Another Dell Laptop blows up.

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: raz3000
I have that exact laptop - Latitude D600. I use it all the time, even now. How is it even possible for something like this to happen? This must be aftermarket junk or something.

LiPo batteries (all of them) can catch fire if they are used in the wrong way (ie wrong charge current, discharged too low...).
They have found their way in to RC and this can happen. They do not take hits well and can explode.

 

[zimu]

here are the pics for those of you too lazy to open forums. they're bloody slow.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3028-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3029-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3031-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3034-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3039-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3040-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3041-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3042-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3043-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3044-1200.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/zimu/CIMG3050-1200.jpg

 

[Pepsi90919]

dude, i'm not gettin a dell

 

[Modular]

Originally posted by: GrammatonJP
aren't these the guys thats gonna let cell proc died in the PS3 ? hahah

?

English..

 

[ModeEngage]

That was quite comical.

 

[NoMoMoney]

Phew, I thought for a second it was a D610... glad it's not... Now back to leaving my laptop unattended for long periods of time in the lab...

 

[Zach]

Good job with the pics zimu.

Looks like it blew while on the doc. Overcharged?

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: raz3000
I have that exact laptop - Latitude D600. I use it all the time, even now. How is it even possible for something like this to happen? This must be aftermarket junk or something.

I've got about 40 of the D600's and about 10 D610's sitting in an overhead storage right next to my desk, and another 10 D600's on the other side of the room. I'M DOOOOOOOOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[CocoGdog]

I'd build a system like this for security reasons. If the laptop gets stolen and you don't really want the data to be out there, just connect the mac addy to the battery and BAM!!!!

 

[TTM77]

Originally posted by: CocoGdog
I'd build a system like this for security reasons. If the laptop gets stolen and you don't really want the data to be out there, just connect the mac addy to the battery and BAM!!!!

I was thinking this days ago. It's a very good security and detern theft. Put in wrong password 3 times..."boom". Put this in bluetooth headset, if it turn on and don't detect the phone it link with... "boom".

Anyway, is the HD far away from the batt? Can it be salvage?

 

[IGBT]

..just imagine the panic if that thing lit off on a crowded commuter train or plane.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

AT effect kills tomshardware forums

 

[Fraggable]

It looks like the HDD is opposite the battery on the other side of the laptop. It'd be interesting to see if it was damaged beyone repair. There is the chance that it survived just fine judging from the pics.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: raz3000
I have that exact laptop - Latitude D600. I use it all the time, even now. How is it even possible for something like this to happen? This must be aftermarket junk or something.

LiPo batteries (all of them) can catch fire if they are used in the wrong way (ie wrong charge current, discharged too low...).
They have found their way in to RC and this can happen. They do not take hits well and can explode.

Yea, there has been some scary stuff with these lithium batteries. The CR123 batteries have had some bad incidents. Here's a link from a flashlight geek forum. Scroll down to the pics where one went off and nearly blew the tailcap of a flashlight through a solid oak cabinet door.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=124776

And the stuff they put out when they burn isn't any to healthy either.

They need to do something about this crap or take them off the market. If that had happened when nobody was around it could have burned the place down. Or what about spare batteries or a laptop in checked luggage on a plane? Actually, that scenario may have already happened to a UPS plane:

http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/07/13/ntsb_laptopbattery_upsfire/
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/0712bizups.html
http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/15/ntsb...eries-as-possible-cause-of-plane-fire/

 

[neutralizer]

I have D600. When the battery from 0% to 100%, the battery get so hot I think it would explode.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

*Cautiously nefs on Dell laptop*

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
It looks like the HDD is opposite the battery on the other side of the laptop. It'd be interesting to see if it was damaged beyone repair. There is the chance that it survived just fine judging from the pics.

you have to remember the tolerances that hdds are constructed to. the heat would probably cause platters and heads to touch each other, possibly crush and cause massive data corruption even if the hdd case dosent seem physically damaged. Remember even putting a hdd in the freezer can cause the hdd platters to shrink(aka the freezer repair for stuck heads on hdds) so the heat from the fire would likely cause some sore of catastrophic expansion on the insides of the hdd.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

thats what they call "venting with flame"

 

[feelingshorter]

Originally posted by: jjsole

Originally posted by: tfinch2
Aftermarket battery from China? I'd be surprised if it were a Dell OEM battery.

If it was the original battery it wouldn't be the first to pop.

was the last laptop that exploded using dell OEM? Almost all cell phone explosions are from cheap china batteries so i would nearly suspect the same thing.