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Swollen batteries are the result of two things: energy density and heat. The swelling is the result of too much current coursing, in a noncontrolled fashion, inside a cell of the battery, which causes a build-up of heat and gas. The most common cause of a swollen battery is overcharging.
Why do batteries swell up?
Batteries can swell for a number of different reasons – such as overheating. In extreme cases, they can even double in size, so that your device’s cover may start to bulge. The phenomenon occurs mainly with lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries.
Can a swollen battery Be Fixed?
There is no way a swollen battery can be repaired. The only options are to replace the battery, or to replace the entire device. This is the main reason why it is a good idea to buy a phone or smartwatch with a removable battery.
How do you treat a swollen battery?
How to Remove and Dispose of a Swollen Battery Do Not Charge or Use the Device. Remove the Battery. Dispose of the Battery at an Authorized Recycling Center. Keep Your Batteries Cool. Use a Quality Charger. Replace Old Batteries. Don’t Leave It Plugged In.
How likely is a swollen battery to explode?
Swollen batteries can explode if not properly dealt with, so you don’t want to take any actions that may hasten the arrival of this unpleasant event. Your laptop or smartphone will likely continue to work with a swollen battery, at least for a little while.
Can you put a swollen battery in the freezer?
Do not put the battery in the freezer. Freezing may cause already-damaged metal components to contract and could cause a short, leading to fire.
Can I use a phone with a swollen battery?
A SWOLLEN LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MAY CATCH FIRE OR EXPLODE. Removing a swollen battery can be hazardous, but leaving a swollen battery inside a device also poses risks. To prevent potential device and bodily harm, a device should not operate with a swollen battery.
What is overcharging a battery called?
This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as little as a few hours.
How much does it cost to fix a swollen battery?
You can contact your manufacturer, use a local repair shop, or replace the battery yourself. Expect to spend somewhere between $50 and $150, depending on how much shopping around you plan to do. A swollen battery is a major inconvenience, and a potential health hazard.
Can lithium batteries be repaired?
In theory, replacing one dud lithium cell in a battery should be real easy. However manufacturers make repairing broken lithium batteries almost impossible. They weld and glue them tightly together so it’s impossible to access individual cells, man-with-a-mission Amrit Chandan explains.
Will Apple replace a swollen battery?
Apple will replace a swollen battery for free if the device is under warranty, including AppleCare+. If the device is not under warranty, Apple will replace a swollen battery for a fee.
What is deep discharging?
Deep discharging — more commonly referred to as over-discharging — occurs in a battery when it has been discharged at its full capacity. If the battery has a high discharge rate, it will have a lower cut-off voltage and vice versa. Also, the cut-off voltage of a battery is sensitive to operating temperature.
Is it safe to use a laptop with a swollen battery?
The general consensus is yes, swollen batteries can be dangerous and can be a fire or explosion hazard. Removing a swollen battery from your laptop can also be perilous, but it’s also unsafe to keep running your laptop with one or otherwise leaving it in your laptop.
Does Best Buy take swollen batteries?
Best Buy accepts a variety of batteries for recycling, but they warn they won’t accept ones that “present a health or safety hazard.” Call ahead wherever you go to make sure the place you’re dropping the battery off can accept a swollen battery.
Is it OK to leave phone charging overnight?
So it’s perfectly safe to charge your phone overnight, just make sure it doesn’t suffer from overheating. That said you’ll be surprised how quick phones can charge today, so you don’t really need to leave it charging for 8 hours. One solution to slow down the charging is to use a wireless charger.
Does leaving your phone on the charger hurt the battery?
Charging My iPhone Overnight Will Overload the Battery: FALSE. Once the internal lithium-ion battery hits 100% of its capacity, charging stops. If you leave the smartphone plugged in overnight, it is going to use a bit of energy constantly trickling new juice to the battery every time it falls to 99%.
What happens if you leave a battery charger on too long?
A: If you leave the charger connected continuously, even at a mere 2 amps, the battery eventually will die. Overcharging a battery causes excessive gassing — the electrolyte gets hot and both hydrogen and oxygen gas are generated. On sealed batteries, the buildup of gases could cause the battery to burst.
Can an iPhone battery explode?
Exploding iPhones are rare, and normally occur because of user-caused damage to a device after it has been sold. There is no rash of exploding iPhone batteries now, or in 2019, when the plaintiff’s battery burst.
How do you bring a lithium battery back to life?
When you take it out of the freezer, let it thaw for up to eight hours to restore it to room temperature. Place the Li-ion battery in the charger and charge it fully. Hopefully, its performance will improve, it will take a charge again and last longer between charge cycles.
