Battery depleting faster in one aid

Hearing Aids
#1

Does anyone have this problem? I know @cvkemp had this problem and it was fixed.

My first Opn1 Right Aid depleted 40% faster than the Left. I had other issues with both aids and Octicon gave me a new pair made this year. But now, each week the Right Aid depletes 40% faster too. I am wondering if that aid needs to work harder as it’s my worst ear? Does that make sense?

Each time the Right beeps battery low, Left Aid still have like 40-50% left. Although I do want to say that it’s the 7th day already and battery needs to be changed soon.

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#2

Typically…

one ear will die faster than the other, they never die at the same time. But, 40%? That is extreme. That would mean getting 4 days out of the bigger draining aid, and seven out of the other.

If you have devices that can stream audio from a phone for example, that may account for it. If that device is set up to pick up a phone call, and send it to the other device and you talk on the phone a lot, that could account for it.

Are you actually testing your batteries?

#3

I had this issue with my right aid and it had to be send in to be repaired.

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#4

I don’t stream music at all. Just a 30 mins skype call and a handful of phone calls per week is all.

Both batteries do last at least 7 days though. It has been two hours since the Right Aid battery died. Left Aid battery still holding at 30%. How do you test the batteries? Mine are from Octicon - free from my Audi.

#5

Assuming these are zinc-air batteries, you cannot tell anything from the battery life estimation. These batteries hold a very constant voltage until they are about ready to die. Look at how flat the discharge voltage is in the image below. You should base battery life on how long the last from when you put them in new until the are fully dead and need to be replaced. And yes, I believe it is normal for the bad ear to use more power because it is using more gain.

image

#6

@Sierra looking at the chart and your explanation, I believe this is the case. When I first changed batteries, both aids do really well until the last day (usually the 7th day from when I first changed it) when the bad ear aid discharges so much faster. So far I am pretty content that they last seven days.

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#7

7 days is pretty good for life if they are 312 size. I get about 5.5 days with my KS8 312 batteries.

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#8

Rotate the batteries each night from one HA to the other and they will both die closer to the same time, as the more extreme usage for one ear will average out between the batteries.

And everything comes with its pros and cons. The con of zinc-air is the discharge curve is so flat that you can’t deduce % maximum charge left from the voltage drop (there hardly is any) of a battery as time progresses, as Sierra noted above. OTH, Li-ion batteries have a distinct discharge voltage progression, gradually, then more suddenly, so you can have a ~reliable battery meter for a Li-ion powered battery, e.g., the ReSound Smart 3D app will show % charge to the nearest 20% for the rechargeable Quattro’s but not for the zinc-air-powered Quattro version.

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#9

They are 312 size.

Good idea on rotating the batteries. I will start doing that before bed. Will see how the batteries average out at the end of the 7th day.

Thank you. Learned a bit about zinc-air batteries today :):smiley:

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#10

I get close to six days on the 312 batteries in my OPN 1 miniRites.

I usually replace both batteries as soon as I get my first warning alarm. But a few times I have noticed the app saying the other had 30 or 20% left, and I let both aids keep running. The second ear always gave its first alarm within three hours.

Also, when the app shows my battery status as 50%, that usually means the batteries will fail in about a day.

So I agree with Sierra, the percentage is a bogus number.

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#11

One side is running the communication with the other side and therefore uses a little more energy. I’ve heard an in-depth explanation of this. Don’t remember the details, but that’s it in a nutshell.

#12

Am in the UK could try and air your hearing aids
Open the battery door at night. When you’re not wearing your hearing aid, turn it off or open the battery door to minimize battery drain. Leave the battery compartment of your hearing device open at night so gets rid of moisture. Doing so will keep the battery from corroding, damaging the hearing aid. Her at specsavers I get free batteries for 4 years with my hearing aid maybe look around for a better deal or get something similar to what we have in England take a look on there site cheapest in UK start at $600.

https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/kirkby-hearing
21 St Chad’s Parade, Kirkby Shopping Centre, Liverpool, L32 8RD

#13

I have a Phonak Marvel 13T aid in my left ear and I was getting only 4 to 5 days on my size 13 battery. My aid was connected constantly to bluetooth. I discovered that if I disconnected my aid from my phone, the battery lasted for 9 to 10 days. I would also get the low battery alarm one to two days before the battery actually died when connected to the phone. I read that sometimes the battery can not get enough air during a high amp draw causing the voltage to drop thus the alarm. Once the battery caught its breath, the voltage would go back up, and it would perform normally. Now, I only attach to my phone when my phone isn’t handy or I am listening to a video. Besides I got sick of listening to all the noises that my phone made while I was connected. I am now using the HA more as a hearing aid than a phone. By the way, I love my Marvel 13T.

#14
#15

I have the Marvel M90-R’s. I stay connected to my Pixel 3 XL phone because I stream music whenever I want from my PrimePhonic subscription. If I don’t want to listen to Android Notifications, I just tap the “Do Not Disturb” icon in Settings. Whenever I listen to music, I always tap the “Do Not Disturb” icon and that solves the problem of interruptions to my music. After listening, I turn it back ON again, as I actually do want my Android Notifications throughout the day.

I can’t say that I’ve noticed any problem with my battery as I’ve stayed constantly connected to my phone ever since getting my Marvels. However my Marvels are rechargeable and, just like my phone, I charge my Marvels overnight while sleeping.

#16

I wish I got 6 days out my batteries on my ITE OPN1s

#17

This tester will tell you if your battery is working but not how much charge that it has left.

#18

When I was trialing the Marvel, it was a rechargeable and at the end of the 14 hour day, I still had 30% left on days with heavy streaming/phone usage. I am going to try turning off my notifications on my phone. I get my batteries for free and based upon current usage, I got 3 years worth.

#19

I don’t mind the fact that one battery goes before the other. I only replace one at a time so as to keep a split in time as to when they discharge to zero. That way if I am out and have forgotten my spare batteries, at worst only one will die, and I can manage quite well with only one working. My general routine is to go find my spare batteries when I get the first notice. On the second notice I pull the tab off one and let it “air up”. Then when it is toast (usually only minutes later) and I replace it. I generally leave the spare batteries out, as I know it will not be long until the second HA will need one.

#20

I change both as soon as on starts beeping. I don’t want to deal with them one at a time. I use to back when I first got aids and it could be in very much untimely for the other to die. My batteries now will die within and hour of each other anyway