Rechargeable hearing aids

I have been wearing hearing aids for about 35 years and just recently bought Phonak RT90, rechargeable hearing aids ... the first set that was rechargeable, and I have to say I like the convenience and so far the charge easily lasts a day.
My concern is when these batteries need to be replaced what are the time lines?
I need to review the warranty but I believe I can get new batteries just prior to the time the warranty expires.
I have heard the cost otherwise is around $350

Doug

I have Phonak Audeo Paradise rechargeable hearing aids for about 17 months now and am happy with them. I just put them in the charger every night (Phonak said they do not overcharge) and the charge lasts all day into night when I take them out. I did have an issue with the recharging of the right ear, and it had to be sent back to Phonak. I got it back in five days and only paid $30 for shipping/handling. I was told that they usually just swop out the insides instead of trying to figure out what was the problem.
I haven't thought about the changing of the rechargeable battery. But with Google search, I find they are supposed to last 4-5 years, that is the life of the hearing aid.

@vic83 Thanks for sharing your experience with rechargeables. You mention my biggest fear with them - You had to send one back because of a problem with the recharge. Some rechargeables can be replaced by the audiologist, which I'm okay with, but not having a hearing aid during that send back period is a problem I don't want. I have custom molds so the audiologist would not be able to simply give me a loaner. Can I assume that your aid was out of warranty after 17 months? Finding out if the audiologist can replace a failed rechargeable may not be just swapping out a new battery. It could be the circuitry inside the hearing aid and in that case, would still have to be returned to the manufacturer. Until I get a comfy feeling with rechargeables, I'll stick with disposable batteries. I know a disposable is not "green friendly", but a failed rechargeable will end up in a landfill too.
Tony in Michigan

I prefer to use batteries and always carry a pack of batteries when leaving your house or going on vacation.
Hermine Willey
cohear@aol.com

Your fear is reasonable. I had to send back a rechargeable hearing aid that wasn't charging up properly. They sent me a new one, but it took a couple of weeks. In the meantime I used my previous pair of (battery) hearing aids. Not ideal, but it worked out for a couple of weeks. If you don't have another pair, it could be a real challenge. If you could tolerate some sort of interchangeable dome for that period you might be able to accept a pair of substitutes from your audiologist, if they offer them.

As far as disposing of batteries, check on Earth911.com for a mail-in recycling program. Mine were 312 zinc-air batteries and I was collecting them for recycling before my old hearing aids started failing. Anyone can look up what kind of batteries they are using and recycle them. Good thing to do if you can. Best of luck to you.

It is good to review the warranty and have the batteries replaced before it ends. Your audiologist may not tell you this. The cost to replace outside of warranty can be up to $350 for each hearing aid. It takes about two weeks or a bit less. Your audiologist should be able to loan you a set of hearing aids for free to use while you wait. There is a one year warranty with the replaced batteries.
There is also the possibility of extending the original hearing aid warranty for a year but check out the deductible if you need to use it. My rechargeable hearing aids are covered for loss through my homeowners insurance for a minor additional cost that is way less than offered by the audiologist practice.

The rechargeable vs disposable batteries saga continues. While the concept of not creating battery waste by having to dispose of them is good. Sometimes convenience is an issue. For example: Many people like to travel or spend time camping where there is no option to charge batteries. What should they do? This has come up on the cochlear implant group too. My brand of CI processor has the option of using rechargeables but also provides a 'battery cage' that looks like the rechargeable battery but is actually a piece that holds disposable batteries. It has come in very handy for me many times. Of course, the CI processor's rechargeables are removed from the processor to be recharged. They are not all one piece. That makes the battery cage holder an option.

Again, I like the idea of rechargeable batteries. However, I sometimes find it burdensome to have to haul chargers for different devices when spending a weekend away from home. CI, hearing aid, cell phone, etc. all require charging devices, cords, etc. It's a way of life I guess, but just saying it can be a bit challenging to find enough plugs at a campground, hotel or relative's home to plug it all in! Especially when the person you travel with has a lot of the same 'stuff'!

The biggie with hearing devices is having to give them up for repair when needed. Trying to manage for a couple weeks without would be difficult.