Forum Discussion

MarkJFine's avatar
MarkJFine
Professor
7 years ago

MacBook Pro Battery/Trackpad Repair

If you have a MacBook Pro that's been in heavy use for 5 years, chances are (like me) your internal battery is toast.


Li-Ion batteries tend to swell when they're beginning the death knell, and such has been the case with mine. I've actually had a spare one for an older 2008 MacBook launch off bookshelf when it swelled (read: exploded).

 

A good indicator of this in later models is when your trackpad no longer has enough freedom to click because the six-pad battery is puttng too much pressure between the backplate and trackpad.


So, I finally broke down and ordered a replacement battery off Amazon. It came today.

 

Despite the horror stories of needed a putty knife to remove the old one, I had the old one out and the new one temprorarily installed within 30'. A good lot of that time was removing the ten screws on the backplate, and two that hold the battery connector stable.

 

The batteries are attached to the frame with a tape adhesive. I left the cover on the tape until I've run the battery through a full cycle and see that it works as it should. Then I'll go back in and make it permanent.

Old battery. You can see how badly it was swollen.Old battery out. The trackpad is just under the center plate in a darker color.New battery installed. See how nice and flat and firm the segments are?

  • maratsade's avatar
    maratsade
    Distinguished Professor IV
    7 years ago

    That's amazing, Mark. I didn't know the batteries swelled up like that with age.

    • MarkJFine's avatar
      MarkJFine
      Professor
      7 years ago

      maratsade

      Yes. Lithium batteries are like explosive weapons when not taken care of properly. In fact, one of the reasons why I live in Virginia is because Lithium batteries weren't allowed on aircraft in the mid 80's.

      I was bringing several military radio systems down here from NJ for testing. I Looked around, noticed the cost of living (including house prices) was like 1/3 to 1/5 of what it was in Monmouth County. Went home and told my wife we were moving. Been here since '87.

      #TrueStory

      • alfresco's avatar
        alfresco
        Senior
        7 years ago

        Is that an OEM replacement battery? I have'nt had good luck with non OEM batteries, the last one I replaced I couldn't get the Macbook to recognize the battery had the same problem with an I pod.

  • alfresco's avatar
    alfresco
    Senior
    7 years ago

    I have a late 2010 macbook air I bought off of Craigslist about a year ago. It only had abou 375 cycles on the battery it now has 675 and the battery life seems to have shortened considerably. (maybe because of age?) I noticed you mentioned putty knives I've found a 5 in 1 painters tool  works well for opening mac mini's, I've bought alot of mac mini's at thrift stores and had to open them to replace the airport card that seems to be the thing that goes out on them.

    • MarkJFine's avatar
      MarkJFine
      Professor
      7 years ago

      Actually, what they recommend is a thread soaked in rubbing alcohol. It supposedly breaks down the adhesive cleanly, but that still sounds a bit messy to me.

      I recently bought a Tekton kit off of Amazon that's a tinkerer's dream. Not only has the PL1.2 and T4 bits needed to uncork all the screws, but has a magnetic mat to keep them in one place when you've taken them out (and geometrically positioned to where you got them from - I like screws to go back exactly where they came from). But it also came with these two. Came in real handy here.

      • alfresco's avatar
        alfresco
        Senior
        7 years ago

        I'm going to have to get me one of those Tekton kits:smileyhappy: Hopefully my wife has enough in her pay pal. :smileyhappy:

    • GabeU's avatar
      GabeU
      Distinguished Professor IV
      7 years ago
      alfrescowrote:

      I've bought alot of mac mini's at thrift stores and had to open them to replace the airport card that seems to be the thing that goes out on them.

      Do they verify that they actually work before they sell them, or are they a kind of an "as is" thing?  How much do you usually find them for?  

       

      I've always been a little leary about buying electronics from second hand places.  

       

       

      • alfresco's avatar
        alfresco
        Senior
        7 years ago

        They're an as is kind of thing. I only buy them if they're Cheap enough to where if I brick them it's no big deal. The ones I've bought have been $ 5.00. I'm using the last mac mini I bought as a media center.