I’ve got this old phone with a swollen battery that I haven’t touched in a while. It’s completely dead. If I don’t charge it or mess with the battery, is it safe? I took it to a repair shop, and they said they can replace the battery in about a week. Am I good to wait, or is there a risk it’ll blow up on its own?
This makes me think of an old phone I’ve had sitting in my cupboard for years with the same issue. It was my first expensive phone, so I couldn’t bring myself to toss it. Nothing has happened so far, but I never charged it again. Just make sure it’s completely dead.
@Cory
Same here. Still sitting there collecting dust.
It’s not likely to ignite on its own, but swollen batteries are still risky. Just avoid charging it, puncturing it, or putting it near anything flammable. It probably won’t explode, but if something does happen, it can burn pretty intensely.
As long as you don’t charge it or leave it in a hot spot, it should be fine for a week. Keep it somewhere cool and away from anything flammable. Swollen batteries are a bit scary, but they’re not like ticking time bombs. Good call on getting it replaced soon.
Put the phone on something like a ceramic plate or a metal tray. That should be enough to keep things safe.
There’s always a chance. To be extra safe, store it outside in a bucket of sand. Avoid using water—that’ll make things worse. Sand or kitty litter works best.
I saw one catch fire once, so it seems like batteries can act differently. Better to stay cautious.