Opening doors at night

I get the second part Volusiano, and mine sit in a drier over night. It was just the current draw I was wondering about.
I should just break my old habit, right? Then maybe I will fin out I get more battery life.

I tried it. With the dome still in I pull out the battery door. I found that a very small amount open disconnected the aid. So I doubt it’s something to worry about.
I also open mine fully then swing closed until it hits the first friction.

I always remove the batteries and leave the doors fully open when I go to bed. But if I didn’t have a drier (Serene) to put them in and a lid that closes tightly over them, I would probably just leave the doors open just a crack (just enough to turn the HA’s off) and leave the batteries still inside the battery compartment.

For what it’s worth… my audiologist said that people were complaining about poor battery life on the Oticon Opn aids. She tells them to fully-open the battery door at night and that the batteries will last longer that way. I suppose there COULD be some small amount of leakage current through the plastic housing… that’s about the only explanation I can think of.

Nick

[quote=“nlt999, post:8, topic:36965”]
… my audiologist said…to fully-open the battery door at night and that the batteries will last longer that way. I suppose there COULD be some small amount of leakage current through the plastic housing… [/quote]

That is precisely why I asked. The door/battery tolerances are so tight I was thinking, even though the “on” contact is broken, there could still be some other point of contact to bleed of even miniscule amounts. I’m getting 5 days out of my batteries and am going to experiment with the next couple of changes to see if thee is a difference. I’ve got nothing better to do anyway.

@Volusiano said:

Once you remove the original sticker from the battery, the chemical activation with the air is already started and I doubt that sticking them on tape again later can undo it and seal anything back up again.

Seems to me if you suddenly stop more air from getting “inside” the battery, the chemical reaction would be halted. I’ve taped up “untaped” batteries, and they seemed to last quite a while.

This has turned interesting and Google, as usual, supplies support for both sides. So, I guess there is nothing definitive… at least that I can find.

In this bit by Panasonic though, they say, leaving the doors fully open, exposing the batteries to more oxygen, prolongs life. To my simple mind and limited knowledge of oxidation, it seems like that would shorten the life. https://www.panasonic-batteries.com/en/news/zinc-air-battery-tips-tricks7

Hoping to add interest, not hijack - regarding resealing the batteries upon removal from the HAs - about 5 years ago, I did my own little unscientific analysis by hours of usage, and resealing extended the time by days, not hours. I also got in the habit of changing the batteries every Monday morning, replacing the tab and sticking them back in a Duracell plastic holder. I would use these ‘old batteries’ to stream TV at night wearing the Epochs. I liked the TV sound better than in my newer aids. I am convinced blocking the air extends the life of the battery and stops the drain. Resealed and back in the plastic case, and they still work and they are old. An unsealed battery would not still have juice.
My reason for continuing to reseal is to hopefully keep myself on a battery replacement schedule to avoid a dead HA / battery when it is not convenient. I’m lucky to get 4 days with the OPN1’s, so a few extra hours of battery life helps.

@whahuh said:

In this bit by Panasonic though, they say, leaving the doors fully open, exposing the batteries to more oxygen, prolongs life. To my simple mind and limited knowledge of oxidation, it seems like that would shorten the life. Zinc air battery: tips & tricks | Panasonic Batteries >>

This article doesn’t really say exposing the battery to more oxidation prolongs its life. It only says keeping the battery out with open door prolongs life because it prevents drainage if the door is closed.

While I don’t think exposing the battery to more oxidation prolongs its life, I don’t think it shortens is life either. I think the oxidative activates a chemical reaction, and once activated, the Zinc is already oxidated and once oxidated, resealing the hole won’t undo the oxidation process that had already happened.

It’s like getting a sponge wet. If you seal up a wet sponge by putting it inside a sealed bottle, it doesn’t help make the sponge any dryer because the sponge is already holding water inside. In the case of the battery, the Zinc compound is already activated with oxygen and starving it of air while unused, AFTER oxidation already happened, won’t revert or slow down oxidation.

I guess the question here is whether the Zinc compound only needs to be activated initially to work, or whether it continually needs the oxidation to happen to work. My thinking is with the former camp.

I also think that one oxidated, beside the high drainage from the battery, there’s also a slow drainage from a self discharging process. That’s why if left unused after exposed to air, the battery will eventually die even if left unused.

Costco and others have a great dryer. I thought my KS4s were dying and I saw the Costco person put them in this little white box (dryer) and they were ok. Since I bought my KS8s (I bought the little $40 dryer) I have put them in it every night. It was definitely a good investment.

@DanTheMan said:

Costco and others have a great dryer.

This?

No. It’s a white box about 2 inches square with a lid and a blue on/off indicator button in front. It says “Perfectly Dry Lux” on top. Works well. I only open my KS8s to the first (power off) position before I put them in.