Last week I inadvertently jumped into a swimming pool with the above BTE aids still in.
One fell to the bottom of the shallow end (1metre deep) and I instantly retrieved it. The other stayed in my ear and just received a quick dip underwater. I removed both and towel dried them. Neither of them worked. The audiologist returned them to Oticon for repair under warranty.
Thing is Oticon say in writing these aids are IP68 waterproof to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes. I don’t understand why they failed. Anyone else have experience of this. I am due to get them back tomorrow.
IP68 is no pressure other than the static water pressure. My Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 Frontier Watch and I think my Galaxy Note 8 have the same dust/water resistance rating. But I am specifically warned not to subject them to water sprays, take them swimming, etc., if for no other reason than the splashing water pressure that the devices are subjected to can exceed the static water pressure of the test. Great to hear that Oticon has a more liberal warranty replacement policy than Samsung. There are numerous complaints on Samsung forums that Samsung includes moisture-sensitive indicators in the internals of the devices that I have and voids warranty replacement if the indicators indicate moisture penetration - the rationale being if moisture gets in, you found a way to exceed the resistance criteria…no warranty then… And as another poster pointed out on this forum, all the IP68 rating really means is that the device survived the static test in the laboratory - not that it’s waterproof to any appreciable degree in real life situations, e.g., don’t wear it in the shower, don’t wear it swimming, don’t wear it when adjusting, moving any lawn sprinklers, don’t wear it in heavy rain storms (wear a brimmed hat, wear headphones or gun muffs, carry a case, etc., if you think you might get caught out in a thunderstorm). Other people may have different formulas for avoiding water damage. Hopefully some day HA’s will have the water resistance of an Apple Watch 4 - but even that is not totally waterproof:
Apple Watch Series 4 has a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, Apple Watch Series 4 should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth.
Agree with Jim with one addition. The IP68 test is done in fresh water. It doesn’t say that no water will get in–just that the hearing aids will work. Chlorine or salt water doesn’t mix well with electronics. Typical “first aid” for electronics that have been immersed in a pool or salt water would be to place in fresh water (ideally distilled) and then slowly dry.
How long did you let them sit before figuring out if they worked again?
There’s some chaos theory in there, but at the same time I have seen hearing aids make it through the wash still functional. I’ve seen them sit outside under snow and ice for a season and still work with just a wire change. I’ve seen many survive considerable dunking. Yours didn’t this time.
IP68 means “Protected from total dust ingress” and “Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.”
I haven’t been able to find a “specified pressure” (or water depth) in any of Oticon’s online literature. However, since the hearing aids are rated to IP68, they should easily survive a quick immersion in a meter or so of water. Sounds to me like these hearing aids were simply defective and Oticon should repair or replace them without question.
But this isn’t clean fresh water they have been dropped in.
The 6 means “Protection from contact with harmful dust” and the 8 indicates “Protected from immersion in water with a depth of more than 1 meter (manufacturer must specify exact depth)” which was specified as 1.5m
“The rating the International Electrotechnical Commission assigns is strictly for fresh water. That means it doesn’t guarantee protection from submersion in other liquids – beer, coffee, salt water and soda, to name but a few.”
I can’t find the technical specifications of what the test requires. From non technical sources I know it requires “fresh water.” In the past, I’ve come to the conclusion that IP68 doesn’t mean water can’t get in–just that it will continue to function (presumably after it dries as many batteries require oxygen to work) Hearing aids have entry points–none are “waterproof.” I don’t know what the IP68 standards require, but “pure” or distilled water would be the easiest to control for.
I’m not a scientist so I have no idea. I’d doubt it because most water-protection often refers to protection against rain and splashing and rain isn’t exactly pure.
Probably, but swimming pools do contain more chlorine than tap water.
One trick that might, maybe, just might work, if other attempts fail, is to put them in a freezer bad with some rice for a day or two. Seal the bag. The rice will suck the moisture out of them. Leave the bag in a room temperature spot out of the sun.
This from Android Central. It applies to smartphones, but I suspect the testing is the same. It says they use distilled water. Scroll down to the third post. IP68 and liquids other than water | Android Central
It’s good to carefully read your HA manual as to what the manufacturer actually says. Here’s a screen capture from p.72-73 of the Oticon S manual for OPN S BTE and a few other related Oticon OPN HA’s:
(you can click image to enlarge slightly for better readability)
Note that the manual specifically says in the IMPORTANT NOTICE: “Do not wear your hearing aid while showering or participating in water activities. Do not immerse your hearing aid in water or other liquids.”
As I mentioned in my post above, relaying another poster’s wisdom: All an IP68 rating means is that the HA in the laboratory has passed a rather limited water resistance test on water ingress. It doesn’t mean that the HA’s will survive a plunge into a swimming pool and water splashing (vigorously?) onto the HA’s.
The capture is from the first manual listed under INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE when viewing the page from the OPN S tab. If it’s not the right manual for your OPN’s, another link on the same page/tab will probably do: Literature & Video Download Center | Oticon
I would say your hearing aids failed the IP68 test standard, and should be replaced under warranty. It would seem that you will have to be extra careful with them after the warranty expires. Mine have an IP68 rating and have replaceable 312 batteries. I don’t think the rechargeable configuration gives any extra water resistance value. IP68 is IP68.
The big bonus here is covered by warranty. I washed my CICs once and they survived. The old
Sony/Dell monitors were great for drying soggy electronics on top. UV dryers are the thing now.
Just a reminder to folks reading this later who might be concerned about warranties for HA’s, if the OPN is anything like what I got from ReSound through TruHearing.com, I get one Loss/Damage Replacement on each HA for free, no questions asked. I think my audi told me that I could step on an HA and I’d still get the HA for that ear replaced ONCE, with a “restocking” charge that between the audi part and the OEM part amounts to around $300. So this type of replacement is more like INSURANCE coverage. OTH, if an HA fails because of material or workmanship, etc., it will be replaced or refurbished under WARRANTY as many times as necessary during the 3-year warranty period. So it’s possible, depending on brand and contract conditions, that a 2nd water damage event will not get a free replacement and users risking exposure of their HA’s to water in spite of IMPORTANT NOTICE(s) in their user manual should keep that possibility in mind.
Oticon have replaced my aids with new ones with no comment as far as I know.
My audiologist is of the opinion that since Siemens produced waterproof aids a few years ago other manufacturers have followed suit with their claims but in reality my opns have no seals in the battery door so it is a fib. He felt that the receiver would in any case not survive immersion.
There are many technical details about “sealing”, some of which I know about. Receivers for normal hearing aids cannot be totally sealed, because they typically require audio (air) sound pressure transmission.
Apple apparently steps around this limitation for their Apple Watch by choosing to use the finite (and very small) clearance of the Digital Crown and its shaft bearing as the microphone and speaker acoustic passage. BTW, that seems to work remarkably well for speech audio frequencies, from my experience!
Batteries have been mentioned above; user replaceable or not, they are not normally hermitically sealed.
Electronics, including “ chips”, can readily be sealed by Parylene coating or other means. This optionally can include external circuit electrical conductor egress transitions.
Finely-spaced conductors can become shunted, or “short circuited”, by water or other liquids. This effect may or may not be reversible upon “drying”.
Separately, metal corrosion may take place to varying degrees. Typically, this is not expected to be reversible unless special processes are used. RRH.
