Thinkpads Forum

Other non-Dell notebooks could also have bad batteries

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating other makes of laptops which use Sony lithium-ion batteries to see if they also pose a fire risk.

In addition to Dell, Sony also supplies batteries to other manufacturers, such as Apple, HP, and Lenovo to name a few.

Dell is expecting no financial damage from the recall, because supposedly Sony will be taking care of the bill. Consumers will be getting free replacement batteries.

notebookreview.com

Even if there is a small chance, they might do a recall since its the commision that has the final say.

From an engineering perspective, it occurs to me that designing an battery and designing a bomb are very similar problems. The challenge in both cases is to pack as much chemical energy as possible into as little weight and space as possible.

The main difference is that in a bomb you want to release the energy as quickly as possible, while in a battery you want to release it in a controlled manner.

If you screw up that last little bit you get a bomb instead of a battery. Surprising it doesn't happen more often.

Ed Gibbs

Sorry for double post, the news came out today and didnt see the other topic.

Although batteries can explode, it happens extreamly rarely since the conditions to make the energy come in burst are very unlikely. Although suposedly theres around 10 cases of battery explosions in Laptops every year.

egibbs wrote:...

The main difference is that in a bomb you want to release the energy as quickly as possible, while in a battery you want to release it in a controlled manner....

Ed Gibbs

Just a side note: not exactly (bomb difference) - you want to make the way to release the energy quickly but not too fast trying the shell to keep it tight as long as possible in order to make as much as is enclosed explosive stuff to react. This is about the effeciency. Each additional micro/milisecond that you're able to hold it inside will cause more explosive stuff inside to react thus releasing more power. This is why the external contruction of powerfull bombs is usually very tought..

"Following a massive recall by Dell, PC makers HP and Lenovo maintain that their batteries are problem-free. "
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2003826,00.asp
By John G. Spooner