Can your battery Actually Implode

[G4PPC]

I decided to keep my MacBook Pro with it's built in Battery although every once and awhile it goes to displaying Service Battery again, but after I restart in recovery mode and restart my Mac it goes back to Condition Normal and stay's that way most the time. The seller where I have my Warranty said they could replace the Battery for me or send a replacement Battery with the tools and I could do it saying it is easy to replace, but I was looking at what you have to do on iFixit to get to the Battery and that is one complicated job, so I know I can't do it and I'm also afraid that they will break something inside my MacBook if I have them do it, so I don't want to send it in..

So I was wondering if the built in battery can actually explode? And if it keeps coming up and saying Service Battery how long do you have to replace it? Will it eventually catch on fire? Or what happens if you just keep ignoring it?

 

[bobcomer]

It can catch fire, lithium ion batteries are terrible for that. I don't think the'd actually explode but the fire could be very hot. If you keep using it, it's only a little on the dangerous side, but you'll notice it expanding first. It'll actually break your macbook when it expands. I'm not expert though, just my experiences...

 

[Alpha Centauri]

What MBP and what's the battery cycle count? Apple Symbol>About This Mac>System Report>Hardware>Power

This explains what can happen to lithium ion batteries. Likely resetting every time, resets the calibration but the problem remains. So whilst chances of explosion or fires are minimal, an expanding battery can ruin your trackpad.

If you have little confidence in the shop, don't want to attempt yourself, isn't it around $200 to have Apple replace it?

 

[G4PPC]

Thanks for the info, I guess I don't have to worry about it swelling.

It's a 13" Mid 2012 MBP, and it has 649 cycles but it still charges to 100 percent.

Cycle Count: 649
Condition: Normal

It mostly stays at Normal, but sometimes it will say service battery or well it has said that only two times so far.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Thanks for the info, I guess I don't have to worry about it swelling.

It's a 13" Mid 2012 MBP, and it has 649 cycles but it still charges to 100 percent.

Cycle Count: 649
Condition: Normal

It mostly stays at Normal, but sometimes it will say service battery or well it has said that only two times so far.

If that's the original battery, that's pretty good going. Sure it may charge to 100% I'm assuming you're not getting much time out of it. If it was me (and keeping it), I'd get Apple to change it whilst they're still available and they (Apple) service them. For the sake of a couple minutes to remove the base plate it may be worth you physically seeing if the battery has begun swelling.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"It's a 13" Mid 2012 MBP"

If it's a "unibody" (NON-retina) MBP, the battery is easily replaceable.
(the unibody model has the DVD drive on the right)

If it's a retina model, battery replacement is more of "a job".

 

[floral]

I decided to keep my MacBook Pro with it's built in Battery although every once and awhile it goes to displaying Service Battery again, but after I restart in recovery mode and restart my Mac it goes back to Condition Normal and stay's that way most the time. The seller where I have my Warranty said they could replace the Battery for me or send a replacement Battery with the tools and I could do it saying it is easy to replace, but I was looking at what you have to do on iFixit to get to the Battery and that is one complicated job, so I know I can't do it and I'm also afraid that they will break something inside my MacBook if I have them do it, so I don't want to send it in..

So I was wondering if the built in battery can actually explode? And if it keeps coming up and saying Service Battery how long do you have to replace it? Will it eventually catch on fire? Or what happens if you just keep ignoring it?

Imploding? I'd love to have my battery create a black hole when blowing up instead of making my device burst into flames! It sounds way cooler ;3

 

[orionquest]

Implode like creating a black hole of some sort??? When has this ever happened?

 

[orionquest]

Imploding? I'd love to have my battery create a black hole when blowing up instead of making my device burst into flames! It sounds way cooler ;3

damit, ninja'd. glad I'm not the only one thinking this...

 

[DarkPremiumCho]

‘Service battery’ usually indicates the battery capacity has been degraded to a low level, and cannot be restored by recharging. It does not necessarily mean it has a safety hazard.

It sounds stupid but worked for me: unglue the battery so that you can hear it when shaking/holding the machine. You don’t hear that kind of sound when the battery gets swollen. That’s the time to decommission the old battery.

 

[jav6454]

I decided to keep my MacBook Pro with it's built in Battery although every once and awhile it goes to displaying Service Battery again, but after I restart in recovery mode and restart my Mac it goes back to Condition Normal and stay's that way most the time. The seller where I have my Warranty said they could replace the Battery for me or send a replacement Battery with the tools and I could do it saying it is easy to replace, but I was looking at what you have to do on iFixit to get to the Battery and that is one complicated job, so I know I can't do it and I'm also afraid that they will break something inside my MacBook if I have them do it, so I don't want to send it in..

So I was wondering if the built in battery can actually explode? And if it keeps coming up and saying Service Battery how long do you have to replace it? Will it eventually catch on fire? Or what happens if you just keep ignoring it?

Implode? No. Explode? Unless given extreme power levels. Catch fire? Yes, under certain conditions. Service battery just means the cycles are high and power retention is low.

 

[IsaacFOK]

Mac Books have a BMS which will switch off FET's isolating all the cells so that the battery cannot be charged/discharged. This stops the battery from exploding, but it won't stop the battery from gassing and expanding due to age/internal cell age related fault.