Out walking the dog today and it was a balmy 0.5 Celsius in the sun. My left hearing aid (KS10) intermittently stopped working then came back several times. I popped it out, turned it off and…it wouldn’t restart. It’s now in the charger and looking happy. HAs had at least 60% in the tank before I went out.
Are rechargeable HAs susceptible to cold temperatures? I’ve noticed this behaviour before while cycling on cold nights. I’ve never observed this indoors or during summer.
I have had a couple sets of rechargables (Oticon and Starkey) and have never experienced this. I would imagine that the cold could affect some battery life for that day but have not experienced that either.
I have Oticon rechargeable aids and have been wearing rechargeable aids dor 5 years. I have been in weather as low as 5 below zero without noticeable issues. And in the opposite end been in temperatures of as high as 105 degrees without noticeable issues. Now i admit that I am not in the extreme temperatures for long time.
Someone here had trouble with rechargeables in the cold. Similar experience. Maybe @kevels55 ??
WH
Yeah, most if not all rechargeable aids have a BMS (Battery Management System) tis a safety feature, BMS will sometimes kick in in subzero temperatures, (around -3 C or 26 degrees Fahrenheit) and will not reboot till placed back in the charger, it is a known fault with the manufacturers, although they do not really mention this in their blurbs, both aids shut down, it happened twice with me, out in the sticks with some very challenging criminal justice clients, doing work in the community, fortunately they behaved, but it was a long stressful day, on both occasions, unable to communicate effectively! Lithium batteries do not do well in subzero temperatures, they will drain much faster in adversely cold weather… Cheers Kev 
I’m in Ottawa Canada. -6 celcius.
No issue. Phonak Paradise P90 rechargeable.
3 years old! Actually new. First set were replaced on warranty
I did have to reset/recharge them at least 5 times during the 3 year period. They were charged fully overnight. One would fail show zero charge. I’d have to go home and reset and recharge.
Nothing to do with cold operating temperatures
Depends how long your aids are subjected to the subzero temperatures @DaveL, I was out working in -8 or -10 C all day, but both mornings, after about 3/4 of an hour, they cut out, both aids went down simultaneously, they wouldn’t reboot, even when they were warmed up in the works van, dead as a Do Do, until placed in the charger at night… Your own body heat can sometimes prevent this, somebody suggested ear muffs, to keep the aids warm, but that kinda defeats the purpose, when you have a severe/profound loss… Strangely enough, Phonak knew all about this phenomenon, and even when I was past the cutoff date for returning, they took them back, when I requested, and replaced them with Marvel 90 RIC’s, with disposable 13 batteries, with no quibble whatsoever, I still have these aids, they still work fine, in fact I have them in as I write this, they are over 5 years old… Cheers Kev
One of the reasons why this happens is because the batteries have started to degrade, lose their properties. You mentioned that you have a KS10, so if you are still under warranty replace the battery and that should solve the problem. I have to mention that the batteries are soldered to the chip and they will solve that by replacing the whole hearing aid. You talk to Costco service, ask them about the possibility of changing the battery, tell them that it happens often, even if it’s not winter, just to be more cooperative for you. I only mention it so they can fix it for free while you are still under warranty.
Thanks Kev
We’ve come a long way.
I got a UHF radio system. Factory use. Solvents everywhere. Explosion proof radios and batteries.
Took an hour and a half to walk through the factory. The guards would get back and put the radio in the charger. As warranty ended the radio battery wouldn’t last an hour and a half.
NiCad batteries. It was the way they were being charged.
Now we have lithium
Batteries. Just don’t let them ignite.
Where’s Nikolas Tesla when we need him?
If I am out in the cold that is below freezing, I wear an insulated cap that covers my ears and aids. My aids are kept warm by my head temperature. I have been in temperatures of 0 degrees without any issues.
I use an amazing Tilley hat. Wool. A brim. A flap that I can protect my forehead with. And flap for my ears
Mr Tilley started making hats for sailors. Made in Canada.
I have literally Dozens of Lithium batteries, 12v, 18v & 54v, and Nicad before that, Nicad were about as much use as a chocolate fire guard, terrible batteries! They don’t hold a charge, after some heavy usage, they deplete quite rapidly… Lithium have there own faults, but I rotate these, and some are now several years old, and are still going strong… But yes, they are a fire hazard, they need to be looked after, I have several chargers, some are smart chargers, you shouldn’t charge Lithium in adverse conditions, like subzero temperatures, you will damage them, large Lithium battery banks in colder climates need to be heated to an ambient temperature, to keep them in tip top condition, all Lithium batteries, need a BMS (Battery Management System) usually built in nowadays to each individual battery, or a collective smart charger, that doesn’t allow overcharging, or indeed charging in adverse conditions like too cold or too warm… Lithium batteries are a brilliant solution for energy greedy appliances, but you need to take a little extra care with them… Solid State Lithium Batteries are the new kids on the block, once these are fully developed, they reckon there running time will triple for the same weight of a normal Lithium Battery, allegedly giving an EV around 600 miles on a single charge, if this manifests, it will probably be the beginning of the end for fossil fuelled vehicles as we know it? That is not to say these Solid State Lithium batteries will not have problems, they will probably be a fire hazard? But not any more hazardous than gas/petrol in a vehicle at present, although it has to be be said, a Lithium battery fire, might burn much more intensely, and maybe 3 or 4 times longer, not to mention the toxicity of the fumes… Everything has a trade off, there are good and bad points, on all consumables… Cheers Kev
Well said Kev. While I was at 3M I was on the emergency brigade. Trained in firefighting. We had a firebug making tape. Couple of fires. I left after 15 years. I Solved the battery issue with the nicads I described
I have 2 lithium batteries for my new electric bike. One was damaged and replaced. Warranty. Weighs 10 pounds.
I prefer the easier option at present @markoo355 … No rechargeable hearing aids! But, I am ever hopeful, that in the not too distant future, especially with Lithium Solid State Batteries being developed, we might possibly see a rechargeable Ultra Power BTE aid, that will last perhaps a week or longer on a single charge, and one that gives us easy access to swap out a rechargeable battery, so we can carry spare rechargeable batteries… Cheers Kev
Thank you Dave, I put a new 36v16ah battery on my e-Bike last year, I now get about double the distance for not much more weight ratio, in theory a Solid State Lithium battery would perhaps quadruple the distance the e-Bike could travel under power, the weight ratio would increase very slightly, as Solid State batteries are apparently much denser, but the benefits outweigh any slight increase in weight… Cheers Kev
Thanks all for a very useful and informative discussion. The general point about rechargeable batteries chimes with my experience of bicycle lights, a perennial pain when suddenly you’re plunged into darkness (or semi darkness) when a battery flakes out.
On my HAs, I had the end of warranty service in May, which is to say a new pair of KS10s. I have EarGear sleeves too, a hangover from a time when I routinely killed my NHS clinic’s stock of Starkey Radius HAs, which I think were hand carved from Swiss cheese for all their robustness. Plus I cycle a lot and use my HAs as headphones while doing exercise (but contemplating cheapo wireless headphones to avoid testing the IP rating too many times, lol)
This is what I’m waiting for, before I go rechargeable with hearing aids. I dislike the built in obsolescence, and having to send them away for a battery change. Apparently, Oticon allow Audiologists to switch out batteries.
Thanks for the tip about Ear Gear guys. I wear a trapper hat in our frigid temps and it keeps threatening to dislodge my HAs during my daily dog walks. The corded version may be just what I need so I can walk without paranoia.
I haven’t walked in temps that cold, but if I was snow-shoeing or winter hiking, I’d wear a Tilly wool hat with earflaps. LUCKILY I was able to keep the flaps down over my ears without getting feedback. So perhaps that is an option - some kind of loose fitting headband that doesn’t cause feedback when worn over the ears on cold days.
