MacBook Air with exploded battery

Removing the battery from the machine

Sep. 14, 2017 - Willem L. Middelkoop

Last night I had a nasty surprise: my original MacBook Air was swollen due to an exploded battery. I immediately had to take action, for reasons of safety and to preserve this piece of modern computer history. Don’t try this at home, but if you do... read along for some practical tips.

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I disconnected the battery from the logic board using a plastic tool (that does not conduct electricity).

This laptop is not supposed to have a bobble...

Make sure to remember what screw went where...

The damage to the battery pack is clearly visible

Swollen and cracked. I carefully looked for any leaks.

The original MacBook Air: Groundbreaking due to its thinness and lack of ports

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