HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 3, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 @MallaRuth You asked for it, you got it. Smile Go first! MallaRuth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MallaRuth Posted January 3, 2019 Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 I have two implants and usually the batteries run out at the same time or one after the other. I have Sonnets with rechargeables, and get around 7-8 hours of use. Recently, my right (stronger) ear ran out whilst I was taking questions from a large group of researchers after giving a lecture. I couldn't hear very well at all but managed to fudge some answers, albeit with some slightly bemused looks! In the end, I had to confess, and my colleague took over so that I could go get my batteries! They were all very lovely about it. A much more common scenario is being in the armchair on an evening, watching TV. This is the time my batteries usually run out for the second time in a day. I'm usually feeling too lazy to go get my batteries so I might carry on as I am, using one ear or relying on the subtitles, until my husband starts asking me if I want a cup of tea then realises I can't hear him... 😄 Mary Beth and Mary Featherston 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 3, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 My batteries tend to run out just as I leave work, or in the car on the way home, depending on how early I get up and how late I work. But I keep the spares in my pocket so it's not an issue. MallaRuth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 4, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 At first my Sonnet standard rechargeable batteries lasted 10.5 hours even with using my Artone neckloop a couple of hours a day. Unfortunately their running time dropped down rather quickly. Med-El replaced them, replaced the charger, replaced the battery adapter, etc. The same thing happened again. 10.5 hours, although much less than an ideal full listening day, worked fine as I could go from wake up until after work and then switch them out. I managed fine when they dropped to 10 hours and then to 9.5 hours. When they fell to less than 9 hours it just became too much of a bother. I couldn’t change them at lunch time and make it until bedtime. They didn’t last from wake up until after work. I stopped using them. I returned to using Power One implant batteries and they consistently deliver 2 full long listening days of use even with the Artone neckloop. I change the batteries every other morning and never encounter a dead battery. Ever. I carry a pack of batteries with me always and that would give me additional days of listening if needed. I have extra battery packs stored everywhere. Very convenient. Very easy. Never run out of power ever. I just hear all day long. Wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 4, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 Just curious, @Mary Beth - isn't it just as easy to carry extra rechargeables as to carry the disposables? I find it so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 4, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 @Mary Featherston When I used rechargeable batteries, I always carried the wallet with 4 charged batteries in it everywhere. A couple of times, a battery that was charged overnight and thought to be fully charged because the lights on the charger appeared so, was actually not charged when I inserted it mid day during battery swaps. That was unnerving. Thinking I was carrying around fully charged spares when in fact, a few times they were not. If the rechargeable batteries lasted at least from wake up until after work, I would use them. But they don’t last like that for me after just a couple of months of use. I didn’t mind switching out the rechargeable batteries mid day at a convenient time. It’s just with my work schedule convenient times are lunch or after the school day. If I switch at lunch, they die before my listening day is over. They don’t last until after the school day. I prefer not to have to switch each side twice a day as that leaves me no spares. It’s just my preference. I work with students with all brands of CIs. I have the shortest rechargeable battery life by far of any of my students using other brands. And their processors are not larger than my Sonnet. It is an area I hope Med-El will improve in future processors. It is refreshing to put my processors on in the morning and just hear fine all the way until bedtime without needing to do anything with batteries. It is also nice to have extra batteries stashed in different places. That is difficult to do with rechargeable batteries since chargers are needed as well. Longer lasting rechargeable batteries are on my future Med-El processor wish list. Along with direct streaming from my phone for all audio (music, audiobooks and phone calls). I think Med-El will have lots of great improvements. These are my two top wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 4, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 Gotcha, @Mary Beth. I haven't had a charged battery fail to work for me yet, but if it did, I have my disposable battery holders and a pack of batteries in the zipper bag that I keep in the backpack I carry to work, so i could switch 'em out easily. I am also not shy about just changing the rechargable batteries wherever I happen to be. Meetings, whatever. Why not? 🙂 I'm not shy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MallaRuth Posted January 4, 2019 Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 I'm the same as Mary Beth with needing to change the batteries twice a day most days. It's inconvenient, and not pleasant going through your day knowing they'll run out at random points. The rechargeables are very easy to swap, though (much easier than the fiddly disposables). I too get nervous swapping them too soon because of not being left with spares - I get through all six batteries most days. It's a great idea to store/carry the disposables plus adaptors as backup. I want to go back to disposables FT but unfortunately my clinic will not support this. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 4, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 @Mary Featherston, I am glad you have a system that is working so well for you. Many times I do not carry any backpack or bag with me so I prefer backups that easily fit in a pocket, like a pack of disposable batteries or the rechargeable battery wallet. I am not shy about swapping out batteries but having to do that during a lesson with children, shifts their focus from what they are to be learning to watching me exchange batteries. Smile. No matter how many times they have seen it. Smile. I am all about having options. Different users will prefer different things. There are quite a lot of frustrated Sonnet rechargeable battery users right now who have opted to return to disposable batteries. If Med-El offered a longer lasting rechargeable battery, it would appeal to many of these users. Me included. I am hopeful that longer lasting rechargeable batteries will be offered in the future. Until then, disposable Power One Implant batteries work best for me with my Sonnets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 4, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 Oh, I'd love to have the batteries last longer, I'm with you on that, @Mary Beth. And for clarity, I don't schlep my bag around all day either, it sits in my office. But I keep the battery wallet in my pocket and it just hasn't been a big deal for me. But I do see your point about keeping your students focused! My coworkers are, in theory, all adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 4, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 5 hours ago, MallaRuth said: I'm the same as Mary Beth with needing to change the batteries twice a day most days. It's inconvenient, and not pleasant going through your day knowing they'll run out at random points. The rechargeables are very easy to swap, though (much easier than the fiddly disposables). I too get nervous swapping them too soon because of not being left with spares - I get through all six batteries most days. It's a great idea to store/carry the disposables plus adaptors as backup. I want to go back to disposables FT but unfortunately my clinic will not support this. @MallaRuth, if your batteries are getting that bad, perhaps Med-El will replace them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 4, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 @MallaRuth and @Mary Featherston I hope Med-El will replace your batteries Ruth. You never got long enough with them even from day 1. Maybe something is wrong with that set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MallaRuth Posted January 4, 2019 Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 I don't think there is anything wrong with the set. I get up at 6am and go to bed at 11pm. That's 17 hours. I get less than the advertised time of 8-10 hours because I use the bluetooth neckloop a lot. If they do run out twice in a day, then it tends to be at night when I'm watching the TV. Sods law dictates that my batteries are always in another room! I rarely wear clothes with pockets, so it's difficult to always keep the batteries on me. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Stranger Posted January 5, 2019 Report Share Posted January 5, 2019 Well I'm still on holidays ending today. Last night we went to Christchurch downtown and for the first time on the holidays I didn't bring the spares with me. Guess what, both of them ran out just after dinner lol. My batteries after 6 Months last about 12-14 hours. I swap them once a day usually a couple of hours before bed. Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 6, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 6, 2019 3 hours ago, Daniel the Stranger said: Well I'm still on holidays ending today. Last night we went to Christchurch downtown and for the first time on the holidays I didn't bring the spares with me. Guess what, both of them ran out just after dinner lol. My batteries after 6 Months last about 12-14 hours. I swap them once a day usually a couple of hours before bed. Wow, @Daniel the Stranger - what bad luck! What did you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the Stranger Posted January 7, 2019 Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 On 1/6/2019 at 11:23 AM, Mary Featherston said: Wow, @Daniel the Stranger - what bad luck! What did you do? No big deal, I was with my wife and close family, so they know how to talk to me so I can lip read. Besides, it was just for an hour as it was late already. Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted January 7, 2019 Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 I use the disposable batteries I can get two days plus from them but I change batteries every third morning I am go to go for two days I do carry extra disposable batteries with me.I very seldom use the rechargeable as only get about 5-6 hours from them. I’ve been useing the Ray O Vac batteries lately getting a little longer life and with Power One I sometimes find dead battery in the new pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 7, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 Do you all think that the Sonnets require more battery power than the other processors? Is that why Med-El released rechargeable batteries that only last up to 10 hours for the Sonnets and released rechargeable batteries that last up to 16 hours for the OPUS2 and up to 18 hours for the Rondo2? Do you think the intermittent problems people are having with disposable batteries ( I have never had a problem with the Power One implant brand. I did have lots of problems with the ZeniPower implant brand.) and the Sonnets are related to the Sonnets requiring more battery power than other processors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted January 7, 2019 Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 That is an interesting question about Sonnet useing more power I am going to ask at the mingle in a couple of weeks.I think Sonnet do use more power. I to had problems with Zeni Power. I still lean towards the Power One batteries as I said befor every once in a while I will have a battery in a box but after checking my record on the Ray O Vac batteries I average a whopping 2.5 hours that with 2 box that I’ve tried. When people have battery problems we must remember what brand od battery they are useing. if you buy batteries thru MEDEL they sell the Power One and so does my CI Center,also Med EL repalcecthe bad batteries no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 7, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 The Ray O Vac batteries that you tried @Dave in Pittsburgh, were they implant or hearing aid batteries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Pittsburgh Posted January 7, 2019 Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 No they are for CI 675 batteries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 7, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 Just wondering because there are 675 hearing aid batteries and 675 implant batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 7, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 7, 2019 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 @Dave in Pittsburgh Am I understanding this correctly. You have tried two boxes of Rayovac implant batteries and they only give you 2.5 HOURS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted January 7, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 7, 2019 11 hours ago, Mary Beth said: @Dave in Pittsburgh Am I understanding this correctly. You have tried two boxes of Rayovac implant batteries and they only give you 2.5 HOURS? That's what I got from the hearing aid batteries provided for use with water wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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