Batteries for Hearing Instruments

Our batteries arrive fresh from “the battery farm” about every month or two. Most of our clients pick them up by the carton, which keeps the cost lower in that quantity. The batteries have a shelf life of several years, so there is no need to be concerned about them going stale. We stock RAYOVAC batteries because we consistently have found them to be highly reliable and longer-lasting.

We will clearly note for you the proper battery size for your hearing instruments, and we will give you a good estimate of how often you will need to replace the batteries.

Each battery size has its own color code:

  • Size 675 batteries have BLUE stickers.
  • Size 13 batteries have ORANGE stickers.
  • Size 312 batteries have BROWN stickers.
  • Size 10 batteries have YELLOW stickers.

If you are away, you can find hearing aid batteries in most stores. Do not be confused by the letters that often accompany the number on the package. The letters vary from one brand to another. For example, if you are looking for size 13 batteries, one company might call them 13A, another company might call them DA13, and so on. The letters are meaningless—just make sure you have the right number, and the battery will fit and work in your hearing aid. Better yet, just look for the color that corresponds to your battery size, which in this example would be Orange.

Here are a few other pointers about batteries:

  • The colored sticker on the battery is not just a decoration. The battery is dormant until you peel the sticker off. Once you remove the sticker, the battery is activated and will die in a few weeks whether you use it or not. Putting the sticker back onto the battery is a bad idea because it can create confusion about the condition of the battery. If you mistakenly remove the sticker from the battery before you intend to use it, then set it aside and make it the next one you use before you peel the sticker off any other batteries.
  • Most hearing aids give warning beeps when the battery is about to die. We will thoroughly explain your hearing aids’ warning signals.
  • If a brand new battery does not make your hearing aid work, don’t try any more new batteries. If you don’t know or can’t remember how to troubleshoot your hearing aid, please call us.
  • Don’t store your spare batteries in the glove box of your car. Even in the cooler months, the heat that builds up in the car’s interior can compromise the batteries. We have keychain holders for spare batteries.
  • Storing the batteries in the refrigerator is unnecessary. You will use them up long before they go stale.
  • Do not leave batteries around small children. If you suspect someone has swallowed a battery, call the hotline listed on the back of the battery package.
  • The effort to recycle hearing aid batteries has been discontinued because they no longer contain mercury.
  • When you are not using your hearing instruments, always open the battery doors to disconnect the batteries from the devices. This shuts down the electronics and provides an escape route for any moisture that has infiltrated the instruments.

A word about rechargeable batteries.

Some types of hearing instrument systems allow use of rechargeable batteries as an option. The majority of hearing aid wearers use disposable batteries for convenience. The rechargeable option sometimes is helpful, for example, in cases in which the user’s manual dexterity is highly limited. However, there are pros and cons to the choice of a rechargeable battery option, and we will be happy help you consider the total picture before deciding on a rechargeable option. The rechargeable option does not result in any significant savings compared to the cost of disposable batteries.