Swollen Laptop Battery:
What to Do and What Not to Do?

Early symptoms: the device is already telling you

Swelling does not happen suddenly; it progresses over weeks and each stage has its own symptom. If even one of the following is present, the battery should be examined.

In addition to these, the screws of the bottom cover loosening by themselves or the bottom cover beginning to come away at its edge are also classic signs. Placing the device on a flat table and looking at it from the side at eye level is the easiest way to see the bulging.

Why does it swell?

As lithium-polymer cells age, they produce gas as a by-product of internal chemical reactions. Because the cell is enclosed in a soft pouch, this gas inflates the pouch like a balloon. The main factors that accelerate the process:

• Keeping it constantly at %100 and plugged in. Being supplied with power continuously while the battery is already full wears the cell down. On laptops used like desktop machines, swelling appears much earlier.
• Heat. Running the device on a pillow, under a duvet or in a closed bag cuts off the ventilation and raises the cell temperature. Heat is the greatest enemy of battery life. The causes of overheating in our laptop overheating guide we set out in detail.
• A poor-quality or incompatible adapter. Cheap adapters with poor voltage/current regulation strain the charging circuit and the cell.
• Leaving it completely discharged for a long time. A battery left empty for months enters deep discharge and deteriorates irreversibly.
• Age. Even with the best care the cells age; in devices that have been used for 4-6 years, swelling is an expected outcome.

If you have noticed a swollen battery: this is the order to follow

• Switch the device off. It must be shut down completely, not put into sleep mode.
• Disconnect it from the charger. Do not leave the adapter plugged into the socket.
• Do not press on the lid. Pressing it down so that it “seats”, forcing the screw closed or trying to flatten the bulge is the most dangerous thing to do.
• Place it on a cool, non-flammable surface. Do not leave it on a sofa, bed or carpet; a hard, cool table is suitable.
• Do not carry it wedged into a bag. When bringing it to the service centre, carry the device flat and without pressure.
• Do not attempt to dismantle it yourself. A swollen cell is fixed in place with adhesive; trying to lift it out with a metal tool is the moment when the risk of puncturing is highest.

The cost of waiting

As the swelling progresses, the number of damaged surfaces increases and the job grows. At the service centre the typical progression is as follows:

• Early stage: only the battery is replaced. This is the cheapest and fastest scenario.
• Intermediate stage: the trackpad has been permanently damaged; the trackpad is replaced together with the battery.
• Advanced stage: the bottom cover has become deformed and the keyboard/top case has been damaged by the pressure. These are then part of the job as well.
• Final stage: the pressure has reached the display cable and the mainboard; at that point we are talking about a repair far more extensive than a battery replacement.

A swollen battery is therefore one of the few types of fault that does not become cheaper the longer you wait. Having it dealt with on the day you notice it is the most economical option in every respect.

What we pay attention to during the replacement

Battery replacement requires the correct procedure just as much as the correct part:

• Cell compatibility. Batteries that fit the same model but have different capacities are in circulation. If a low-capacity cell is fitted, the device works but the running time becomes noticeably shorter. We tell you which battery will be fitted when we ask for your approval.
• Controlled removal of the adhesive. Removing a swollen cell requires detaching it without puncturing it; this work calls for a suitable solvent and patience.
• Charging circuit check. Behind a swollen battery there is sometimes a faulty charging circuit. If a new battery is fitted without examining the circuit, the same problem will recur.
• Health measurement and testing. After the new battery has been fitted, the cycle count, capacity and charging curve are checked; the device is run under load before it is handed over.
• Disposal of the old cell. The removed battery stays with us and is passed into the waste battery process; it is not put into household waste.

Extending the life of the new battery

In order not to experience the same scenario again after the replacement:

• If you use it like a desktop computer, switch on the device's charge limiting feature; do not keep it at 100% all the time.
• Do not run it on soft surfaces that block the ventilation openings.
• Use an original or certified adapter; the saving made on a cheap adapter costs you the battery.
• If you will not be using the device for a long time, leave it half charged rather than completely empty.

If your device shows one of the symptoms above, bring it to our centre in Çankaya without forcing the lid, or 0530 338 21 91 tell us the model on this line; we will check the battery condition free of charge.