Battery Test Data, Contributed by one of our Members

[Admin]

HEARING AID BATTERY TEST
Comparison of milliampere hours (mAh) life in eight different brands of batteries.
All batteries tested were size 312. End of life for tests was 1.0 volts. Battery load was 820 ohms giving a current drain of a nominal 1.5 mA. Batteries tested had “Use By” dates ranging from 3/2010 to 10/2012. Current decrease during test life was compensated for in calculations. Tests were conducted at 70°F ±2°. .
Batteries tested were as follows:
Power One 8/11-5328 and 10/11-3428
iCell Tech 8/11 10A8 2011 and 06 A4 2011
Rayovac Extra Advanced Jun 2012 IPTPA 22:13
Rayovac OCT 2012 HP2PA 13:29
Renata maratone 03-2011 2000391/AO1
Renata 04-2011 5310253/A05
Panasonic 08-11 PR-312HEP/6C
Toshiba 06/2012 0 43297 02666 7
Energizer 10/2011
Duracell MAR 2012 8G15J2
Duracell 09-2012 8228
Test batteries were purchased at Wal-Mart, Localbattery, and Microbattery.

TEST DATA SUMMARY
Power One 8/11-5328 158 mAh
PowerOne 10/11-3428 144 mAh
iCellTech 10A8 2011 141 mAh
iCellTech 06 A4 2011 146 mAh
Rayovac Extra Adv.PPTPA22:13 134 mAh
Rayovac Oct 2012 HP2PA 13:29 170 mAh
Renata maratone 03-2011 5310253A05 <20mAh for each of two samples from lot
Renata 4/11 lot 85618-41299 131 mAh
Panasonic 08-11 PR-312HEP/6C 151 mAh
Panasonic 08-11 PR-312HEP6C 149 mAh 2nd sample
Toshiba 06/2012 0 43297 02666 7 137 mAh
Toshiba, 2nd sample same lot 129 mAh
Energizer 10/2011 149 mAh
Energizer 2nd sample same lot 132 mAh
Duracell MAR 2012 8G1512 149 mAh
Duracell 09-2012 8228 138 mAh

Test discharge times ranged from 85 to 111 hours.

[ljjehl]

Rayovac Oct 2012 HP2PA 13:29 170 mAh

So...are you saying Rayovac came out on top?

[xbulder]

Originally Posted by ljjehl

So...are you saying Rayovac came out on top?

that is not a surprise

[like2hearbetter]

Originally Posted by xbulder

that is not a surprise

However a complete analysis would be to include the cost at street price and getting a cost per milliamp hour.

If changing the batteries is a hassle for you though, you'd want ones that last longest.

[Davidb]

I'd say Rayovac came out high and low with 170 and 134 mAH, so you'd probably get variable results depending on the batch. What impresses me more is the general similarity across brands making price a more important factor. Good news to me since I had just ordered a year's supply (150) of iCellTech size 10 from Localbattery.com at a cost of 27 cents each, tax-included, using the save10percent discount code posted on this site. With free shipping and the test results in this string, I'd recommend a quick click on the "Hearing Aid Batteries" ad at the top right of the screen, order a zillion of whatever is cheapest, forget the hassle of trying to prolong battery life by replacing tabs or whatever else doesn't do much, and support our forum sponsor, localbattery.

[like2hearbetter]

Originally Posted by Davidb

I'd say Rayovac came out high and low with 170 and 134 mAH, so you'd probably get variable results depending on the batch. What impresses me more is the general similarity across brands making price a more important factor. Good news to me since I had just ordered a year's supply (150) of iCellTech size 10 from Localbattery.com at a cost of 27 cents each, tax-included, using the save10percent discount code posted on this site. With free shipping and the test results in this string, I'd recommend a quick click on the "Hearing Aid Batteries" ad at the top right of the screen, order a zillion of whatever is cheapest, forget the hassle of trying to prolong battery life by replacing tabs or whatever else doesn't do much, and support our forum sponsor, localbattery.

Thanks for the hint! Being new, I'm just getting oriented.

[unclemike]

Just made first battery purchase outside those given by HA provider. SAMS club seemed to have good price on the Energizer 312. However, putting my Zon 5's in storage case requires one aid be turned with the battery upside down. The Energizer immediately falls out while the Ray-O-Vac's fit snugly enought to stay in HA. More convenient but don't know of any other issue.

[curiousengineer]

Hi,

I'm an Electronics Engineer and I have designed and built many battery chargers in my time. The battery testing method outlined here is quite flawed. The battery voltage will fluctuate non-linearly as it discharges.

The best way to calculate mAh is to put a constant-current load on the battery and log the voltage vs. time. This means a circuit slightly more complex than a purely resistive load.

FYI, mAH is not the only factor since batteries have an internal resistance. If they are used in a higher drain hearing aid the battery life will be affected by more than just the increase in current draw (i.e. more than a straight mAh calculation), there will be power loss with in the battery itself.

So, it's also important to characterize the battery "impedance" or the battery's own internal resistance.

I don't have something designed right now, but I'm interested in whipping something up to properly test the cells. A family member has recently started wearing hearing aids and I want to make sure they get the best possible lifetime out of the cells.

- curiousengineer

[Jimbo72]

Hi folks,

i am 100% agree with the engineer but generally this Test is really a joke.

Does Rayovac tested by 2 different Types and Powerone with 2 same batches ?

Also others ?

I can say from my experience that the Powerone shows always a narrow and high and long lasted quality. For my Hearing aid nothing else can come in !

Jimbo

[Hask12]

I use Rayovac. When I shell out $5500 for aids, trying to save pennies on batteries just doesn't seem to make much sense. And if I buy them on e bay, or get a coupon from Hearing Planet, then the difference in cost is even lower.