Laptop battery explosion

[Leonardo]

Here in Italy we usually say: "tutto e' bene quel che finisce bene", translating it in English I can say something like: "It's good what ends in a good way"
Anyway, as told some posts ago, I can suggest to everybody to do like me: when I use mobile devices (laptop, netbook or whatever) connected to the power supply, the battery is in the bag! I use battery ONLY when I'm out of office and I use to connect the power cord only to recharge it when it's completely discharged. When the battery is charged I remove it again. Doing this I'm quite sure and the battery life is really improved!

[roobarb!]

I wonder if Apple have ever have these issues with the batteries they fit internally to the laptops these days? I know that they had some units that bulged a couple of years ago, some of which damaged cases, but that was in the days when they had plastic case seams, which just split. These days the batteries are in their unibody enclosures, which means they'd have to fight against an aluminium base panel to expand.

Just pondering. I've not seen any reports of problems. I could imagine it being pretty spectacular if there were.

[ilovemyjoggler]

I wonder if Apple have ever have these issues with the batteries they fit internally to the laptops these days? I know that they had some units that bulged a couple of years ago, some of which damaged cases, but that was in the days when they had plastic case seams, which just split. These days the batteries are in their unibody enclosures, which means they'd have to fight against an aluminium base panel to expand.

Just pondering. I've not seen any reports of problems. I could imagine it being pretty spectacular if there were.

Funny you should mention it as this morning I was trying to find the mac laptop battery - left on overnight under the sofa so heads will roll!! - only to realise it's internal. Might do a google search...

[roobarb!]

Funny you should mention it as this morning I was trying to find the mac laptop battery - left on overnight under the sofa so heads will roll!! - only to realise it's internal. Might do a google search...

Pretty sure all the recent ones are internal now and I've not seen any reports of problems. I read a report about them changing from Li-Ion to Li-Poly when they went internal-only because of a couple of fires with the removable Li-Ion batteries.

You know that if there was an internal battery fire on an Apple laptop it'd be all over the news in no time. The news loves Apple kit, particularly when it goes wrong.

[gegs]

Here in Italy we usually say: "tutto e' bene quel che finisce bene"

We have that saying in English too - "all's well that ends well". It's even the title of a play by William Shakespeare.

This is the only recent thread I haven't read until today. I'll be asking my kids to remove the batteries from their laptops (I, sadly, don't have one).

As others have stated, well done for ensuring the safety of your family before attempting to deal with the fire. Laptops and even houses can be replaced but not your family.

[ilovemyjoggler]

Pretty sure all the recent ones are internal now and I've not seen any reports of problems. I read a report about them changing from Li-Ion to Li-Poly when they went internal-only because of a couple of fires with the removable Li-Ion batteries.

You know that if there was an internal battery fire on an Apple laptop it'd be all over the news in no time. The news loves Apple kit, particularly when it goes wrong.

Thanks roobarb! this is somewhat comforting.

[As an aside - why is there such anti-apple? I worship at the church of apple - intuitive use, quick start up and shut down, millions of apps, sexy designs that feel good in your hands... The only major downfall (and it's a biggie) is the price. ]

[gegs]

[As an aside - why is there such anti-apple? I worship at the church of apple - intuitive use, quick start up and shut down, millions of apps, sexy designs that feel good in your hands... The only major downfall (and it's a biggie) is the price. ]

Please, please, please! Let's not go down the Apple fanboy* / hateboy* route. There's a plethora of this stuff all over the web - it poisons many a decent forum.

*sorry if this appears sexist; I'm sure women are capable of the same level of unswerving adulation / hateful bile.

[Leonardo]

Gegs thanks for English tip, I did a mystake translating "bene" infact it's literally "well" and not "good"!
Good means "buono" in Italian. In this sentence, the concept is the same, in south Italy lot of people use "buono" instead of "bene"

[ilovemyjoggler]

gegs, don't hold back

[gegs]

Gegs thanks for English tip...

As far as I can see Leonardo, you don't need any. I work on a newspaper website and your English grammar and spelling is far better than most of the copy I get from journalists and advertising people - the vast majority of whom are native English speakers.

[gegs]

gegs, don't hold back

I'll try not to ... it's not what I'm known for

[roobarb!]

[As an aside - why is there such anti-apple? I worship at the church of apple - intuitive use, quick start up and shut down, millions of apps, sexy designs that feel good in your hands... The only major downfall (and it's a biggie) is the price. ]

Please, please, please! Let's not go down the Apple fanboy* / hateboy* route. There's a plethora of this stuff all over the web - it poisons many a decent forum.

Haha! You're not wrong, gegs!

It's just that they're such a well recognised brand. My day job has me working with about 80% Apple kit, so I'm jaded enough to be no fanboy. Some of their stuff is awesome, some of it is questionable. Just like a lot of other companies. The strength of the brand means it plays well on news shows, just like Microsoft did in their heyday.

[Leonardo]

Gegs thanks for English tip...

As far as I can see Leonardo, you don't need any. I work on a newspaper website and your English grammar and spelling is far better than most of the copy I get from journalists and advertising people - the vast majority of whom are native English speakers.

haha so, many thanks a lot for saying this!
I started speaking english a lot of years ago, I'm in the IT and I began more than 25 years ago and, at the time, the only way to communicate and to be documented was English language!
But I really cannot define myself a good speaker, I just try to use correct language when I talk and write, in Italian too!

Sadly the same is here in Italy, a lot of people cannot (won't) speak good italian not for a bad education, but mainly for laziness and slackness!!!
You should have to listen how many verbs conjugations are wrong, expecially past forms!
When I hear this I always think: MAMMAMIA!!!

[QuackingPlums]

Only just saw this - was the laptop on at the time and the battery left in with the power connected?

The LiIon/LiPo battery chargers in laptops are actually pretty sophisticated in that they should shut off when the battery is charged, but the one thing all of these chargers do badly is the ability to detect full state when the battery is being used and charged at the same time. Overcharging a pack will not only increase the chances of a cell rupturing but it'll be at its maximum energy density as well!

I always unplug my charger when it states 100% and plug it back in when my 20% remaining alarm goes off, which at the very least, reduces the wear on the battery and makes my laptops last that little bit longer.

Incidentally, over-discharging a LiPo below 3V per cell is just as bad - I'm not doing this to "deep cycle" my battery (as we used to be advised to do with NiMH and NiCd batteries) but just to avoid overcharging it. Most laptop chargers will not allow the battery to drop below 3V per cell anyway and when it says 3% remaining that usually means 3% until the safety cut-off shuts you down automatically. Still, I prefer to be safe than sorry.

[roobarb!]

Sounds like Boeing are having trouble with their Li-Ion batteries too!

[gegs]

MAMMAMIA!!!

A great Italian exclamation that needs no translation

[pete]

Lately I do not pay attention; and I probably should.

Buzz's post did though make me look at what devices that I do leave on chargers these days.

I found laptops, tables and telephones in the house.

That said I do recall leaving an old Panasonic CF-1 very industrial little PC on a docking station charging for some few years (literally). I finally decided one day to just sell it (but I should have kept it). This little PC was very industrial and I think that it was designed by both Panasonic and IBM at the time. I sold it putting it back in the original boxes and shipping it out. The purchaser did write to me stating that the battery pack had burst and leaked whatever inside of the Panasonic. It was totally unnoticible unless you opened up the battery compartment.

I also recall in the late 90's though purchasing a new automobile having the battery explode maybe a week or two after purchase while the car sat idling in the driveway adjacent to the house. The battery top blew off and dented the hood. I was inside of my home and the explosion was loud enough for me to take notice in the house. A bit ironical was that car was not manufactured in the US but rather in Japan (Hiroshoma) (my choice). I kept the vehicle until recently and sold it with 300 k miles on it. That and at 150k miles I blew the engine (my fault) and bought another one and took the engine out of it and put it in this car (it was like a an old shoe; I couldn't get rid of it).

[gegs]

Lately I do not pay attention; and I probably should.

Buzz's post did though make me look at what devices that I do leave on chargers these days.

I found laptops, tables and telephones in the house.

Crikey Pete! We all knew you were a tech-head, but tables that you need to charge - wow!
Do all US households have them? Do they automatically clear the dishes at the end of a meal? If so, I'd like to place an order

[BuZz]

Only just saw this - was the laptop on at the time and the battery left in with the power connected?

I always unplug my charger when it states 100% and plug it back in when my 20% remaining alarm goes off, which at the very least, reduces the wear on the battery and makes my laptops last that little bit longer.

Incidentally, over-discharging a LiPo below 3V per cell is just as bad - I'm not doing this to "deep cycle" my battery (as we used to be advised to do with NiMH and NiCd batteries) but just to avoid overcharging it. Most laptop chargers will not allow the battery to drop below 3V per cell anyway and when it says 3% remaining that usually means 3% until the safety cut-off shuts you down automatically. Still, I prefer to be safe than sorry.

I did have the battery plugged in and the machine plugged into the mains. The battery was old, and only gave 10-15 mins of power. I was aware it was useless, and in hindsight probably should have run it without. The design of the laptop is such it looks rather odd without the battery though, and so I had left it in. Some devices these days don't even have easily removable batteries, so I assume they are not supposed to blow up even when old.

[pete]

Buzz,

I still use a very old Compaq Presario 3000 laptop next to my desktop multiscreen set up. That said I guess I left it there because of its larger screen. The battery did fail a few years back and I never replaced it because I never moved the laptop. That said it still does OK.

Gegs,

The table(s) are prototypes. Some wierd idea from the iRobot company. The charger is using induction from what appears to be a "wooden" floor and very high on the WAF.

That said though I did find a non used but still charging ProGear 1050 Front Path tablet in a docking station with a keyboard on of my bookshelves.

Just thinking about this; did a custom job install of a bunch of book shelves in my office about 10 years ago and a few have power connections / outlets.