Swelling battery

I've had 2 Droid X batteries swell up. The first time I noticed was after I hadn't used it in a couple months. I plugged it in to charge and noticed a big "wet spot" under the screen, which I googled and found to be due to swelling battery. Sure enough, my battery was swollen up and I could barely get the battery cover off. I ordered a new battery, and it was fine for a couple months, until the phone completely discharged last weekend and I didn't use it for a couple days after that (it's an extra line). I just picked it up and noticed the same "wet spot" under the screen. The battery has indeed swollen up. Only a few days of being completely discharged and sitting in the phone and another battery is ruined. Pretty flawed battery design if you ask me. I can't even store it completely drained and unplugged for a few days?

 

I just had this happen to my OG Droid battery. I haven't used it since I got my Razr in November, i pulled it out of the drawer and the battery looked like a balloon ready to pop

 

It's actually recommended that if you intend to store Lithium Ion (or Lithium Ion Polymer) batteries, that they be stored at 40% charge (How to Store Batteries – Battery University ). The battery will self-discharge over time, so even if you do store it at 40% charge, it is also recommended that you check the levels on an infrequent basis and charge to 40% again as necessary, but NEVER let the battery sit at 0% for ANY length of time, and even better advice still is to avoid allowing the battery to dip much below 15% unless you are intent on getting to a charger soon and absolutely need that last 5-15% of power to get by until then.

It's not really a "flawed battery design" as you indicated mchoffa, but a mere characteristic of the chemistry in these batteries. They can be very dependable, provide high rates of power, and be long-lasting IF taken proper care of.

For more information on Lithium Ion batteries visit Lithium-based Batteries Information , and explore all the links to the left as well.

 

Motorola has said that the battery swells from time to time depending on how much the phone gets used..........Thats why if you press on the Motorola Logo on the back you may feel it push in a little and hear a sticking noise.....At least they told me that when I called and complained because mine did the same thing

 

Y'all are nuts not taking a swollen battery seriously. You are probably in the 1% of product failures, but when lithium-ion batteries fail it can be a serious release of energy. Swap it out immediately or get a new phone.

Just sayin.

 

I agree 100% with Floyd that a swollen LI or LIPO battery is a potential time-bomb. These batteries can begin a process called "thermal runaway" which can then result in a rupture or explosion followed by volatile gasses being released and the spontaneous eruption of extremely high temperature, torch-like flames. If a LI/LIPO battery is swollen it is a sign that the battery has been stressed beyond its recommended charging rate, maximum voltage, remained at a high level of charge for an extended period of time, was allowed to reach high temperatures during charging or use, or has an internal failure which is producing excess gas expansion.

I would take NO chances with a swollen LI/LIPO battery and be sure NOT to leave it indoors and near any flammable objects or near humans or animals.

 

My og droid's battery blew up & knocked the battery door off the hinges

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using DroidForums

 

This is true, LI/LIPO batteries can swell slightly under what would be called "normal" operation. In fact as part of the manufacturing process LIPO (Lithium Ion Polymer "Pouch") batteries are often actually designed as a two-part pouch. The main part of the pouch is the actual battery, but there's an additional portion of the pouch that is left there to collect any excess gasses produced during the initial charging process. Once the manufacturer has completed the manufacturing and charging, that excess portion, a gas reservoir or "balloon" is sealed off from the main battery and then cut and removed, completing the manufacturing process.

As said by BatteryUniversity.com, sometimes these batteries will still swell slightly during normal charging/use, but if it swells beyond the compartment or area inside the device for which it's manufactured (like if the case will no longer shut properly or bursts open at the seams), it should be considered defective and then should be replaced.

 

If your battery is swelling, it is compromised

Do not listen to industry shill astroturfers on this board. They are paid to play down the hazards. If the battery is swollen, it is COMPROMISED.


While this video is an extreme and forced example on a normal battery, this is what you risk if you don't replace a swollen battery. Skip to 2:00 for the money shot.

 

I have also posted exploding batteries in the forum, and there is no question it happens - even under "normal" use. There are plenty of reports of people suffering burns and more as a result of this kind of failure. So to reiterate, I agree with you - to a point. These batteries can swell up to 10% of their dimension in thickness under normal operation and cause no undue risk. From BatteryUniversity.com (http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/types_of_battery_cells);

[h=2]Pouch Cell[/h] In 1995, the pouch cell surprised the battery world with a radical new design. Rather than using a metallic cylinder and glass-to-metal electrical feed-through for insulation, conductive foil tabs welded to the electrode and sealed to the pouch carry the positive and negative terminals to the outside. Figure 5 illustrates such a pouch cell.
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[TD] Figure 5: The pouch cell
The pouch cell offers a simple, flexible and lightweight solution to battery design. Exposure to high humidity and hot temperature can shorten service life.
Courtesy of Cadex
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The pouch cell makes the most efficient use of space and achieves a 90 to 95 percent packaging efficiency, the highest among battery packs. Eliminating the metal enclosure reduces weight but the cell needs some alternative support in the battery compartment. The pouch pack finds applications in consumer, military, as well as automotive applications. No standardized pouch cells exist; each manufacturer builds the cells for a specific application.
Pouch packs are commonly Li-polymer. Its specific energy is often lower and the cell is less durable than Li-ion in the cylindrical package. Swelling or bulging as a result of gas generation during charge and discharge is a concern. Battery manufacturers insist that these batteries do not generate excess gases that can lead to swelling. Nevertheless, excess swelling can occur and most is due to faulty manufacturing, and not misuse. Some dealers have failures due to swelling of as much as three percent on certain batches. The pressure from swelling can crack a battery cover, and in some cases break the display and electronic circuit board. Manufacturers say that an inflated cell is safe. While this may be true, do not puncture a swollen cell in close proximity to heat or fire; the escaping gases can ignite. Figure 6 shows a swelled pouch cell.
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Figure 6: Swelling pouch cell
Swelling can occur as part of gas generation. Battery manufacturers are at odds why this happens. A 5mm (0.2”) battery in a hard shell can grow to 8mm (0.3”), more in a foil package.
Courtesy of Cadex
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To prevent swelling, the manufacturer adds excess film to create a “gas bag” outside the cell. During the first charge, gases escape into the gasbag, which is then cut off and the pack resealed as part of the finishing process. Expect some swelling on subsequent charges; 8 to 10 percent over 500 cycles is normal. Provision must be made in the battery compartment to allow for expansion. It is best not to stack pouch cells but to lay them flat side by side. Prevent sharp edges that could stress the pouch cell as they expand.

 

I see this all the time at the shop I work at. We actually had a 3 month old iPod touch come in a few weeks ago that had the screen pushed out about half an inch by the battery.
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