1

Over the course of weeks, the batteries in my laptop have swollen gradually, forcing open the casing. Only recently was I informed that this can be dangerous, leading the batteries to explode. I'm in contact with the manufacturer now, but communicating with them takes time (the warranty is expired) and I sort of feel like there's a ticking time bomb in my room now after seeing some videos of laptop batteries exploding.

So should I try to remove the batteries myself and dispose of them, or is physical manipulation unsafe and I should wait for a professional to pick it up? I even phoned a computer store, but they didn't want anything to do with it. It's a Gigabyte P34 type laptop.

smcs
  • 123

1 Answers1

2

This is a pretty common failure mode for lithium polymer batteries (though this sometimes happens with prismatic Li-ion cells as well). RC hobbyists encounter this sort of failure pretty often, and I've dealt with this failure mode myself. Even though the battery has failed, it shouldn't ignite or explode if you don't physically abuse the battery or tamper with it.

If you can disconnect the battery from the laptop without damaging the rest of the system, you should do so. The battery is wired to the motherboard but should not be too difficult to remove if you're comfortable working with electronics. Handle the battery carefully and store it in a fireproof container if possible; otherwise, isolate the battery to limit property damage should it catch fire. Contact the local fire department, waste disposal agency, or other government service for safe disposal.

This is a failed battery from an old Android tablet:

Swollen LiPo battery from tablet

bwDraco
  • 46,683