Not working for me at all

It's hard to recommend specifics, but I think a common problem is trying to fit the aneros experience into a certain template of what you want/expect to feel. Listening for signals only on a particular channel, and discounting the rest as noise. I think you should try to "explore the frequencies". It might be easier to follow different sensations if you let off that sexual tension a few hours before a session, so you can explore the aneros without constantly pulling things in the direction of release as-you-know-it.
In this way, you're not using the aneros as a tool to solve a particular problem, but rather taking the time to see what the tool is good at.

On the dry aneros issue, I get that too if I only use water based lube. These days I coat the aneros with something thicker that'll still be there in three hours.