A SWOLLEN LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MAY CATCH FIRE OR EXPLODE. … Removing a swollen battery can be hazardous, but leaving a swollen battery inside a device also poses risks. To prevent potential device and bodily harm, a device should not operate with a swollen battery.

Similarly, Will swollen battery explode?

Yes. A swollen lithium-ion battery can be extremely dangerous if left in your device. … A swollen cell phone battery could even catch fire or explode while you’re holding it, leading to serious injury.

Additionally, Can a dead lithium battery explode? Lithium-ion batteries are found in many common devices. But under the right (or wrong) conditions, they can catch fire and even explode.

What does it mean when a phone battery gets fat?

What Causes a Swollen Battery? … The most common cause is an overcharge of the battery, which causes a chemical reaction between the electrodes and the electrolyte, resulting in the release of heat and gases that expand inside the battery, causing the casing to swell or even to split open.

How do I dispose of a swollen power bank?

To properly dispose of a swollen battery, make sure to place the battery on a non-flammable surface or inside a fire-proof container. Metal surfaces and sand work best. Do not throw the battery in the trash. Do not expose the battery to liquids and moisture.

Can you put a swollen battery in the freezer?

Do not put the battery in the freezer. Freezing may cause already-damaged metal components to contract and could cause a short, leading to fire. Freezing is outside the engineered temperature range even for an undamaged battery, leave the battery at ambient temperature.

How likely is a lithium battery to explode?

Lithium-ion batteries have a failure rate that is less than one in a million. The failure rate of a quality Li-ion cell is better than 1 in 10 million.

Will a dead battery explode?

Maintenance-free or sealed gel batteries cannot explode as there is no liquid acid present, and the chemical make-up of the battery differs from that of the lead acid type. This means that no hydrogen gas is generated, so there is no risk of a spark igniting anything.

Do dead batteries explode?

It’s an unfortunate mistake, because batteries often do explode without warning. … Thirty-one percent of those injuries occurred during the use of battery chargers, 26% from handling battery cables, 19% from jump-starting dead batteries and 19% from checking or adding battery fluid.

What should I do if my phone battery is swollen?

To summarize: If your battery is swollen, stop using your phone ASAP. Let the charge run down, then investigate your repair options. You can contact your manufacturer, use a local repair shop, or replace the battery yourself.

Why does a battery swell up?

Swollen batteries are the result of two things: energy density and heat. The swelling is the result of too much current coursing, in a noncontrolled fashion, inside a cell of the battery, which causes a build-up of heat and gas.

What does a swollen battery look like?

Signs of a Swollen Battery

As the battery expands, your device might slowly change shape. For example, your laptop keyboard could start protruding, or you may notice your device is suddenly wobbly when you lay it on a flat surface, with the lower part of the chassis a bit distended if you look at it on edge.

How do I dispose of a power bank?

Always drop your used electronic products, batteries or any accessories at the nearest Authorized E-Waste Collection Points. When the device reaches the end of their life, always disconnect the battery from product, and ensure any glass surface is protected against breakage.

Where can I throw a power bank?


Places in Singapore which you can dispose of your electronic waste.

  • In most Schools, Polytechnic, University in Singapore.
  • Certain outlets at Singapore Post Office, SingTel, Starhub.
  • Certain shopping malls.
  • DHL centres.
  • Some supermarkets, Harvey Norman outlets.
  • 24 Shells petrol station.

Where can I throw away power bank?

  • Recycling stations in customer service centres and libraries.
  • Book a power pick-up with RecycleSmart.
  • Recycle It Saturday drop-off events.
  • Household Chemical CleanOut events.
  • Shops such as Aldi, Officeworks and Battery World.

What happens when you put a battery in the freezer?

While cold environments help maintain battery life, refrigerators and freezers are not safe to put batteries in. The moist environment will cause condensation on the batteries. This in turn will lead to rust or other damage. Avoid putting batteries under extreme temperatures at all times.

What to do with a bulging battery?

The only thing to do with your old, swollen battery is dispose of it. With lithium-ion batteries, you should proceed with caution, so as to not puncture the battery when handling it or removing it from your PC. Never pry at the battery with metal tools, or flex it in a swollen state.

Does putting a lithium battery in the freezer?

Basically, lithium ion batteries are made of electrodes and electrolytes while they have no water in them, therefore, a freezing temperature is not going to bring a major effect on its working.

How explosive is a lithium battery?

Lithium-based batteries are extremely powerful, and potentially highly explosive. When they are recharged repeatedly, something called dendrites may form and can trigger a short circuit, causing the battery to burst into flames.

How do you keep lithium batteries from exploding?


Minimize the Risk of Lithium Battery Fire

  1. Avoid storing at high temperatures. Don’t keep batteries in hot vehicles. …
  2. Avoid keeping all your items containing lithium-ion batteries together. When you travel, especially on a plane, you’ll have all your electronic items in one bag. …
  3. Avoid overcharging your batteries.

What happens when lithium batteries explode?

Lithium-ion and lithium-metal cells are known to undergo a process called thermal runaway during failure conditions. Thermal runaway results in a rapid increase of battery cell temperature and pressure, accompanied by the release of flammable gas.

What happens if a battery explodes?

When a battery leaks or explodes, it deposits potassium hydroxide on the battery terminals and sometimes on the circuitry inside the device being powered. The corrosive chemical quickly degrades these metal parts, so it’s important to clean it up.

What would cause a lead acid battery to explode?

Why did the battery explode? Lead-acid batteries can produce explosive mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen gases when they are being charged. When the employee wiggled the cable it probably sparked the explosive mixtures.