| Audiology Ear Care

Hearing aid batteries are an essential part of your hearing aid. Fortunately, batteries are standardized around the world. All hearing aid batteries have a standard color code and numbering system. Any brand of batteries will use the same color and number to indicate which batteries you need.

Hearing aids use a type of battery called "zinc-air". This type of battery is created in vacuum to prolong shelf life. It comes with a tab covering one or more holes in the top. When the tab is removed, air is allowed to enter the battery and activate the charge. Before using a zin-air battery, it is important to let it sit for 3-5 minutes. This ensures that it fully activates and will have the longest possible life.

Zinc-air batteries have a very stable output, regardless of the power needs of the hearing aid. This is why they are preferred for hearing devices. However, a zinc-air battery will fade very quickly at the end of its life. Therefore, when you receive a low battery alert from your hearing aid you should change the battery as soon as possible. Likewise, you should replace a battery if your battery tester shows less than 100% charge. This is because it will not be good for very long!

The four sizes of hearing aid batteries are shown below. Approximate life of the battery is shown, but will be less if you are using a wireless connection for your hearing aid. Standard colors and size numbers are used for each battery. Estimated life of each battery is based on using hearing aids 14-16 hours each day. If you do not use your hearing aids that much, you will likely experience longer battery life.

Size 10 Batteries
Typical life: 3-5 days

Size 10 batteries are the smallest used for hearing aids. They are most often used when someone desires the smallest possible hearing aid. Otherwise, the hearing aid must be larger to accommodate a larger battery. These are used most often in hearing aids that are placed completely inside the ear canal (;completely-in-the-canal or CIC) or small form-factor hearing aids that fit behind the ear. These devices are usually too small to include wireless capabilities - a trade-off for small size.

Size 312 Batteries
Typical life: 4-7 days

Size Size 312 batteries are most often used for in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids in order to have a longer battery life than a size 10. They are also commonly used in behind-the-ear devices where a smaller device is desired, but full with full capabilities. Size 312 batteries have become very popular because they are smaller than others, but have a much longer life than size 10 batteries.

Size 13 Batteries
Typical life: 7-10 days

Size 13 batteries are the largest batteries used for most hearing aids (except high-power devices). They are typically used whenever the hearing aid is already large enough to accommodate this thicker battery. A size 13 battery is the same circumference as a size 312, but is about twice the thickness. Size 13 batteries are commonly used with larger in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids and full-featured behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids in order to provide the maximum battery life in a device that is large enough to hold it.

Size 675 Batteries
Typical life: 7-10 days

Size 675 batteries are used in hearing aids which require the most power. These are provided to people who have severe hearing loss. The battery life of a size 675 battery is frequently similar to that of a size 13 battery because devices using a size 675 battery require more power from them. Cochlear implants also use a size 675 battery, but use a special "Cochlear" version of the 675 battery. Normal batteries may be used in a cochlear implant if nothing else is available, but will die rather quickly because the extra high power needs of cochlear implants.

*Battery photos courtesy Rayovac

HEARING AID BATTERIES