Rechargeable hearing aids like Phonak hearing aids have been a huge industry breakthrough in terms of quality and convenience. Although Phonak hearing aids are a great choice, you should be prepared to troubleshoot some common problems that you might encounter during normal use.
In the rest of this article, we are going to break down the most common problems that pop up when using a Phonak hearing aid so you feel prepared to fix the issues with minimal frustration.
What are the most common problems with Phonak hearing aid batteries?
Most people prefer hearing aids with rechargeable batteries simply because they are very convenient to use. All you have to do is make sure you take proper care of the hearing aids as you normally would and charge your batteries at the required intervals, and you shouldn’t have too many problems.
With that said, because hearing aids like Phonak and other brands are getting more technologically advanced, there are some common problems that might pop up over the lifespan of your Phonak hearing aid.
We’ve rounded up the 5 most common problems and minor issues reported by Phonak hearing aid users as it relates to battery use and life.
Hopefully, these tips will help you prepare for these problems (and may even help you prevent them as well).
1. Cell phone use problems
One of the best things about modern hearing aids like Phonak hearing aids is that they connect directly to your cell phone to make it easy to transition between using your hearing aids to hear an everyday conversation and take phone calls.
When this technology is working properly, it’s incredibly convenient. Sometimes thanks to low hearing aid batteries or cell phone software updates, the connectivity to your favorite device might be slow or sluggish.
When your hearing aid is not working with your phone as expected, check to make sure that your battery doesn’t simply need to be charged first.
Otherwise, you may need to unpair and repair the phone and the hearing aid to get back to taking phone calls seamlessly.
2. TV connection problems
Phonak hearing aids are designed to connect to your TV so you can enjoy full sound through your hearing aids.
This is great so that you don’t miss a single minute of your favorite television show, but it can be frustrating when the connection is poor (or nonexistent).
Phonak recommends that you use their TV Connector to make sure you can get the audio streamed directly to your hearing aids.
Make sure you follow all of the instructions on your Phonak TV Connector.
If you aren’t hearing any sound through your hearing aids with the TV Connector, you might need to check the connection or battery status on your hearing aids.
3. Charging problems
One of the most common problems that Phonak hearing aid users report is problems with the charging process.
This can take many forms including your Phonak hearing aid battery not holding a charge, issues with the charger (or charger case) itself, or simply not charging at all.
Most Phonak hearing aids have charger cases similar to those you would use for your Apple Airpods or any other wireless earbud. These cases are very convenient, but they do introduce another piece of technology that can occasionally act up.
To prevent charging problems with your Phonak hearing aid batteries, make sure you always keep your charging case fully charged any time you think you might need to use it.
Always charge with your Phonak charger in a wall outlet, as opposed to in a USB port, laptop, or another power source.
If your charging case isn’t charging or is showing a strange light pattern you aren’t familiar with, check your manual to find out the next steps or contact your hearing aid professional.
4. Sound quality problems
Sometimes the issue with Phonak hearing aids isn’t just the charging, but can also be the quality of the sound as well.
This is most commonly experienced when using via Bluetooth with a cellphone like an iPhone or Android.
The good thing is that sound quality issues with your Phonak hearing aid can usually be fixed by just restarting your iPhone regularly.
It is recommended that you restart your iPhone once a day or whenever you notice poor sound quality to prevent this issue from persisting.
A simple restart should fix the issue immediately, but if it does not you should check your battery life and other settings to rule out other issues.
5. Cleaning problems
Routinely cleaning your Phonak hearing aid should be a regular part of your routine. Preventative maintenance like regular cleaning will help prolong the life of your hearing aid and can prevent many of the frustrating issues you might encounter with your hearing aid.
Make sure to regularly clean your hearing aid according to the instructions in the manual. The biggest thing to remember is that when you are reassembling your hearing aid after cleaning, its easy to put something back in the wrong place or forget a piece.
Check your hearing aid and battery after every cleaning to make sure that all the pieces are cleaned, accounted for, and put back.
Failure to do so could result in hearing aid battery and performance issues.
Read also >> Phonak Hearing Aid Warranty? (What´s Covered + More)
Why are rechargeable hearing aids better than ones with regular batteries?
Hearing aid battery preferences depend on a lot from person to person, but most people prefer rechargeable hearing aid batteries.
The biggest reason for this preference is usually convenience. Just being able to charge hearing aids overnight or when not in use is very easy for regular users and saves time.
Another main reason why more and more people are opting for rechargeable hearing aid batteries like Phonak is that they produce less waste because you don’t have to replace them with a brand-new set of batteries every time they die.
What is the average lifespan of a Phonak hearing aid battery?
If you use a high-quality battery in your Phonak hearing aid, you can expect it to last as long as 5-6 years.
Make sure to charge at regular intervals (and avoid overcharging) to prolong the life of your Phonak hearing aid battery.
How often do you need to charge a Phonak hearing aid battery?
Most models of Phonak rechargeable hearing aids are designed for 24 continuous hours of use before needing to be charged.
Depending on how many hours per day you typically use your hearing aid, you may only need to charge your hearing aid every 2-3 days.
It’s a good practice to use your hearing aid battery until the charge is almost out before recharging and letting it charge fully before using it again.
Conclusion
Phonak hearing aid batteries are great because they are rechargeable and generally work very well. There are some common problems that you might encounter including device connectivity, charging problems, sound quality issues, and even some minor cleaning troubles.
Most of the problems you’d experience with a Phonak hearing aid battery can be fixed by yourself just by restarting the hearing aid or charging the battery.
If you continue to have difficulty with your Phonak hearing aid battery, consult with a hearing aid professional to fix a more complex problem.