When buying a hearing aid, the audiologist will always suggest you: Please don’t rush to install the battery after tearing off the film, let it contact with the air for about a minute before installing it into the hearing aid and closing the battery compartment door. What is the reason for this?
Part1
The current hearing aid battery is a zinc-air battery, which utilizes zinc as the negative electrode and oxygen in the air as the positive electrode, with an electrolyte in between. When the sticker seals the positive electrode of the battery, it blocks the air from entering the battery. At this time, the battery is in a “dormant state,” and the power can be preserved for a long time. Once the sticker is torn off, air will quickly flow into the battery, and the oxygen in the air will react with the electrolyte and zinc. In this process, zinc loses electrons and becomes zinc ions. The electrons flow to the positive electrode through the external circuit to form a current to power the hearing aid. But this reaction is not completed instantly; it takes a certain amount of time, so this is why we need to wait for a minute. During this minute, the oxygen will fully contact the internal substances, which is conducive to fully activating the battery power.
Part2
What will happen if you don’t wait for a minute? That is naturally because the power is not fully activated, the battery is not durable, the hearing aid amplifies the sound sometimes louder and sometimes softer, and is unstable.
Part3
Tips for using hearing aid batteries:
- Never tear off the film when not in use.
- After tearing off the film, let it stand for one minute.
- The battery should be stored in a cool and dry place.
Summary: Don’t underestimate this minute, it determines the battery life and the stability of the hearing aid amplification!
