Orig. Nokia battery, in unused phone, recently taken out and installed, gets "puffy"?

[VirtualLarry]

I know someone that had an old phone, purchased some time ago, but never used. Their current phone is failing, so they took the old phone out and put it together.

I'm curious what happens to Li-Ion or Li-Poly cell phone batteries when they are stored at room temp for a number of years.

Person said that the phone's back cover wouldn't close. Then they noted the battery was "puffy" in the middle. I asked them if it was getting worse, they said it was.

I told them that it was a fire hazard, and to immediately put the battery into something metal.

I thought that this wasn't supposed to happen to official batteries.

Any ideas?

It's just an older Nokia bar phone.

 

[Rakehellion]

Put the battery into something metal? What does that mean?

Batteries should be stored in a cool place with low humidity, and preferably kept away from dust. Lithium ion cells have a penchant for exploding when mistreated.

 

[pm]

Puffy is a bad sign. It means that the electrolyte is decomposing and hydrogen gas is being produced. It's not necessarily a sign of immediate fire danger, but it's not a good thing at all since hydrogen gas is flammable and potentially explosive and it's generally a sign that the cell is deteriorating.

Personally, I would take the cell, as it is, over to Best Buy, stick it in one of their bags there and let them recycle it. It is not an immediate fire danger, but it's definitely a sign that the cell is going bad and so I wouldn't recommend using it any more and storing it in the house long-term is pointless and potentially dangerous.

As far as OEM cells being immune to this problem - all cells can have this problem regardless of the manufacturer - although usually the manufacturer's use quality cells which do not have this issue unless seriously abused. It could be sign that the person left the phone in the sun or in the car on a very hot day. Or it could be a problem with the battery charger circuit on the phone. Or it could just be a quality control issue at the factory, or maybe the cell wasn't really an OEM cell and someone swapped in a counterfeit battery. Or maybe the cell is just old... they all start getting puffy after 3-4 years.

 

[VirtualLarry]

As far as OEM cells being immune to this problem - all cells can have this problem regardless of the manufacturer - although usually the manufacturer's use quality cells which do not have this issue unless seriously abused. It could be sign that the person left the phone in the sun or in the car on a very hot day. Or it could be a problem with the battery charger circuit on the phone. Or it could just be a quality control issue at the factory, or maybe the cell wasn't really an OEM cell and someone swapped in a counterfeit battery. Or maybe the cell is just old... they all start getting puffy after 3-4 years.

The phone was in retail packaging, with the battery separate. It has been stored like that, in retail packaging, for several years, at room temp.

The battery had never been used in the phone, or charged. It was in the process of being installed into the phone for the first time when it was noticed that it was puffy, and getting worse.

The battery was disposed of in a metal container.

Why would you say that the cell phone is in need of recycling? Couldn't I just get a new battery for the cell? It's unused.