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Phonak Rechargeable vs Battery-Operated Aids

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In reply to @1Bluejay

Well, many thought driverless cars would be a breeze to develop as well. Turns out that driving is far more complex than we realize. While driving, humans can do most things almost without thinking about it; tasks that are too complex for a computer to perform. And a car has more space for larger/more chips than a hearing aid. Our human discrimination between voice and background noise, so effortless and unthinking for the hearing enabled, may involve a lot more than we’re aware of. I think we might step back and marvel more at our own human capacities rather than just technology.

In reply to @JordanK

I was recently in the hospital, and was supplied with oxygen during the night. I had my cell phone with me. I was never cautioned about a problem.

Separately, I bought a UHF radio system when I worked at 3M in Ontario. All equipment was explosion proof. Batteries were extraordinarily expensive. I sure wouldn’t want to have to buy explosion proof batteries for my hearing aids.

DaveL
Toronto

No downside that I know of if the manufacturer replaces your hearing aids instead of repairing them. Inquiring minds just want to know which method (replace or repair) is standard practice for hearing aids with depleted batteries?? Though, on second thoughts they may actually assign the same serial number for replaced ?? So maybe we can just ask them? Nope, they will say go pound sand! :wink:

My Phonak M90 batteries died after 2 years, Phonak sent me brand new ones. Also my Select battery started acting up and Phonak replaced it with a brand new one. Both times using overnight mail.

At a minimum, I’m going to have my rechargeable aids sent in just before their three year warranty runs out, as per the instructions of my provider. And in fact, he advised sending them in at two years, if they begin to not hold a charge for my needs, and then again at three years. I’m more than halfway expecting to get a new set of aids at the three year warranty mark, if only because this would be cheaper for Signia than repalcing the batteries. I may well be wrong. Still, if indeed I get new aids at three years…that’s a plus on the side of rechargeable ’s.

I had recharables once, before LiIon. Now on Phonak Naida P-90 UP (675’s) backed up by my old Naida Marvel SP’s (13).

I think if Phonak abandons 675 for recharable, I would buy another set of Naida P-90’s and hang on to them for spares. Sort of waiting to see what they do.

Any thought on that?

In reply to @Um_bongo

@Um_bongo said:

The paradigm ‘has’ shifted to recharging. We do still offer other battery aids, but they are seriously a minority demand.

Yes it appears that manufacturers of hearing aids have focused on “rechargeable” models now. My audi even mentioned today that she has heard zero about Phonak coming out with a battery-powered Lumity Life aid. And if they ever did put one out on the market I bet they would already have a BETTER rechargeable aid available. So unless a person wants to stay 3 years in the past with technology, they’ll just opt for rechargeable model.

To be a BUG tho, the manufacturers miss asking the question “What would you rather have: battery-powered or rechargeable?” Unless and until I get 6 days of continuous use with ONE charge-up of my Lumity Life aids, I’d still say BATTERY-powered.

I know dexterity and being “green” are two considerations, but for me, longevity of the charge without needing a clunky charging base is also important. It’s just not an option for the Lumity Life aid.

I recently stayed in the hospital over night.

I obsessed about my rechargeable hearing aids for a week before, then while there and finally rant about them now.

Paradise P90R’s.

DaveL

Toronto

In reply to @1Bluejay

As a further observation (maybe I’m an isolated case of ONE?) I just got my 2nd pair of Lumity Life aids back from repair today. In sum, I bought 2 pairs of Lumity Life aids; BOTH of them died on me after 4 mos of use. Both were sent in and returned working A-OK.

The first pair to go in for repair had no note attached to them when they came back from Phonak. They simply died and would no longer charge up. The second pair to go in for repair and returned today included a note saying the amplifier had died in the RIGHT aid, and that while at Phonak, that aid DIED for good. So they replaced all the electronics in the unit on both of those aids - serial number remained the same. I’ve never heard of an amplifier dying in an aid, but I suppose any electronics could malfunction. For me that has usually been the speaker.

I will be counting 4 mos from now to see if this is a normal failure pattern or something unique to the two pairs of Lumity Life aids I bought. Why did these rechargeable aids DIE in 4 mos (almost to the day) after I bought them? I take very good care of my aids and had been charging them up nightly and swapping them out so they’d get the same amount of use. I bought the aids a month apart, and both of them died 4 mos after use.

In any case, the Phonak rep tossed in a complimentary charging base IN CASE that was an issue with the aids not charging up reliably after 4 mos of use. Kinda tells me that with rechargeables, there are two things that could be failing when aids don’t hold a charge: the charging base or the BTE unit.

The rechargeable vs disposable batteries issue is purely a matter of personal preference on a daily basis.
However the more important issue is the fact that rechargeable ’s become obsolete when the batteries die. For those of us who are obliged to buy used instruments this is a big deal and keeps us using disposable batteries regardless of the daily convenience they afford.

That’s not true though. DeMant Aids have easily accessible batteries, while other manufacturers offer battery upgrade/refurbs at sensible money. Now, your local Costco/Audiologist might not pass that on to you as cheaply, but that doesn’t preclude availability.

If you feel that more manufacturers should follow the Oticon/Bernafon replacement system: lobby your local legislators.

In reply to @1Bluejay

Update to the Phonak Lumity Life aids having DIED on me. I wonder if there’s something wonky with the charging base? I have 2 pairs of Lumity Life aids, each which came with its own charging base.

I used to swap my 2 pairs of Life aids into whatever charger was available, but after both pairs of aids died within a month of each other (at exactly the 4-month date), I decided to isolate them. So now I only place the OLDER pair of aids into their original charging base and the NEWER pair of aids into their original charging base.

The other night, when my aids were out, hubs came running into the room to tell me something was SHRIEKING inside the newer charging base. Huh? Say WHAT? I put in a pair of aids and sure 'nuf, the newer pair of aids were yelling like their pants were on fire inside that charging base. Feedback in full throttle.

I’m always very particular about turning the aids OFF before placing them in the charging base, even tho if I lift the lid the lights on the aids are flashing green when charging. It seems that in that newer charger, on a few occasions, my aids have gone bonkers inside. Could that have killed the older pair as well when I used to put them into that charger every few nights?

I guess I’ll try swapping in a new charging base that the Phonak rep tossed in with my 2nd pair of aids that died, and go from there. Anyone else experience this odd event of extreme feedback squealing for HOURS on end? If my hubs hadn’t caught that sound the aids would’ve probably been dead from yelling all night long. Insights greatly appreciated.

Okaaaay. I had to add two more considerations in the rechargeable vs battery-operated arena:

Rechargeables present challenges when traveling
I have encountered more than a few motel/hotel/guest bedroom issues involving logistics of where to place the charging unit. Wall or floor sockets are often impossible to get at (behind the bed, TV unit, kitchen appliances, etc.,). So where is a person supposed to plug the unit in when on a trip of many days’ duration? At the very minimum, I am now forced to travel with multi-plug outlets so I can plug in the laptop charger, cell phone charger, charging base, Garmin charger, et al. With battery aids, one can just put them in box on the nightstand and be done with it.

Rechargeable bases with UV sanitizing are NOT readily available for all models
I used to put my battery-operated aids in the UV unit during the night (battery doors open). Now, I don’t have that option cuz Phonak doesn’t make a UV sanitzing unit for my model of Life aids. I can only sanitize them when in the shower for 20 min, cuz every night, the aids have to be placed in the charging base so I get my 17 hrs of use the next day.

I have a cpap unit. I always carry a surge suppressor with a long cord when I travel. It has saved me once after a power outage.

Just a suggestion! Surge suppressor!

DaveL

That is a WONDERFUL suggestion! Extension cord + surge protection. I’ll add that to my packing list.

Geez. I never contemplated a power outtage on the road, and with rechargeable aids, I can’t afford to FRY them when it’s restored.

Here is what I use for power and charging when I travel. This battery pack is a little big but it can charge just about anything (Laptop, hearing aids, iPad, iPhone). It has a massive 24,000mAh capacity with 3-Ports (USB A and 2x USB C) with a total output of 140W. The nicest thing is that it has a digital display that shows how much capacity is left and also gives you charging status and time left to charge when stuff is plugged in. Here is the Amazon link:

https://a.co/d/aMbmDMQ16

Jordan

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