How to Test, Buy, and Change Hearing Aid Batteries

Hearing aid batteries are the most important component of your hearing aids. If there's an issue with the batteries, then the entire hearing aid suffers. You'll be unable to turn it on, meaning you lose out on the ability to hear. 

Thankfully, if you talk to an audiologist, you'll see the most common hearing aid battery problem is that they lose charge. This can easily be remedied by replacing the batteries with a new pair. However, it makes sense to test your hearing aid batteries to ensure that they actually don't have any charge left. If they do, then it indicates an issue with the device itself. 

With that in mind, we're going to explain how you can test, buy and change your hearing aid batteries:

How do you test hearing aid batteries?

Testing hearing aid batteries is helpful for two reasons. Firstly, as mentioned, it helps determine if the batteries are the source of a problem. Secondly, it helps you see if you've bought a faulty battery or not. 

If you want to test a hearing aid battery, then you have two options: 

• Use your hearing aids
• Use a battery tester

With regards to the second option, you can buy hearing aid battery testers online. They're small things, and all you need to do is slide your battery onto the tester, making sure the positive and negative charges are correctly aligned. Here, you'll receive a reading on the tester's display. This method helps to see how much power a battery has left. 

The first option is just as effective. Simply insert your battery into the hearing aid and close the door. Hold the device up to your ear and listen for any squealing sounds. If there's no sound at all, then the battery isn't working anymore. You can also use more than one hearing aid to test the same battery. This is a good idea for new batteries as it shows if the battery isn't charged or if one of your devices is maybe broken. If both devices don't show signs of the battery working, then it's probably faulty. 

How do you change hearing aid batteries?

Changing hearing aid batteries is simple, but there are some tips to help you get a little bit more out of your battery life. An audiologist will tell you that hearing aid batteries are only active when the sticky label on top of them is removed. This is because the air activates the battery and charges it up. So, don't peel this off until you're ready to change the battery. Ideally, keep them in their packaging until it's time to change – this helps preserve power and makes them last longer. 

The steps involved in changing a hearing aid battery are as follows: 

• Remove the old batteries form your hearing aid
• Take the new batteries out of the packet and peel off the label
• Wait for a few minutes to let the air activate the battery (this is a key step in elongating the battery life as it activates the battery fully)
• Insert the battery into the battery chamber, ensuring the charges match those indicated on the hearing aid
• Close the battery chamber and turn on your hearing aid

That's all there is to it, and you should have a hearing aid that functions properly once more. Typically, hearing aid batteries will last up to two weeks maximum. But, if you follow the extra tips provided above, you can get as many days out of yours as possible. 

How do you buy hearing aid batteries?

You can buy hearing aid batteries online, but an audiologist always advises that you understand which ones to buy. Different types are available, and they come in various sizes.

Here are the four hearing aid battery sizes you'll likely see: 

• Size 675 
• Size 13
• Size 312
• Size 10

These sizes are color-coded as well, 675 is blue, 13 is orange, 312 is brown and 10 is yellow. This is often the easiest way to tell the sizes apart and realize which one you should be buying.

Furthermore, the type of hearing aid you have makes a difference as well: 

• BTE hearing aids take sizes 675 and 13
• ITE hearing aids take size 13
• ITC hearing aids take size 312
• Mini RITE hearing aids and CIC hearing aids take size 10

If you don't know what type of hearing aid you have, then feel free to contact an audiologist, and they will tell you which one you've got. Then, they will recommend the battery to buy as well. 

Contact Physicians Hearing Center for hearing aid help

If you need help with hearings aids or hearing aid batteries, then please contact us today. We offer a range of services that may be beneficial to you. Give us a call at (334) 441-4090 to learn more about what we do and how we can help.