Bloated Battery

[ugadawgs311]

I have a 2008 MB that I have been using as a desktop for the past year or so. I recently took it out from under my desk and noticed that the battery has become very bloated. So much so that I cannot use the mouse on the MB when the battery is attached to the computer.

Will the battery eventually shrink back to it's normal size if I leave it unplugged? Are replacement batteries available?

Thanks for any help!

 

[GGJstudios]

I have a 2008 MB that I have been using as a desktop for the past year or so. I recently took it out from under my desk and noticed that the battery has become very bloated. So much so that I cannot use the mouse on the MB when the battery is attached to the computer.

Will the battery eventually shrink back to it's normal size if I leave it unplugged? Are replacement batteries available?

No, it won't shrink back. Have it replaced before it damages your computer.

Battery Replacement

The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[ugadawgs311]

Thanks for the information. Looks like it'll cost me $129 to replace the battery. Not sure if I want to do that. I can still use the MB when it's plugged in. $129 seems pretty steep. Are any third party batteries available?

 

[AlexMaximus]

Have a look here..

When it comes to third party batteries, there is only one alternative that works really well. Have a short look here:

http://www.newertech.com/products/macb_batt_wht.php

This is the only good brand I know. All other players are questionable china coppies with no guarantee.

 

[bigcat318]

Same thing happened on my macbook pro. I had noticed the battery compartment lid wasnt sitting correctly, and it was due to the battery expanding. They had me remove the battery immediately I got a replacement. I was under AppleCare at the time so it was free.

The computer still runs without the battery, but remember that if you have any sort of power flicker your computer will shut off.

Possibly Useless note: While running with no battery, Starcraft 2 would give me an error message that my battery was running low

 

[GGJstudios]

Thanks for the information. Looks like it'll cost me $129 to replace the battery. Not sure if I want to do that. I can still use the MB when it's plugged in. $129 seems pretty steep. Are any third party batteries available?

I wouldn't trust or recommend any non-Apple battery, due to the number of problems reported with "knockoff" batteries. Also, there is no assurance that knockoff batteries have the same charging technology that Apple uses, involving the battery, the MagSafe adapter and the Mac's logic board.

Battery Replacement

The computer still runs without the battery, but remember that if you have any sort of power flicker your computer will shut off.

It is not recommended to run your Mac on the AC adaptor with the battery out. You'll also have processor speed reduced if you do.

 

[jimmosk]

FYI, even when you're out of warranty, it's possible Apple will swap your battery out for a new one for free - that's what the genius at the Apple Store did for me when my own MacBook's battery swelled up.
Always worth a try!