Embodiments of the invention include a method of charging a rechargeable battery, the method comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of a rechargeable hearing aid in a hearing aid recharger; generating a unique random ID in the charger; transmitting the unique random ID to the hearing aid using an extremely low power protocol; demodulating the unique ID in the hearing aid; using the demodulated unique ID in a low power protocol to advertise the hearing aid on a network which includes the charger; associating the hearing aid to the charger when the charger which broadcast the unique ID receives that unique ID from a hearing aid using a wireless protocol; using the wireless protocol to communicate between the associated charging station and hearing aid; radiating power from the charger to the hearing aid; and ending the association when the hearing aid is removed from the charger.