DJ11

@DJ11
My Audiologist says he hardly sells any batteries these days.

My first thought was: I buy 60 at a time off ebay that will be much cheaper.

He deals with all manufacturers, but favours Starkey. They seem to be much better than Phonak on rechargeable battery life, so he may have a point.

In reply to @1Bluejay

@1Bluejay said:

Despite a Phonak rep saying a battery version was in the works back in Sept, my own audi who sold me the 2 pairs of Lumity Life aids has heard absolutely nothing about Phonak’s plan to release a battery-operated Lumity RIC.

I saw my audiologist today. Her colleague heard from Phonak rep that their next model will be available with 312 battery. No knowledge of Lumity with 312.

In reply to @Dusty

The battery I was talking about I only use to charge USB connected devices (, iPhone, heated vest, etc). The battery has a lot of charge and is only about the size of a cell phone. I too am going to solar battery backup for my home. I have already wired my home so I can select the circuits I will to power. I currently have a gas generator to use. I am going to the same backup system you described. I’m too old and lazy to keep using the gas generator. So, I have purchased solar batteries and an inverter to replace by gas generator. These parts have arrive and I have not even taken them out of the box yet. I have enough solar battery power to keep critical circuits in my house powered for about 5 days in case of a long power outage. Where I live, when power goes down usually it is back up in a couple of days at the most.

In reply to @Skip

@Skip said:

So, this is really about the concern for power failure at the mains.

Power outages are far from the only issue with rechargeables. But handling of outages does seem to draw more than its share of responses. Maybe because solutions are fun to talk about, seeing as they involve researching specs and buying tech stuff. Some of the responses, though, segue into “Your hearing aids are nothing, I have bigger stuff, and my bigger stuff has real problems, and I deal with those problems better than you deal with your piddling hearing aids”. Those are IMO off-topic and insulting.

Incidentally, here’s another rechargeable issue that hasn’t been talked about much, if at all: Every so often there’s a post about a hearing aid freeze-up or similar, the solution to which involves putting the already-charged aids into the charger. If you’re out and don’t carry the charger with you, you’re out of luck.

The probability of any individual issue with rechargeable aids may be small. But if they’re independent issues then the probabilities add up.

In reply to @nursebill48

Batteries are one thing. Microscopic are something else. Phonak Audeo Paradise P90’s. I’ve had to give up using hearing aid locks because they interfere. They are a feature on the lumity as well.

In reply to @x475aws

@x475aws said:

But handling of outages does seem to draw more than its share of responses.

Yes, and it’s weird. Sometimes more time spent writing than it would take to implement one of the many solutions that are offered. Are some of you getting more or longer outages than in my neck of the woods? Ours tend to be short but probably average once a month. charger only needs a couple hours so odds are that need to charge won’t line up with the outage to begin with. Compare to keeping up water pressure - our pressure pump needs to run for a couple minutes for every 15 gallons consumed. Much higher odds of lining up with an outage. Since I provide for that then little things like HA charging get a free ride. What is the power failure scenario where HAs are the only thing requiring a solution?

In reply to @Skip

That sounds like a lot to carry. I keep my disposable batteries in my wallet. I don’t have to think about changing the batteries for over 7 days, and even past 9 days with the 5 minute battery rule and less streaming. With 8 batteries in my wallet, I can go about a month before needing a new pack of disposable batteries.

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