Hearken Hearing Health Inc.

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Hearken H85: Operation and Maintenance

The Hearken H85 Hearing Aid
Special Offer Expires October 15, 2009
Free Battery Tester & Batteries with Every Order!

* After tax credits, if you qualify. To find out, see our Rebate for Canadians page.

Before You Begin

Read all instructions carefully before operating the hearing aid..
Set the volume control to the lowest (1). Later, you will adjust the volume to suit your needs.
Dispose of dead batteries at a recycling drop-off. Warning! Batteries can explode if disposed of by burning.
When not in use, store the Hearken Hearing Health H85 hearing aid in its protective case in a safe place (away from children and pets) with a constant temperature and humidity, preferably in a cool, dry place.

Operation

Familiarize yourself with the parts of your H85 Hearken H85 Controls and Switches

On-Off Switch: "M" (left) for microphone on; "O" (right) for off. Note: the center position is "On" with a different tone quality (feel free to experiment).
Volume Control: 1 (lowest volume) to 4 (highest volume)
Wind-noise-reducing microphone
The Hearken H85 hearing aid is worn behind the ear as shown.

Put on the hearing aid

Sit at a table (like a vanity table), with a mirror in front of you.
Turn the hearing aid off ("O" position on switch).
Hold the hearing aid between the thumb and index finger of the hand on the same side as your ear, with the main body (beige) towards the back of your ear, and the hearing tube assembly (translucent hose and ear bud) towards the front of your ear.
Raise the hearing aid above your ear, and then lower it over of your ear. The H85 should rest loosely and comfortably on your ear, without pinching or pressure.
Place the ear bud into the entrance of your ear canal. Gently adjust the ear bud until it fits comfortably and snugly.

Turn on and adjust hearing aid

Set volume to "1".
Turn the hearing aid on ("M").
If the sound output is not loud enough for you, slowly increase the volume from "1" towards "4". If you hear a whistling noise, immediately lower the volume until the whistling sound ceases. If the ear bud is not snugly in your ear, the microphone may be "feeding back" (hearing and amplifying the output of the ear bud in a feedback loop). If the ear bud is cracked or broken, it can allow sound to escape, causing feedback and whistling. See Changing the Ear Bud

I wear my hearing aid and most people do not notice that I am wearing it.
—R.P., Montreal, QC Canada, October 2008

Maintenance

Cleaning

Your ear secretes wax (cerumem, a yellow-brown secretion). If ear wax blocks (even partially) the hollow ear bud, the sound from the H85 will be reduced or blocked completely.

Daily, and if sound output decreases, remove the H85 hearing aid and inspect the ear bud for ear wax.
If the ear bud is blocked with wax, discolored, or dirty, remove the flexible ear bud by gently twisting it off, and then place it in a solution of soap and warm water.
Let the bud soak overnight (if you want to use the H85 sooner, soak just long enough to soften dirt, and then wash).
Remove ear bud from soapy water.
Rinse; gently remove wax and dirt particles.
Dry the ear bud.
Replace the ear bud snugly onto the hard plastic (transparent) elbow.

Changing the Ear Bud

If you hear a whistling sound, then:

Reduce the sound volume. This should help to eliminate the sound.
If unsuccessful, using your fingers, feel the ear bud to ensure it fits comfortably and snugly.

If the whistling continues:

Remove the hearing aid.
Select a larger or smaller ear bud (your hearing aid has a medium size ear bud). Ear canal size varies between people.
Twist the ear bud while gently pulling it to remove it from the attached elbow piece.
Select the appropriate size ear bud.
Twist the new ear bud, while gently pushing it onto the elbow piece.
Replace the hearing aid with the new ear bud; the whistling will discontinue.

Testing and Changing the Battery

Use hearing-aid battery type 675. Change the battery with the H85 on a smooth flat surface (like a table).

The battery compartment is located at the lower end of the H85, below the volume switch. Photo at right shows the H85 with the battery compartment fully opened and the positive terminal (the wider side of the battery) of the battery facing up.

Place the H85 on a flat surface like a table.
Holding the H85 firmly in place with one hand, use the other hand to unlock the battery compartment by gently pushing on the raised tab below the volume control (the thumb nail works well for this). The compartment releases and begins to swing out.
Swing the swivel compartment fully open by pulling the tab on the bottom (the other side).
Flip the H85 over. The narrower negative terminal of the battery is now visible.
Gently push on the negative side of the battery to dislodge it from the battery compartment. Once dislodged, the battery falls out easily.
Test or discard old battery. To test the battery using the battery tester provided, insert the battery between the metal spring clips on the tester, with each side of the battery making firm contact with one of the spring clips. It does not matter which side contacts which clip. If the red light on the battery tester lights, then the battery is good (but possibly not powerful enough for satisfactory performance).
Flip the H85 over (positive terminal side up).
Insert the new battery, negative terminal side facing down (the battery will only go in this way, by design, as the positive side is wider than the negative side).
Remove the protective strip on the positive side of the battery.
Very important! Confirm that the battery is flush with the top of the battery compartment.
Swing the battery compartment to its closed position, and snap it firmly into place.

A battery tester is provided for your convenience. Remove your existing battery and slide the battery into the opening on the battery tester and the test light should shine brightly, which indicates that your battery has life left in it. If the light is dull or does not shine, discard that battery and replace a new battery in your hearing aid.

Battery life will depend on the time of use and other factors. Turning off your hearing aid at night when you are not using your hearing aid should increase the battery life. Battery life can generally last between one and two weeks.

Some wearers say that they replace their battery at a specific time once a week. In this manner, their hearing aids are always at peak performance. Weak or dead batteries reduce the performance of the hearing aid.

12-Month Warranty

If your hearing aid becomes defective during the first 12 months after purchase due to a manufacturing defect, we will at our discretion, repair or replace it, free of charge. This warranty applies only to hearing aids. Please contact us for warranty return instructions. If you have had the hearing aid for more than 90 days, a $40.00 fee for shipping and handling will apply.

If hearing aid becomes defective within the first 90 days of ownership, no shipping and handling fee will apply to return for warranty repair or replacement.

Damage caused by abuse is not covered under this warranty.

Service and Repair outside of Warranty