I just looked it up. The instruction manual for the Zephyr does not mention rechargables at all. In the FAQ online it states to use the DryBoost UV for rechargeables because they require a “much lower” (quotes mine) drying temp. But doesn’t state what temp.
Looking at the manual for the DryBoost UV, it dries 85 degrees. Come on…85? There are places in the world where the ambient temp never goes below that. Heck, in the SW USA, half the year can be above 85, even at night. And yes, there are people without indoor AC.
So, we have a manufacturer, Widex, that recommends a unit that heats up to 113 degrees!!! For their rechargeables!!!
And then there is a HA dryer manufacturer that says that you should use an 85-degree dryer…but, never changed their instruction manual on the old Zephyr to say that. Weird how marketing, advertising, and legal seem to work to sell more and minimize risk, but don’t always talk to each other.
Drcrandon, of course you’re welcome to express your opinion. But you’re advocating, on a public forum, that people ignore the instructions given by manufacturers not to heat their rechargeable batteries past a certain temp inside dryers. You’re then telling folks to listen to you instead. I’m simply pushing back and pointing out this is a bad idea. I’m still not convinced by your (lack of) evidence and reasoning. But hey, I could be wrong! I’m not going to wreck my aids in order to find out that I’m not.
If an appliance tells me not to exceed a certain wattage–I don’t. If a medicine says not to take more than a certain dosage–I don’t. If some guy on the internet tells me if’s fine to take a double dosage…I don’t listen to him or her rather than the pharmacist and doctors.
Jeffrey, so what do you say to the fact that Widex recommends the Lux Perfect Dry for their rechargeable hearing aids, and the instruction manual for the Lux Perfect Dry says it heats up to 113 degrees?
apparently Widex has engineered their rechargeable aids to withstand that sort of heat.
My Signia aids (now widex and signia are merged, I believe) aren’t. Or at least, that’[s what signia wrote to me, warning against dryers that exceed a certain temp. Their dedicated dryer/charger stays at a lower temp. Maybe they’re trying to get me to buy that! But I’ve heard from others, and read, that rechargeable aids should dry in lower temp units that battery aids. You’ve heard this too! that’s why you’ve posted.
I feel the only reason manufacturers may be recommending lower temp dryers is that higher temps shorten battery life (but they don’t “damage” the battery). And they don’t want people to try to claim some sort of “defect” if they don’t feel their batteries lasted long enough. Especially when they know that some people are likely to put their HA’s in the dryer more often than they really need to.
The reason I posted had nothing to do with charger temps, that was a peripheral discussion. I posted to ask for a comparison of the two chargers so I can try to decide which to get.
My Phonak D-Dry hearing aid dryer has UV lamp and two modes, 3 hours and 6 hours. Normally l use the 3 hour cycle. The dryer gets warm inside so aids with rechargeable battery can’t be used. I carefully unscrew the ear hook so it can remove moisture in the receivers.
I’ll mention that most dryers incorporate a fan. And, that replaceable battery aids ask that you open the battery case when you place them in a dryer. This last can’t be done with rechargeable aids. Ergo…ya gotta watch the upper temps in a rechargeable aids.
sorry to seem so argumentative. I was in debate in high school. For me, all this back and forth presumes a real friendliness. In debate round robins, one takes up the opposite position in the next round and argues just as passionately for that. As I mentioned, it could turn out that temp ratings are set too low for rechargeable aids. I doubt it, but what the hey!
According to the Zephyr specs it has a temperature limit of 104 degrees max. The PerfectDry Lux says it hit 113 degrees. And the Kapak which is very popular dries at 122 degrees.
What is interesting is that with Oticon, for instance, you cannot remove rechargeable batteries but they say “If you have rechargeable hearing aids, we recommend using a traditional Dri-Aid system or PerfectDry Lux® dehumidifier system.” The perfectDry Lux hits 113 degeees.
I have chosen a Zephyr because, frankly, 113 degrees is a bit high for microelectonics components in my opinion. Surprised at Oticon for even suggesting the perfectDry. 104 degrees is very acceptable. So I feel the Zephyr is the sensible way to go.
I vote for the PerfectDry LUX model (which I bought for myself a few years ago at Amazon). I also owned the Zephyr, but it doesn’t have the UV bulb for sanitizing. The LUX model is about as small as the Zephyr, so I even travel with it.
I have dried/sanitized both battery aids (batteries OUT, doors open) and rechargeable aids (always turned OFF when in the unit.
As for your aids surviving 110F in the SW - how many hours are you OUT in that blistering heat?
I also live in the SW where it is hot but not 110 all day long. I don’t know what your manufacturer states but Oticon for the More rechargeable has temperature limits for 3 different situations:
Operating and charging: 5 to 40 C
Transportation: -20 to 60 C
Storage: -20 to 30 C
It is not specifically stated but I expect Transportation and Storage are with the aid turned off.
The limits are different for the zinc-version:
Operating: 1 - 40 C (34 - 104 F)
Transportation: -25 to 60 C (-13 to 140 F)
Storage: -25 to 60 C (-13 to 140 F)
So Oticon puts more restrictive limits on the rechargeable version.
I don’t know if HA manufacturers put battery protection systems in their aids but well designed equipment with rechargeable lithium batteries typically have systems that limit charge and operation temperatures depending on the particular lithium chemistry. This is done for safety; charge typically has the most restricted temperature range and storage the least. Do you remember when early laptops with lithium batteries (typically without adequate protections systems) had the fun “vent with flame” issue?
Rechargeable Oticon More at 40 C would be the max. Follow Oticon recommendation.
Even iPhone will stop or tickle charging when the temperature of the phone goes up. This is to prevent the phone battery from burning.
