iPhone 5 or earlier What to do with vintage iPhones and Apple devices with batteries - fire risk?

[xxray]

So I still have some of my first Apple devices like an iPod Classic, some old iPhones, an old MacBook, etc. I don't really want to get rid of them, but I'm concerned about battery swelling issues and the fire risk associated with that. I have some other non-Apple devices from around the same period as my first Apple devices, and most of their batteries had started swelling. Luckily, I can just take the batteries out of those devices and keep them, but the same can't be said about the Apple devices that make it a lot harder to remove the batteries.

What do you do with your old/vintage Apple devices?

 

[Shirasaki]

I would probably replace the battery if I can, if I notice swelling. Otherwise, just keep it in a drawer somewhere.

 

[Splitrail]

I would probably replace the battery if I can, if I notice swelling. Otherwise, just keep it in a drawer somewhere.

OP has a good question related to safety.
"Keeping it in a drawer somewhere" won't mitigate the potential fire danger.

 

[Splitrail]

So I still have some of my first Apple devices like an iPod Classic, some old iPhones, an old MacBook, etc. I don't really want to get rid of them, but I'm concerned about battery swelling issues and the fire risk associated with that. I have some other non-Apple devices from around the same period as my first Apple devices, and most of their batteries had started swelling. Luckily, I can just take the batteries out of those devices and keep them, but the same can't be said about the Apple devices that make it a lot harder to remove the batteries.

What do you do with your old/vintage Apple devices?

Good question.
Check with your local municipality for disposal and recycling options.
The fire department may also have info.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

I say... if you just want them as non-functioning display pieces... just remove the batteries. If you want them to continue to function, then you will need to perform yearly maintenance on them... and replace the batteries every so often.

 

[MarkC426]

I have my iPhone 2g (2007) in its box, plus iPod 3rd gen (2003) in its box, unused for ~13-18 years.

 

[maerz001]

Is there even a fire risk with empty batteries?

 

[MarkC426]

I just checked my boxed Samsung S6 and Sony Experia T (skyfall), both look fine.

 

[1rottenapple]

classic iPods have batteries online. And servicers. Keep replacing them and cross that bridge when it’s 2060 and there’s no more batteries being produced

 

[eyoungren]

So I still have some of my first Apple devices like an iPod Classic, some old iPhones, an old MacBook, etc. I don't really want to get rid of them, but I'm concerned about battery swelling issues and the fire risk associated with that. I have some other non-Apple devices from around the same period as my first Apple devices, and most of their batteries had started swelling. Luckily, I can just take the batteries out of those devices and keep them, but the same can't be said about the Apple devices that make it a lot harder to remove the batteries.

What do you do with your old/vintage Apple devices?

Periodically I will charge them and use them for something.

Most of the time they are here…the 11PM (left, front) is my primary iPhone), the 6s+ (right, front) is my secondary phone (second line). The Pixel 3a XL (left, rear) and iPhone 6+ (right rear) are used as clocks and music streamers. The 6+ I just got about a week ago to replace the 6+ I had to trade in when I switched carriers in 2015. It's unlocked and I've verified I can make calls and use data on it. Just needs a new battery which I plan to take care of this weekend.

 

[Wando64]

So I still have some of my first Apple devices like an iPod Classic, some old iPhones, an old MacBook, etc. I don't really want to get rid of them, but I'm concerned about battery swelling issues and the fire risk associated with that. I have some other non-Apple devices from around the same period as my first Apple devices, and most of their batteries had started swelling. Luckily, I can just take the batteries out of those devices and keep them, but the same can't be said about the Apple devices that make it a lot harder to remove the batteries.

What do you do with your old/vintage Apple devices?

The battery will discharge fairly quickly.
I have never heard of a discharged battery causing any problem such as swelling or being the cause of fires.

By all means if anybody has evidence to the contrary, just let me know.

By the way, I have loads of old Apple devices. Some are used for specific tasks and recharged regularly. Some are just kept in a cupboard fully discharged. I’ve never had a swollen battery on an Apple device. Lucky, I guess.

 

[zakarhino]

Discharged batteries pose almost zero threat. Somewhere in my house is an old first generation iPhone. We found it recently and charged it with an old 30 connector. Still works and it had been sitting in a drawer for a decade without use. Did the same with an iPod Nano first gen, an almost 20 year old device, charged and worked perfectly. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[1rottenapple]

Discharged batteries pose almost zero threat. Somewhere in my house is an old first generation iPhone. We found it recently and charged it with an old 30 connector. Still works and it had been sitting in a drawer for a decade without use. Did the same with an iPod Nano first gen, an almost 20 year old device, charged and worked perfectly. I wouldn't worry about it.

I think you’re right. It’s only when it’s old and recharge it could potential be an issue.

 

[JamesMay82]

The battery will discharge fairly quickly.
I have never heard of a discharged battery causing any problem such as swelling or being the cause of fires.

By all means if anybody has evidence to the contrary, just let me know.

By the way, I have loads of old Apple devices. Some are used for specific tasks and recharged regularly. Some are just kept in a cupboard fully discharged. I’ve never had a swollen battery on an Apple device. Lucky, I guess.

I have a 2010 MacBook Pro that the battery wasn't holding a charge anymore and needed replacing. It went in the draw and a month later it had swelled. I had 3 other MacBooks from 2012 and they hadn't swelled but other parts had broken on them so just ended up throwing them all out.

I have 2010 iMac which is now the kids computer and a 2008 iMac which has snow leopard on and in stored away but occasionally I bring it out for a trip down memory lane. The lane is very short though because the safari browser won't let me go on many sites.

for the phones my wife is a fitness instructor so they end up as back up iPods if we ever need them.

 

[eyoungren]

The lane is very short though because the safari browser won't let me go on many sites.

Why do you only stick with Safari? Just because it's Apple?

Web browsers for early Intel Macs

Finding web browsers that are still usable on today’s web can be a chore for older versions of OS X. The following is a list of known, up-to-date (or relatively up-to-date) and maintained web browsers, e-mail clients, and FTP clients, for Intel Macs with at least Snow Leopard support, then Lion...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[rumz]

I have a 2010 MacBook Pro that the battery wasn't holding a charge anymore and needed replacing. It went in the draw and a month later it had swelled. I had 3 other MacBooks from 2012 and they hadn't swelled but other parts had broken on them so just ended up throwing them all out.

I have 2010 iMac which is now the kids computer and a 2008 iMac which has snow leopard on and in stored away but occasionally I bring it out for a trip down memory lane. The lane is very short though because the safari browser won't let me go on many sites.

for the phones my wife is a fitness instructor so they end up as back up iPods if we ever need them.

Yeah I had an old MacBook Pro (first gen actually) that sat for months unplugged (probably because I’d bought a 2011 MacBook Air). One day I noticed that battery was totally swelling. Only time I’ve had an experience with something that wasn’t in use swelling like that though.

 

[Spotlighter9]

The Apple Store will accept old devices and/or batteries for recycling free of charge!

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah I had an old MacBook Pro (first gen actually) that sat for months unplugged (probably because I’d bought a 2011 MacBook Air). One day I noticed that battery was totally swelling. Only time I’ve had an experience with something that wasn’t in use swelling like that though.

I have a work issued 2015 MBP that my company gave me in 2019 when they hired me. So, I was not the original user of the Mac. I work from home (since the start of the pandemic) so the Mac is always in clamshell mode. Sometime in 2020 or 2021 I start noticing the battery swelling. Well, the thing was always on charger so, aside from the crazy heat of the summer (our central A/C broke in 2020) this was probably why. My boss had the battery replaced and he said the tech was shocked that the battery did not damage any internal components.

After that I set up a power on/power off schedule and every time I clocked out for the day I disconnected the power cable.

Now I have a 2022 M2 issued to me and I shut it down each day. It's connected to a dock that has a power button so I shut that off too at the end of the work day.

Learned my lesson about leaving Mac laptops on charger.

 

[eyoungren]

The Apple Store will accept old devices and/or batteries for recycling free of charge!

All old devices, or just Apple devices?

Do you have to schedule an appointment or can you just walk in and hand it to them?

I have an old garbage LG G-Pad I was given for Christmas one year. It swelled and the battery popped the screen off. Always hated the dang thing so if I could get it out of my garage that'd be wonderful.

 

[rumz]

I have a work issued 2015 MBP that my company gave me in 2019 when they hired me. So, I was not the original user of the Mac. I work from home (since the start of the pandemic) so the Mac is always in clamshell mode. Sometime in 2020 or 2021 I start noticing the battery swelling. Well, the thing was always on charger so, aside from the crazy heat of the summer (our central A/C broke in 2020) this was probably why. My boss had the battery replaced and he said the tech was shocked that the battery did not damage any internal components.

After that I set up a power on/power off schedule and every time I clocked out for the day I disconnected the power cable.

Now I have a 2022 M2 issued to me and I shut it down each day. It's connected to a dock that has a power button so I shut that off too at the end of the work day.

Learned my lesson about leaving Mac laptops on charger.

Yep. I had a 2018 MBP that became stationary for over a year due to Covid (always plugged in, clamshell mode). Sometime shortly after returning to the office in summer 2021 it was swelling. Apple replaced the battery for free actually— but I think part of the issue was being charged at 100% all the time, no? Seems like Apple has addressed this in software to a degree by having devices that usually connected to power only charge to 80% unless you run the battery down enough while in portable mode. (Now using a 2021 M1 Max MBP that was issued in Jan 2022.)

 

[eyoungren]

Yep. I had a 2018 MBP that became stationary for over a year due to Covid (always plugged in, clamshell mode). Sometime shortly after returning to the office in summer 2021 it was swelling. Apple replaced the battery for free actually— but I think part of the issue was being charged at 100% all the time, no? Seems like Apple has addressed this in software to a degree by having devices that usually connected to power only charge to 80% unless you run the battery down enough while in portable mode. (Now using a 2021 M1 Max MBP that was issued in Jan 2022.)

What's strange to me is that my old PowerBook G4 laptops never seemed to have battery swelling issues. That only became a problem (for me) starting with my own 2008 MBP. I have a 2006 MBP too, but that hasn't shown swelling.

I believe it's heat and constant charging creates heat. With my old PowerBooks it just resulted in weak batteries.

 

[Spotlighter9]

All old devices, or just Apple devices?

Do you have to schedule an appointment or can you just walk in and hand it to them?

I have an old garbage LG G-Pad I was given for Christmas one year. It swelled and the battery popped the screen off. Always hated the dang thing so if I could get it out of my garage that'd be wonderful.

I've only ever brought them Apple branded devices and batteries, so I'm unsure. Typically I just walk in and hand them to the first person staffer who greets me. They are happy to take them.

 

[eyoungren]

I've only ever brought them Apple branded devices and batteries, so I'm unsure. Typically I just walk in and hand them to the first person staffer who greets me. They are happy to take them.

Yeah……I don't want to hand an Apple staffer this mangled garbage tablet and have them tell me they don't take non-Apple devices, LOL.

Thanks though, I might look more in to it. I know Best Buy also takes stuff and that's actually closer to me. But they are specific about what they take and this POS tablet is not on their list.

 

[xxray]

Yeah……I don't want to hand an Apple staffer this mangled garbage tablet and have them tell me they don't take non-Apple devices, LOL.

Thanks though, I might look more in to it. I know Best Buy also takes stuff and that's actually closer to me. But they are specific about what they take and this POS tablet is not on their list.

I used this website that to find a place within a mile of me to recycle the old batteries I had:

Call2Recycle | Leading the Charge For Battery Recycling

Recycle your batteries safely & responsibly with the country's largest, most reliable battery recycling program. Learn more today.

www.call2recycle.org

It’ll obviously depend on what the places you have available to you and their policies, but I just walked in, handed them the batteries, and left. Super easy.

 

[eyoungren]

I used this website that to find a place within a mile of me to recycle the old batteries I had:

Call2Recycle | Leading the Charge For Battery Recycling

Recycle your batteries safely & responsibly with the country's largest, most reliable battery recycling program. Learn more today.

www.call2recycle.org

It’ll obviously depend on what the places you have available to you and their policies, but I just walked in, handed them the batteries, and left. Super easy.

I will take a look, thank you.

That said, it's not just the battery of this tablet I wish to get rid of. It's the entire thing.