I’ve had one that has lasted over two years. And one side I’ve probably replaced 5 or 6 times in the same amount of time. One side goops up with wax much more than the other.
When it gets gooped up the receiver doesn’t want to switch into open mode when it is time to do that. I hear the click but the vent stays closed. A puff of air will open it again, but that gets old pretty quickly!
WH
The accu vent didn’t last as long as you got them to last for me. I am glad they worked well for you. For me the had to be changed every 6 months at a 120 per ear. I finally tried a different method and got better results. But everyone’s hearing loss and needs are different. Thanks for sharing.
Frequent wax trap changes help. I wish I’d changed them even more often. Doing it weekly now.
WH
I have a little magnifying glass that I use to see whether the wax filter needs changing. Sometimes a month and sometimes a week.
Thank you everyone and Happy Easter,
I woke to all your responses which are a great help. I did not know exactly how that silicone gasket was fitted.
When I inspected the outside of the titanium mold that 'tube ’ looked like it was glued in. 
This is what it looks like when the MAV receiver fell out.
I never push on the back of the receiver to reseat the titanium mold into my ear, but always on the back rim , front(anterior) edge of the mold until it sits flush with my inner ear wall skin. So I’m not ever pushing the receiver against the silicone gasket. And yet it tears.
As I’ve only had the Active Vents in my ears for two weeks over these past three months, because they’ve been sent to and been with Phonak for repairs, I have only had to change the wax filter once. That’s was when the left AV receiver failed. There wasn’t any wax in there, but I thought it might be worth a try. It still wasn’t working after the change. And so it needed replacing. Phonak agreed.
I also use a jeweller’s loupe, which fits by an elastic over my head, thus leaving both my hands free to hold and thoroughly inspect and clean the receivers, molds and filters of wax every day. There really isn’t that much wax but I have very, very narrow ear canals with exostoses. It only takes a tiny 2mm piece of wax to block my hearing when it is pushed past the second ear canal bend. 
There is no way of extracting that. I use wax softener drops often. Then when it blocks completely the doctor’s visit works to flush and clear it away.
I shall wait until I visit my audiologist to find out if I can source the ‘link AV’ and tools here in Perth Australia. That’s sounds like a way forward without the constant shunting back and forth across this continent.
I am very grateful for the video links, and your experiences with these. It does sound like a bit of an expensive option if I wasn’t covered by the initial warranty. My audiologist visits have been covered for now but I’m a private customer and not on any plan.
I’ll keep you updated.
Cheers
Anna
We have members here that use the Jodi Vac to suck out dirt and wax to clean their hearing aids. Most are very happy with this.
You are doing a great job of working this out.
Hang in there.
Hi Anna. I also live in the best place in the world. 
I have Phonak titanium moulds which are great, but I don’t have active vents. I have a small vent in each mould and it does tend to get clogged with wax after a few days, which is easy to remove.
It sounds like you might have more of a wax problem than me, but perhaps you could ask about titanium moulds without active vent receivers? My moulds are entirely custom, because of awkward ear canals. Not slim tips, and the receivers can’t be changed without sending them back to Phonak, but that has not been an issue except when one fell out and they fixed it for free in a few days. The moulds don’t go in far, certainly not past the 2nd bend, but they stay in without issues.
Have you tried something like Miracell for the itching? Costco in Perth has it but I don’t think they sell except to their audiology clients, but I got it from Amazon AU.
Thank you White hat,
I shall ask when I go back for my appointment.
I don’t think my audiologist knows about that. This is her first time with titanium molds and active vents, and the others in the practice, too, are learning with me.
They have just returned them to Phonak each time there had been a problem because it’s within warranty. I don’t get charged the audio fees but will have to once the extended cover expires. So I need to learn to do it myself or move away from active vents. I’m not convinced the benefits are so great for me. Though my sad experience with the damage has been disappointing.
I feel confident I could do it myself though. It depends on the consumable expense over time for the link AV tubes.
Thank you for your input. 
Cheers
Anna
Hi xyzzy,
Perth, Western Australian? Yes we love it too. After travelling extensively in our youth and in our 70s, we feel lucky here. But others may disagree! People usually love their home place.
My wax seems so minimal but it irritates the canal. You can barely see it on the ear pieces or in the filters, under a jeweller’s loupe, whether domes or custom molds and yet when it blocks sound it’s awfully distressing.
I have heard of your set up with the electronics embedded in acrylic and a permanent vent. I wonder if they are more durable than the 6 monthly active vent warranty? But you say you have the titanium ones. Does that need a different impression mold created to fit the normal power receiver electronics? I could request that alternative. 
My titanium molds don’t go in far either and they are basically firm. I just need to occasionally return them to the right position; a push with a clean index finger on the anterior mold edge. Probably when I talk too much 
I could try the ‘boob tape’ suggested by @Don above but . . . . what if the tape got stuck in there? 
It is only the normal small power receiver with generic small vented domes that get pushed deeper into the ear canals, certainly past the first bend and it’s behind that that the wax gets compacted and needs syringeing. Then there’s apparently some redness and infection that builds up. Static environment equals infection. Hence the foray into this active vent in titanium molds with the past three months being a different sort of difficult.
I will try to source Miracell. I’ve never visited Costco here in Perth but have shopped in Outer London. Bulk everything! I have heard others mention it in this forum but thought it was not an Australian product; not in our chemist/pharmacy.
And @Raudrive do you use the Jodi Vac only on the devices or in the ear? 
I have no problem cleaning the molds, filters, domes or receivers or hearing aid microphones with my brush tool. Especially using the jewellers loupe. It’s the compacted ear canal wax that needs removing. Maybe the ENT specialist will have a home solution.
Cheers
Anna
@Stargazer , @WhiteHat and @raylock1
Since I’ve barely had any time with the active vents actually in my ears I haven’t yet had enough experience with how long these power receivers will last for me.
I did expect to get more than one week though. Phonak replaced that one for free. It was the receiver failing not wax in the active vent.
I shall post further once I know more.
Thank you everyone. I have been reading many posts here to help in the past two years. It helps to have this awesome support.
Cheers
Anna, 72yo and still happy to learn to overcome new challenges.
The Jodi Vac is an excellent tool to clean the hearing aids. In particular the receivers, microphones and switch areas.
I personally have never used one. Members here on the forum have said good things about them
At this point, why not try acrylic molds??? You seem way past the, “screw me once shame on you”…
Oh man, now you have got me worried. After about two months my right ActiveVent came free from the titanium tip. Same as you, broken silicon seal. My audiologist said it needed to go back as well. I little over a week later the other side broke free in the same fashion. That one hasn’t gone back yet. And as a side note I also had an issue with the first tip they sent me being painfully large. It was corrected with the need for a second mold.
Yes TS0711,
it seems that you are having the same problems as me, in relation to Phonak. I had spare power leads to use while the active vents were ‘investigated’. So my hearing experience wasn’t interrupted
It seems that Phonak already knows what the problem is, going by the responses to this thread, and are being disingenuous.
I’m seeing my audiologist on Thursday and I’m going to get the refund offered by Phonak on the active vents. They are not staying in and thus not working in the titanium molds.
I’ll see what are the alternatives. Either normal receivers’ electronics opened and permanently installed inside the titanium molds and then there will be a cost each time they fail which shouldn’t be often 
The ones I have now are two years old and functioning fine. Or just have acrylic mold made that, apparently don’t have this gasket problem with normal receivers. I will have to be convinced.
Thank you for sharing your experience too because it helps the whole community to decide about trialling these. I find that the honestly and openness of this forum has been a tremendous help.
Thank you to everyone whom have taken the time to share.
Cheers
Anna
@TS0711 Did you see the thread referenced earlier in this thread? You can have your audi order the these parts at a very modest price and fix it yourself in about 2 minutes. Titanium mold sleeve replacement - #4 by raylock1
Please do keep us posted. I like the ActiveVent more than the titian tip, but the synthetic Slim Tip isn’t supposed to be a long-term alternative.
Your situation clearly requires serious attention from the manufacturer, especially since the problem was recognized as a bug on Phonak’s part. Unfortunately, I can’t say if others have had the same problems, but it may be helpful to reach out to communities or forums where other Phonak users could share their experiences.
Hi all,
I thought I’d give an update on the situation with the Phonak Active Vents with the titanium tips that have given me no end of problems.
Since December 2023 I have been very patient with the consistent failure of both the receivers AND the titanium tips.
I made the decision to not accept any more offers to return the titanium tips for fixing. Phonak has a definite problem with keeping the Active Vents secured in these tips. I am currently using the silicone generic moulds temporarily.
Also I have had problems with the Active Vent receivers. The left one broke after I’d only used it in my ear for 10 days, and now the right one is failing as well. It works intermittently.
Phonak has agreed to refund this out of pocket costs for the hardware: 2x Active Vent power receivers (AU$90 each) plus 2x titanium tips (AU$90 each).
I am currently waiting for the refund to arrive in my bank account.
I have gone ahead and had new mould impressions made. [NB i was never sure about the spelling, mold or mould?] Because the titanium tips needed to be constantly pushed back into my ear canals I felt a better fit could be achieved if the ear impressions were done with the open jaw position. My audiologist was happy to do this.
My normal Phonak power receivers are S. My audiologist sent that information in with the order for new acrylic thin shell moulds with a retainer extension. The idea is that these are less reactive in the ear canal (less irritation and inflammation) and the normal power receivers can be slotted easily into the moulds. My audiologist has done many of these and has not had any complaints about them.
Yesterday I received a message from Phonak via my audiologist. They are saying that the production team
“Due to the available canal space the original build is compromised and our production team has suggested the following options” •cShell.
So . . . I looked at the cShell alternative paperwork sent by Phonak. A cShell mould has the exposed electronics permanently epoxied into the mould and filled in. So if there is any issues with the power receiver, it would need to be returned to Phonak for repairs or replacement. Rather than just swapping out for a new receiver.
For some reason the power receiver order form sent by Phonak shows the power receiver to be used as M. So it’s not surprising that this might not fit in my narrow ear canal. I checked with my audiologist and she confirms that the order she sent is for the smaller S power receiver. I do know that the diameter of the power receivers increases from S to M to P. S is the smallest and is what I need.
Why have Phonak changed the power receiver in the order form from S to M when that’s not what I need. And then sent an email saying my narrow canal won’t accommodate the power receiver?
I am waiting for a response.
I’ll let you know in the next exciting episode on this experience of mine.
Cheers
Anna
Here is the latest update.
I have received the refund on both the titanium moulds and the M Active Vent receivers. That is the end of that chapter.
Two days ago I picked up the new acrylic shell slim tip moulds with a retainer lock and my audiologist has slotted my own S power receivers into each. This required the use of a pair of needle-nosed pliers.
My audiologist performed the real ear measurements and made a few adjustments to the fine tuning fitting session and I am stoked.
It’s only been a couple of days! I am VERY happy with the fit as well as security of the acrylic ear moulds. I do not have to constantly push the moulds back into the correct position. The titanium moulds were constantly slipping out.
I know I have to give it a few weeks in which any issues MIGHT arise.
There is a strange tenderness, only very slight just superior (towards the outer helix) but below the point where the hearing aid apparatus hangs behind the ear. It’s called the scaphoid fossa. There’s nothing touching in that area so it could be referred by the acrylic retainer lock upwards. It’s a very minor tenderness and hopefully the body will adjust to the new normal. Other than that these fit perfectly.
It is such a relief that the business end of the ‘in ear canal’ receivers are consistently pointed at the eardrum. There is no intermittent blocking episodes where one of the receivers feel like a dud as it sits against the interior ear canal wall. Probably because the titanium moulds used to shift outwards and turn away from the correct position.
I feel quite confident that these acrylic moulds will not cause a skin reaction. Or at least not to the extent that the silicone ones did. Only time will tell.
I am pleased that Phonak were able to fit the small receivers into the acrylic moulds that can be accommodated in my narrow canal. Yes, they acknowledged that error as well.
These acrylic custom fit shell slim tip moulds, with retainer lock cost me AU$55 for each ear. I’m hoping for several years of trouble free hearing experience.
Thank you for all your suggestions and advice. I was heartened by the support given here and felt confident to request the refund on the titanium tips and Active Vents. Phonak agreed that it was their error.
To be honest, the ABSENCE of the audible switching from the Active Vent as it engaged with every single payment transaction, GPS direction, Facebook video and other mobile phone activity, is now very welcome. I dealt with it and it became almost normal but I’m glad it’s gone. One less sound to accommodate.
Cheers and thanks for all your help.
Anna
