Thanks - great suggestion. Just ordered from A. Will probably use tape over foil to avoid fouling HA microphones and switch with possible adhesive residue.
2 Likes
Perfect information! More or less confirms what my intuition is telling me…even down to the approx temp number! (I was thinking probably in the 200°F to 250°F territory)
Now my follow-up question for you LTH Atlanta, what brand/type of wires are you experimenting with?
or
what was the brand or type cited in the source where you found this info?
did you find something that indicates that pretty much all are the same?
I’m thinking there’s no solid guarantee that my phonak wires are exactly the same as something from another brand…or even other things possibly from phonak… I just don’t know
With almost anything else, I’d probably have already jumped in and carefully experimented. Brand new $6,000 devices have me treading much more carefully than my norm.
…and great call getting some scrap wires to try…I thought about asking my audiologist for the same, but she seemed like she’d probably get defensive, or offended…She’d already answered that it WILL short out if I bend it… just my read, so I didn’t push it.
As for shielding insulation…
another thing that would work very well for shielding would be carbon felt.
it’s what welders and plumbers use to protect nearby things when welding or torching… 1/4 inch thick and you can hold it in your hand and hit it with the flame of a torch.
I have been toying with some different ideas, not forced air…something that might allow for tighter control. Adjustable soldering irons and my wife’s curling iron probably get way too hot, but there could be ways to control it down a good bit. The other idea I had was warming metal in boiling water…that would be limited to 212°F or less.
But your idea, properly shielding the delicate parts, would certainly work very well. Great idea!
Sad thing is, this most certainly is not rocket science. It shouldn’t be this hard to get a perfect fit from things that cost this much!
and
I’m betting that Mago in the earlier post was probably correct…Some audiologists probably have a purpose built tool just for this purpose. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit! I’ve gotta admit I was hoping some audiologists monitoring this might chime in with the manufacturers’ directions!
The temperature info came from an Oticon user manual. I have Beltone Amaze hearing aids (actually made by ReSound).
It’s easy to take the receivers off the aids. YouTube Use a small finishing nail or paper clip or whatever you have to push the pin out.
1 Like
Yes! Recall that optometrists bend the thermoplastic of the eyeglass frames. They used to use a hot water bath. These days they use a thermostatically controlled sand bath. Sand takes a lot longer than water to get up to temperature but has superior thermal mass or something that makes it better than water… maybe it’s just that it’s dry. Anyway, a temperature-controlled hotplate with a water or sand bath on it should do the trick. (Dry sand would be much better for electrical HA receiver assemblies!)
Oh, do I ever hear you!
1 Like
Not to interrupt any of the mad science going on in here, but I have a similar situation where I’ve been trying to get mine to sit more flushly through that same “notch”. I’ve found that after putting them on normally, if I push the receiver “back” slightly, like while it’s in my ear, just a bit further towards the back of my head, they adjust a bit and end up sitting nicely through that notch, and seem to stay there.
Basically I just take my index finger and catch the wire on my fingernail and go in-and-back. Obviously everyone’s ear shape is a bit different so not sure if it helps with you, but figured I’d mention it.
thanks ChrisCA. I have tried that but unfortunately I think you nailed it…ears are all different.
and thanks Dusty, good to now! I figured that was how it was done but did not know. Are there places online to buy replacement receivers, or is the audiologist the only source? (mine are under warranty, but for future reference)
Sample receivers for sale online. 1 Pair (1 Left + 1 Right) Phonak Unitron Hearing Aid Receivers RIC - Size 2xS | eBay
My Audi is a Professor of Audiology, so has student interns working in the office.They are taught to reshape the receiver wires. My ear canals are very tiny and turn 90 degrees. The wires have to be reshaped to even get them into my canals - 20 years years worth of manipulation on various tubes & wires. The key word is PAIN. If the receivers don’t fit properly, they hurt! The various Audi’s I have visited thru the years don’t care about vanity. One very prominent Audi told me to use a hair dryer, hold in place until cool. That works just okay as they have memory. I’ve also used a curling iron (scary). Be aware the change in wire shape affects the receiver positioned in your ear.
Pushing them into your ear all day, from a bad fit, eventually breaks the wire.
I suggest you buy an extra set of new receivers from your Audi. That way you know they are new, and the correct receivers. I have found the shape from the manufacturer also varies slightly.
Once you get the right shape - keep for future receiver shape.
Although I like a closer fit, the pic you posted doesn’t look like a bad fit to me. If they are comfortable, and are seated in your canals properly, and most important – you can hear…
The new Marvel receiver wires are harder to permanently manipulate with heat than other manufacturers. Most of the time you can go back to your AuD and if they have stock of receivers they can find one or two that has a slightly different bend. Also if your Marvels were shipped to the AuD with the receivers already being attached (something I really hate), the box they put them in can alter the shape.
A heat gun will manipulate best while immediately applying an alcohol wipe to the altered area of the wire.
LTHAtlanta
how did it work out for you?
I received my Marvels only about three weeks ago. One of the first things I noticed was the cShells were pointed to the rear, and require me to twist them around in order to insert into my ear canals.
This seemed unusual, until I realized that when I turn the cShells around for insertion, they cause a slight twist in the wires which gently direct the aids toward my skull. I like to imagine this is by design. Good luck!
now that is an interesting observation Stevyn. I do believe that when I twist my domes as I think you are describing, I get a similar improvement in the bend. Too bad that they won’t stay in that position.
So, its been a few years.
Has anyone successfully figured out how to reshape the wires?
Thanks for refreshing my old thread! It’s still the worst thing about my aids.
Sadly I never did make it happen. Several times I thought of asking my audiologist for some old receivers to play with but didn’t want to alarm her about my doing something to “damage” my aids while under warranty.
I did play with applying some heat but was too timid with it. I know that’s the answer just didn’t come up with a solution to determine the safe temperature or to reliably hold that temperature…
I have hoped to come across a phonak factory person at a trade show or something to ask, but so far haven’t had the opportunity.
2 Likes
Just had an appointment with my audiologist. She told me about several failed attempts by other patients. All involving excess heat and melted plastic.
She claimed that there’s no way to reshape the wires.
I can’t believe no one has found a way to reshape the wire. Nothing here or on YouTube. Every product modification ever conceived is posted on YouTube. 
what I can’t beleive is that the manufacturers don’t sell a tool so that the audi’s can do it safely.
My audi also said no way to do it… one of those laughable kind of statements.
I imagine a precise temperature controlled curling iron would do the trick quite nicely.
1 Like
1 Like
To bad there wasn’t a follow up post describing success or failure
2 Likes
@haggis: Are yiu sure you’re wearing the hearing aids in the right ears? Blue/left , red/right?
1 Like