Are there differences in 312 batteries?
I have used 312 batteries in my hearing aids for more years than I want to remember but as of late I am confused. You have switched to a mercury free format which I know is good but are these new batteries the same power and strength as the old ones? Both are rated 1.4 V. I also hear there are some other 312's that are rated 1.45V. Is there a difference between all of these? It is hard to believe that a .05V would make any kind of difference. Thanks
Thanks for your question. I passed it along to our technical team and their response is below.
You are correct: the voltage rating on the card is not the determining factor in how much power is delivered.
The voltage shown is simply an indication of the chemistry used in the battery (Zinc-Air), and is required on the package according to industry standards.
For example, a standard AA alkaline battery package will show 1.5V; a lithium coin battery will show 3.0V.
There are some competitors that are trying to impress consumers by raising this number slightly, implying that it means higher power. But in fact, voltage does not reflect the power. Otherwise, a silver oxide watch battery, which is rated at 1.55V would do really well in an aid…when in fact, it does much worse.
True battery power is quantified in terms of milli-amp-hours (mAh), which is how much current the battery can deliver over time. This is not posted on the package, because it depends greatly on the drain rate of that is used.
During our development of the Mercury Free battery, our goal was to reach the same power (mAh) as the previous design. We came very close to this (within about 5%). So without changing hearing aids, it is unlikely that you would notice any change in power with the move to Mercury free batteries.
However, at the same time we introduced Mercury free, the hearing aid industry changed several things in their hearing aids, which pulls more current from the battery.
So given most people upgrade their aids about every 5 years, people are switching to Mercury free AND getting higher drain hearing aids.
This is giving the impression that Mercury-free batteries may be less powerful, when in fact it could be related to the higher power consumption of their new aid.
I would be interested to know if you have tried both the older design and the Mercury free in the same aids, and if you have seen any noticeable difference.
Thanks for your question and support of Energizer.
7 months ago

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EnergizerNick