Hearing Aid Batteries
All batteries are toxic and dangerous if swallowed. Keep all batteries
(and hearing aids) away from children and pets. If anyone swallows a
battery it is a medical emergency and the individual needs to see a
physician immediately.
One question often asked is
“How long does the battery last?” Typically they last 7-14 days based
on a 16 hour per day use cycle. Batteries are very inexpensive, costing
less than a dollar each. Generally, the smaller the battery size, the
shorter the battery life. The sizes of hearing aid batteries are listed
below along with their standard number and color codes.
RED
YELLOW
ORANGE
BROWN
BLUE
Today’s hearing aid batteries are “zinc-air.” Because the batteries are
air-activated, a factory-sealed sticker keeps them “inactive” until you
remove the sticker. Once the sticker is removed from the back of the
battery, oxygen in the air contacts the zinc within the battery, and
the battery is “turned-on”. Placing the sticker back on the battery
will not prolong its life. Since many of today’s automatic hearing aids
do no have “off” switches, removing the battery at night assures that
the device is turned off. Zinc-air batteries have a “shelf life” of up
to three years when stored in a cool, dry environment. Storing zinc-air
hearing aids in the refrigerator has no beneficial effect on their
shelf life, in fact, quite the opposite may happen. The cold air may
actually form little water particles under the sticker. Water is made
of oxygen and hydrogen. If the water vapor creeps under the sticker,
the oxygen may contact the zinc, and the battery could be totally
discharged by the time you peel off the sticker! Therefore, the best
place to store batteries is in a cool dry place, like the back of your
sock drawer, not the fridge!
