All Modern Rechargeable Hearing Aids are now disposable/throw-away after a few years

[pvc]

Don't be a chump/bag-holder and purchase used Modern Rechargeable Hearing Aids with depleted Li-ion batteries! There are a few exceptions to this rule (namely a few Oticon/Demant models) which will be described below/later. However, even these few exceptions will fade into the sunset over time because; with the release of (Oticon Sirius platform/Intent model) all new hearing aid models will now be sealed (no battery doors). Therefore all Modern Rechargeable Hearing Aids are now disposable/throw-away or whatever else you want to call it.

Yes I know that we can point to one brave individual effort to → replace the built-in/sealed battery. But AFAIK this feat has not been repeated by others and it requires heating the old depleted Li-ion battery in order to remove it. That scares me because of common advice to avoid heating Li-ion batteries to avoid thermal runaway/fire!

Bottom Line; After a few years of use (maybe 3 years?) your built-in/sealed Li-ion batteries will require factory repair for battery replacement and I suspect that the entire hearing aid will be replaced because their built-in/sealed batteries are too difficult to replace.

There, I said it. I will talk about the few Oticon/Demant exceptions later. But those exceptions (soon to become Legacy hearing aids) will eventually fade into the past.

 

[pvc]

These are the modern Rechargeable Oticon/Demant models which are not disposable/throwaway because the Li-ion rechargeable batteries can be replaced with Z22A Li-Ion (3.8 V / 20.0 mAh) rechargeable batteries, and also because some Oticon Real models can (optionally) use disposable battery (size 312) batteries .

Oticon Real miniRITE R (Z22A replaceable) - may also use disposable battery (size 312)
Oticon Real miniRITE T use disposable battery (size 312)

Oticon Real miniBTE R (Z22A replaceable) - may also use disposable battery (size 312)
Oticon Real miniBTE T use disposable battery (size 312)

Oticon More miniRITE R (Z22A replaceable)
Oticon Zircon miniRITE R (Z22A replaceable)
Oticon Play miniRITE R (Z22A replaceable)

Oticon More miniBTE R (Z22A replaceable)
Oticon Zircon miniBTE R (Z22A replaceable)
Oticon Play miniBTE R (Z22A replaceable)

 

[pvc]

Well, Oticon has thrown us a bone with its Big-Size13 battery. Thanks @Volusiano for bringing this to our attention in this→ post.

While that's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, it's still not the same as buying a used premium hearing aid and bringing it back to life with your DIY skills. After all, a dead rechargeable battery is a dead hearing aid when there is no battery door, right?

 

[pvc]

On top of this, there is another new fly in the ointment. Used Hearing Aid listings are being taken down from EBay;

We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Medical devices and equipment policy. Medical devices that require a prescription can’t be sold on eBay. Listings for other prescription devices must follow our rules.

Pfft - Maybe now, all of us DIYers are going to hell in a handbasket. The bean-counters (my pet name for the persons from major corporations who devise these policies) may now have the upper hand, beginning with the introduction of rechargeable hearing aids.

In light of these new trends, I may not provide support of DIY School Hearing Aids!! I dunno yet. I haven't decided yet? It's too early to tell?

 

[pvc]

At this time the Selling Platform takedowns are based on specific keyword patterns and you might possibly avoid a takedown by using careful wordsmithing.

But I wouldn't rely on this workaround for the future. They can also be flagged/reported to EBay. This has happened before where industry watchdogs were reporting the supply chain counterfeit USB Hi Pro's, See DIY School Legacy Hearing Aids (v2.2) PDF File named (Evolution of the Hearing Aid Programming Devices) for details.