Swollen MacBook battery

[LR827]

Forgive me, again, if this has already been covered in another string.

My son is working part-time at the Apple store in LA and told me to check and see if my MacBook battery cover is less than completely flush with the case. It's not. I'd say it is a millimeter above the edge, but he said that is enough to mean it may be swollen. I have always left it plugged in, almost never unplugging it. Now, it is running very slow lately, and I'm wondering if I should replace the battery. I found a replacement battery at this site for $49. So what should I do? Is it a good idea to replace the battery, or is that pointless?

  Model Name:   MacBook
  Model Identifier:   MacBook4,1
  Processor Name:   Intel Core 2 Duo
  Processor Speed:   2.1 GHz
  Number of Processors:   1
  Total Number of Cores:   2
  L2 Cache:   3 MB
  Memory:   6 GB
  Bus Speed:   800 MHz
  Boot ROM Version:   MB41.00C1.B00
  SMC Version (system):   1.31f1

Thanks, and Happy Anniversary!
Lorraine

[krissel]

A swollen battery can cause major problems depending on how bad it is.  Apparently a slight bit of expansion is acceptable by Apple but there is a well-known issue with MacBooks/Pros and swollen batteries causing failure of the trackpad and keyboard.  Not to mention the possibility of the battery actually leaking or even exploding if it gets too hot.

I have a situation with my MBP 2008 that occurs from the heated battery pressing on the Flex cable and causing me to loose the trackpad and keyboard.  If I reboot it will sometimes be Ok but if I remove the battery and run on AC it will be fine for the most part. My battery does not show any visible signs of being swollen but the heat makes it even slightly fatter and presses on the cable.

So, unless you are really cheap and want to "fix" it yourself by puncturing the battery cases to release the gases (not something I would do but others have successfully), then get a new battery.  BTW, running it all the time on AC is not recommended.  I think my problem was exacerbated by doing that myself initially.

Battdepot has a lot of good mentions as to where to get replacements. The one you linked to is out of stock.

[LR827]

Thanks, Krissy. When you mentioned losing the trackpad, I realized that had just happened for a minute or more the night before, and maybe had been doing that momentarily at times before that.

I would try to "fix" the battery myself as you described -- 'cuz I love tinkering -- but the phrase "release the gases" is somewhat off-putting. Extremely, actually. I just added the 6GB memory a couple of months ago (thanks for the advice, TS) which sped up the processing significantly, so I'll go for the new battery.

By the by, if anyone is in the LA Beverly Hills Apple store, say hello to my son, Joe. He's wearing a blue shirt.

[gunug]

QUOTE

So, unless you are really cheap and want to "fix" it yourself by puncturing the battery cases to release the gases (not something I would do but others have successfully), then get a new battery. BTW, running it all the time on AC is not recommended. I think my problem was exacerbated by doing that myself initially.

Krissel, with all due respect it is foolhardy to mess with venting a swollen battery.  Take them out, replace them, and take them to a facility that can safely handle them.  Your Apple Genius Bar guys will tell you this stuff!

QUOTE

Manufacturers of Li-ion batteries refrain from mentioning explosion. ‘Venting with flame’ is the accepted terminology. Although slower in reaction than an explosion, venting with flame can be very violent and inflicts injury to those in close proximity. It can also damage the equipment to which the battery is connected.

http://www.buchmann.ca/chap3-page6.asp

[krissel]

I thought I had expressed myself more clearly in that I was not promoting the idea of puncturing the battery rather that it was possible. I read several instances online of those who had done so and were very happy with the results. Then I saw a video of someone showing how they did it on their MacBook battery and that was enough to turn me off.

It can be done but not recommended.  


More reading for the interested:

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article...safety_concerns

As for "vent with flame", sounds a bit PC to me.  Even Sanyo admits the Li-On batteries can explode. (Link will download a pdf)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&a...prXwXxQz6-As-MA

[gunug]

I'm sorry; struck me at a funny time and it occurred to me you were serious!  

[krissel]

S' OK, John.  Not even my family is always sure what I mean.  

[LR827]

Any thoughts on this site?

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple_lapto...acBook_13_White

[Xairbusdriver]

That company is one of the best around for anything Mac. I've used them quite a bit for bare drives, enclosures and maybe even a battery! You can sometimes find cheaper sites but I trust them!

[krissel]

Agree with Jim.  OWC has an impeccable reputation. Not always the least expensive but you won't get junk from them and their service is reliable.  Have personally purchased mucho from them over the years and gave them feedback on some products to the point that one of the men in the sales department asked if I was interested in becoming a reseller.

[sunset]

An addition to all the great comments above regarding OWC...  Their site has been invaluable to me in the self repair/replacement category.  They have wonderful videos to help customers replace parts and are specific when explaining what tools to use to complete the project.  Because the battery has to be removed when replacing RAM in the MacBook, their video covers that as well.

Good luck with your 'operation'!  =)

Laurel

[RHPConsult]

Another OWC fan, checkin' in.    

[LR827]