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Disposable batteries

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I have no small children wandering around, so that’s not an issue.

My first set of hearing aids were rechargeable. I was promised 24 hours on a charge, but only got 13 hours, which was a problem since I wore them from the time I stepped out of the shower until I went to bed at night. Some days that was 17 hours. On those days, if I didn’t have access to a travel charger, and spare 30-45 minutes to pop them into the charger, they didn’t make it to days end.

I graduated from those hearing aids to a Bone Implanted Cochlear America Osia hearing aid. It used disposable 675 air batteries. I buy them at Costco and they last three days per battery. The only drawback, you do have to tote around a battery wheel. They have a bad habit of dying at mid day when I’m away from home.

In reply to @JordanK

YYIIIiiIIIiIPPPES! I just surfed up to Amazon before even finishing the video to order some 312 Duracells - which I HOPE are still in the old packaging. We shall see, cuz sometimes packaging changes faster than the vendor’s pictures at Amazon (case in point: Dr Tung’s cardamom-flavored dental floss, that was pictured as being spooled in a plastic container BUT were delivered in cheap, flimsy cardboard boxes that were almost impossible to use for cutting the floss - but I digress).

With ALL sympathy and empathy for the folks who ingest hearing aid batteries, um, well, er, I can’t help but to think that total annual GUN deaths1 far out-number those of hearing aid battery swallowing and yet we don’t force gun users to carry a pair of giant scissors to release them for use at home, on the range, in schools or on the street.

I just don’t get it! It’s like some kind of conspiracy to make life HARD and TEDIOUS for us folks who continue to want a disposable battery option for our aids. Maybe cuz we want more than 15 hrs a day of use?!?!? I guess I’ll also have to order a few of the old-fashioned keyring battery caddies at Amazon. I notice that I’ll still need scissors, cuz these little compartments are too small for the longer (EASIER TO PEEL OFF) tabs on my Duracell batteries.

Maybe in years to come we’ll add a category to Home Health Care assessments: bathing, dressing, eating, and changing hearing aid batteries? By then I’ll have probably lost the battle with my disposable batteries and have no other option than rechargeables that give me a Cinderella’s day of use. :no_mouth:

In reply to @1Bluejay

@1Bluejay said:

Now that I’m back to the world of battery aids, I won’t be traveling abroad with ANYTHING rechargeable:

I’ve actually bought a new head touch that is disposable batteries.
Having a rechargeable one was a nightmare as it said full battery but it would only last a small amount of time. I need it to last as long as I need it which could be the whole night if I’m night hiking.

I’m no longer using the Roger System as it was a hassle to make sure they were fully charged.

Both my Oticon Aids and Phonak Aids use disposable batteries.

In reply to @user490

I definitely prefer the Duracell flat case that holds 6 batteries. I find that the daisy-wheel battery dispenser shifts around and sometimes the battery will drop out the perforated door on the cardboard backing.

Now that said … I think these daisy-wheel dispensers along with the flat case ones WILL be replaced with the HORRIFIC, time-consuming, scissor-requiring, frustration-generating packaging. I was at CVS drug store today, and saw the BULKY new packages hanging right next to the other two types. So … it’s just a matter of time.

I actually keep a flat, credit card sized Victorinox multi-tool kit that includes scissors and a bunch of other useful stuff. Now I keep that in my purse.

In reply to @Zebras

Zebras, your collection of Oticons & Phonaks surpasses even mine! We will have to do a road show together and show these at the finest hearing aid boutiques around the globe. :wink:

Here’s another case in point with battery preference over rechargeable: my dear hubs has been stricken with COVID. He’s in one half of the house, I’m in the other. I had to move all my stoopid plug-in rechargeable thingamabobs to the room I’m sleeping in. I had to get out a special plug I take on trips that lets me plug USB devices: cell phone, Phonak charging base, Roger base - oh, and last but not least, an AirTamer4 that I’m wearing at home to see if it keeps the COVID dose down. Probably can’t avoid the bullet, but he’s wearing a mask at home.

My Precious Pink 312s have been in the shop at Phonak almost a MONTH. Something is seriously wrong with the repair dept there. Now I’m back to the clusterpuck of rechargeable stuff, on my hands and knees crawling around to plug in the multi-plug device.

I did see at the drug store today that those clunky new battery packs are already hanging up next to the others in their older “jackets” - when these old packages sell out, that’s the end of 'em.

In reply to @Zebras

Both my Xceed & Phonak Naida use 675 battery. Just grab a pax of 6 and off we go for a holiday. 675 last about 20 days and very convenience.
I rarely use the disposable More 1 nowadays. I have to bring along the charger and wire kit. Thought of selling the More 1.
Naida P70 seems to produce more moisture than the Xceed. Likely to look into dry tube for both the ’s.

@danka said:

Naida P70 seems to produce more moisture than the Xceed.

Is that in the ear hook? You’re likely produce the same amount of moisture but the Xceed doesn’t have a filter in the ear hook so the moisture is going into the hearing aid instead.

I use stay dry tubing these days as I find they last longer than the standard tubing so actually saves money.

No moisture is seen in both the Xceed & Naida P70 hook. The moisture only appears in Naida silicone tube. The only way to solve the moisture problem is to use a dryer or spent some time drying with a roll tissue. It is hard to get dry tubing here. I will try Chna Ali Express to get the dry tubing. Removing the tubing and drying the ear hook is troublesome but can be done. Using a blower to blow dry air to dry the tube and hook.
Moisture getting into the ’s via the hook is hard to predict. Only when damaged, then only we know what happen.
Connevans might sell the dry tubing.

In reply to @1Bluejay

@1Bluejay said:

Now I’m back to the clusterpuck of rechargeable stuff, on my hands and knees crawling around to plug in the multi-plug device.

This is exactly what I feel like.

@1Bluejay said:

Zebras, your collection of Oticons & Phonaks surpasses even mine! We will have to do a road show together and show these at the finest hearing aid boutiques around the globe

haha. Yes I do like to keep the Aids that are suitable for me even if they are old. :wink:

@Zebras said:

haha. Yes I do like to keep the Aids that are suitable for me even if they are old. :wink:

I can relate! I was EVER so glad to have kept the old Phonak Marvel 13-battery aids. They are now my permanent “backup” aid to take on trips or use for activities where I don’t want to put my new 312s in peril … well, such as I just did at the gym. They’ve now been at Phonak for almost a month. Why don’t they just replace the one aid that got fried from a sweaty workout? Dilly-dally down the valley…

@Zebras said:

haha. Yes I do like to keep the Aids that are suitable for me even if they are old. :wink:

Old and suitable ’s can be kept for a long time with proper drying storage. Disposable battery HA’s are better for storage in drying chamber than rechargeable ones. Rechargeable battery will bloat if moisture gets into the battery area, or the battery become old. We have seen this happening in mobile Apple phone after 2 years.

I’m glad I ran across this thread now. My Osia sound processor uses the 675 zinc air battery. According to the video I just watched, the new packaging was supposed to be in place by March 2024. However, in October 2024, I purchased a card of 48 675 zinc air hearing aid batteries in the old packaging.

I will be on the lookout for the new packaging the next time I buy batteries. Since I get about 3 days per battery, it should be about March 2025 before I need more.

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