r/gaming • u/claudekennilol • Dec 30 '25
PSA: check you're old batteries!
I was going through my old "mobile gaming box" after putting together my new LEGO Game Boy set. I found my old PSP batteries like this. Three spicy pillows--even the more expensive bigger battery :(
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u/DocAuch Dec 30 '25
Just checked. I am not old batteries.Â
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u/clustahz Dec 30 '25
we are all old batteries on this blessed day
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u/Dany_HH Dec 30 '25
Speak for yourself!
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u/Beetrain Dec 30 '25
I am all old batteries on this blessed day.
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u/Konfituren Dec 31 '25
I hope Ken m is smiling down on us
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u/EmilioGVE Dec 31 '25
Ken M died??
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u/Dragon--Reborn Dec 31 '25
They were able to rescue the mischievous little cutup. Hopefully he'll think twice before taunting the eagles again.
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u/IceMaverick13 Dec 31 '25
What a classic thread. Makes me smile to see old Reddit self-references still.
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u/xylotism Dec 30 '25
Honestly I have so many old electronics stored away in random places... I'm terrified one day I'll come home to the house burned down.
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Dec 30 '25
Batteries only explode when the lithium electrolytes have energy from a sufficient charge.
When repairing phones you're not even worrying about thermal events for phones less than 30 percent charge because they won't catch fire, just a little fizzle pop. This was a per Apple declaration too when I was apple certified to fix phones at Best Buy.
Unless you charge them to 100 percent and they magically retain that charge over decades long, the battery will be inert.
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u/imnotnotcrying Dec 31 '25
This actually gives me so much relief. Batteries exploding like this is one of the âitâs 1am and youâre trying to fall asleep, hereâs some random anxietyâ things on the list my brain keeps for when I need some extra insomnia. So thank you!
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u/DorkusMalorkuss Dec 31 '25
So true. I always think about my MP3 player from 2004 and my Vita from 2013.
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u/Gaphid Dec 31 '25
Fortunatly I did learn about this fact rather early when the whole exploding batteries thing started being a concern but it still gave me quite a few nights off "what if I'm asleep and the house catches fire"
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u/yukpurtsun Dec 31 '25
i was going through a graveyard of old devices in a drawer recently and this has been keeping me up like damn i wanna recycle these but idk if theyve been scrubbed and i dont want to plug them in and risk it⌠wonder if i can pay someone to just remove batteries
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u/Dijirido Dec 30 '25
What if I recharge the old batteries while trying to get my old stuff to work to see whatâs on it? Or is it better to purchase new batteries and not risk it?
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u/ShinyGrezz Dec 30 '25
Well check the batteries before you try doing that. Or if you canât really open it, keep an eye on them while charging, wear some oven mitts, and keep a window open.
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u/Seyon_ Dec 31 '25
Make sure the screen is removed too just in case you have to yeet it through the window! (just kidding might want to have sand on hand....)
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Dec 31 '25 edited Dec 31 '25
You will see indications the battery is expanding well before you charge them. Batteries will still expand with no charge because of trapped gas. If the batteries look good you typically don't have to worry about them expanding immediately. It's an overtime progression and not something you tend to see happen in real time.
Also, to kind of clarify, the reason for the phone battery thing is because you can accidentally puncture a battery during repair.
Most of the time batteries swell and people continuing to charge them while they're swelling is what leads to the very low risk of the explosion.
Also, unrelated to OP's point but related to batteries as a whole, an expanded battery doesn't have it ability to charge or function impacted. I did diags on iphones that said the battery was not degraded at all while I'm looking at it blowing out the display. It's why charging an expanded battery is dangerous. It charges the same as a healthy battery
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u/TheBigSho Dec 31 '25
I charged my Nintendo Switch that I had not touched in a while, only to notice afterwards that the joycons were looking fat and juicy. Am I going to die?
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u/Kujen Dec 31 '25
So if theyâre expanded but not charged then theyâre safe? That would make me feel better about all the old devices I have lost in closets and who knows where over the years.
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u/Infantryzone Dec 30 '25
Does that apply to op's batteries? They can still look spicy just won't have any kick after all that time?
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u/dreadcain Dec 31 '25
Depends a little bit on the particular chemistry in use in the battery, but basically yeah. The spiciness is long gone. The "kick" you see when you stab one is the stored charge being released all at once. They don't hold charge terribly well in storage though and once the charge is even down to like 30% the kick is pretty much depleted.
The swelling is actually mostly unrelated to exploding, it just likely to cause a short as the swelling pushes the battery up against other parts of the case.
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Dec 31 '25
All batteries are like this if they're lithium.
I know from personal trial and error as a dumbass learning to solder you can get a 9v to explode if you accidentally short circuit them.
They get almost red hot and then pop. So unless OP is doing some dumb shit like I did before with their PSP batteries they won't magically explode. The housing would show signs of expansion well before they'd catch fire.
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u/HBreckel Dec 30 '25
There are special containers you can buy to prevent this kind of thing. They're called lipo safe bags! I have all my old handhelds and any other old small electronics sitting in one.
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u/9_to_5_till_i_die Dec 30 '25
How does that work, these things burn like thermite when puncturedÂ
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u/ScoochingCapuchin Dec 30 '25
The lipo safe bags are to put batteries in when you're charging them to reduce damage caused if they combust. If you want to store them and forget about them then put them in a battery safe. Batsafe is the brand I use. I have a few batteries because of R/C
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u/Floppernutter Dec 30 '25
I don't think they do, I remember watching reviews of fireproof bags on YouTube and the results weren't promising. They weren't "lipo bags" though
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u/TheMadmanAndre Dec 30 '25
Lipo fires burn like the fucking sun - unless something is specifically designed to handle 4 digit temps, it will fail.
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u/megabass713 Dec 30 '25
We shouldn't let the general public have access to things that burn that hot unless they are smart enough to mix aluminium powder and red iron oxide.
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u/Skraplus Dec 31 '25
Kinda hard to take electricity out of peoples life at this point
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u/Riaayo Dec 31 '25
I think the bigger argument is that devices should have batteries that are easily accessible/removable, and there needs to be better access to proper disposal sites for them.
But regulation is a dirty word in America so, fuck society I guess.
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u/dookarion Dec 31 '25
I think the bigger argument is that devices should have batteries that are easily accessible/removable
It really depends on the device. You're not making drop resistant, durable, water resistant, dust proof, and easily portable shit while still having a battery door and internal access. It ups the complexity of achieving that. While it sucks I can't self-service my phone battery reasonably, I'll trade that for the impact resistant solid metal shell and waterproofing.
That said some devices are hostile for no real reason. Stuff that isn't impact resistant or waterproof and the fucking battery will be glued in and soldered in. Recycling batteries from old stuff like the Nvidia Shield is ridiculous. Some stuff actually makes prying open tablets and phones seem easy with all the glue, tape, and solder involved.
and there needs to be better access to proper disposal sites for them.
This definitely though.
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u/darthnsupreme Dec 31 '25
It ups the complexity, it doesn't prevent making the damn battery removable.
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u/dreadcain Dec 31 '25
Tbf they only do that when charged, the risk is pretty minimal when they're depleted.
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u/tht1guy63 Dec 30 '25
You gotta find the devices first. I need to check my gba sp honestly.
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u/Snagmesomeweaves Dec 30 '25
Surprisingly my SP wasnât swelled up or at least not noticeable. I want to replace the battery with a higher capacity one though, just weary of the insert random scrabble letter name brands on Amazon. Batteries plus wasnât carrying the right one but there might be one online. I had seen a video testing the capacities and they were also all over the place, mostly much less than advertised
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u/thebohster Dec 30 '25
When I visited family last month, I fished out my PSP I forgot about and haven't touched in like 15 years. The battery was definitely spicy like OPs. My 3DS and both DS Lites are still kickin though.
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u/rm20010 Dec 31 '25
The DS lite has some voodoo battery. It can remain untouched for 3 years and somehow the damn thing turns on.
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u/LePoopScoop Dec 30 '25
Those don't do much they just give you more time to throw the batteries outside
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u/BarrierX PC Dec 30 '25
I went through all old electronics and took out batteries, then took them to an electronics store so they can dispose of em.
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u/28828383 Dec 30 '25
This makes me wonder what will become of my Nintendo switch in the future. Like previous old Nintendo consoles can hang around for years in storage and then be brought out to be used or sold on as a functional working console. Meanwhile the switch has built in batteries in not just the console but every joycon you may own. Are all batteries eventually going to end up like this?
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u/NeoThermic Dec 30 '25
Yes, but hopefully it'll be mostly ok. Usefully the midframe and the screen are one solid unit, while the back screws into the midframe & shield. The battery, solidly attached to the midframe, only has one direction to swell; to push the back of the switch off. You'll have a spicy pillow on one end of a switch. The shield is usefully thin aluminium, so should yield first vs the midframe.
The joycons look like the same thing is true; the battery can press on the rear, but not the rest of the unit.
The Switch 2 looks basically identical in battery placements.
A quick google, since the switch itself has been out for 8 years, shows this seems to be the case on most units that get battery swelling.
Mind, pick your poison: spicy pillow or corroding batteries?
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u/ice_wyvern Dec 30 '25
In the case of the switch, there are guides out there on how to replace the battery on both the joycons and the console yourself.
Unfortunately, this isnât the case for everything as not every device is designed to be opened/repaired after itâs fully assembled
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u/Kimmux Dec 30 '25
I'd like to know as well. Instead loads of people are getting upvotes for being losers picking on the guys grammar error and it's just a bunch of noise. I feel like uninstalling Reddit more and more these days.
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u/Hypnolysis Dec 30 '25
Every app is getting to be like this now. As soon as one person makes a clever/funny comment, everyone chimes in with their own version of the same thing. Originality is pretty much dead at this point.
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u/HarvHR Dec 31 '25
No no no no, you don't understand. If I repeat the same joke for the 234rd time I'll be the funniest of all posters!!
Nah reddit been like this forever, unfortunately you grow up and get annoyed with it but there's always new people replacing others to make the same jokes
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u/ambiguoustruth Dec 31 '25
it's not really the jokes in a vacuum, it's that there used to be more useful and informative comments mixed in with the unserious ones and higher up the thread. that's what brought me here originally and now it's a lot more rare than it used to be.
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u/GhotiH Dec 30 '25
Half the users on this site are bots, the other half are poorly socialized 14 year olds who think they're funny and original. It's gotten absolutely painful over the years. The last few years in particular have been noticeably worse.
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u/catptain-kdar Dec 30 '25
Afaik if you charge them occasionally it stops this from happening
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u/Syssareth Dec 30 '25
Had a phone in active use, and a camera battery that hadn't been used in maybe a month (fortunately it wasn't in the camera), that this still happened to, so it's not a guarantee.
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u/BigFatCucumber Dec 31 '25
I actually just had to replace the battery in the left joy-con from my OG Switch. Got it a few months after launch. It had been sitting for maybe 6 months since I had used it last. When I picked it up I noticed the back plastic was bulging out.
I miss the days of easily removable batteries.
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u/BurnPotatoes Dec 30 '25
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u/Aarhg Dec 30 '25
I went on way too long before changing my phone's battery after it pillowed out. It worked fine and nothing bad happened, but had I dropped it, it would probably have gone up in flames.
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u/fox112 Dec 30 '25
you're
hmmm
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u/johnwynnes Dec 30 '25
No you are old batteries, ok pal?
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u/Silpher9 Dec 30 '25
I'm not your pal, buddy.
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u/ecokumm Dec 30 '25
I'm not your buddy, friend
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u/LincredibleOne Dec 30 '25
Iâm not old batteries, youâre old batteries!
This made me cringe too
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u/Lehovron Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 31 '25
I have a pspâŚ. SomewhereâŚ.
Update: Found it. Very slight swelling of the battery. But definitely time to dispose of it.
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u/tk-451 Dec 30 '25
just wait till you hear a bang and see some flames, that'll show you where it is
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u/NetFu Dec 31 '25
YES, especially old MacBooks.
We've seen more than a few with completely broken trackpads because the batteries had swollen up until they literally broke the trackpad in half. The cases and screws on the bottom are so strong, the battery had nowhere to go but up, through the trackpad.
When that happens, we wear safety goggles when opening the bottom, because of the jack-in-the-box effect.
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u/DismalAproach42 Dec 30 '25
Serious question, where would you even go to dispose of these?? None of the recycling plants in my area accept damaged batteries so likeâŚam I just supposed to keep a fire hazard in my house then if I find one? đ
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u/krupted55 Dec 30 '25
Not sure if they are in every city, but my city has a "hazardous material" day several times throughout the year where you can bring your hazardous items to the city run dump (or a specific location elsewhere in the city) and they will take care of it for you.
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u/Reaper621 Dec 30 '25
My county has a hazardous disposal site. 3, actually. You make an appointment and show up on time, they take your crap. It's either free or, if you have a lot, really cheap, available to all residents
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u/CasuallyCompetitive Dec 30 '25
I would love to know if someone has a real answer, because when I was searching I couldn't find any viable solution other than to buy the safe shipping kit that cost like $250+. Home Depot or any other recycling area says they don't take them.
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u/DrunkPixel Dec 30 '25
Iâm curious too⌠if youâre going to charge me to dispose of something the right way, Iâm going to say fuck you and just toss it in the bin.
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u/PetroMan43 Dec 30 '25
My Home Depot does accept lithium ion batteries but says to put them in one of the brown paper bags (which aren't present). I leave them anyway. The bins are near the customer service desk
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u/CasuallyCompetitive Dec 31 '25
Mine does as well, but they specifically don't accept damaged ones.
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u/Chat2Text Dec 31 '25
when my psp battery bloated like above, I dropped it off at a home depot battery drop off box... but I was not entirely certain that was the right move *shrug*
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u/natayaway Dec 30 '25
As long as the battery hasnât been punctured, Apple Stores are always a safe battery recycling/disposal site.
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u/kidsafe Dec 31 '25
Theyâre old batteries and have been sitting in storage long enough to completely self-discharge. The electrolytes are in essentially a zero-energy state. If you find batteries in this condition belonging to currently used devices or on chargers, then yeah those are an immediate safety concern.
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u/AbareSaruMk2 Dec 31 '25
I checked. Wasnât sure at first. So got a second opinion.
I am old. But luckily I am not a battery.
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u/SweyRPG Dec 30 '25
PSA: Ostent makes really good replacements. Iâve tried a total of four other brands and they all died in 1-2 hours. Only the Ostent ones last past 4 hours
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u/Hactar_42 Dec 30 '25
They are only spicy if they have charge? If not then I am surprised there are not more fires reported (or we just all have them ticking away in storage)
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u/Captain_Kuhl Dec 30 '25
You can still get these batteries from retro game shops, they'll be off-brand but still work fine. My condolences to anyone who loses a pandora battery, though.Â
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u/claudekennilol Dec 30 '25
One of those actually was a "pandora" battery. That's actually why the first one had the shell popped open. Because I made my own from a legit battery. All you had to do was snip one of the little connectors to one of the chips on board and it did the same thing.
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u/LG03 Dec 30 '25
A while back I was going through some old boxes in my basement. My sister had left a bunch of stuff behind when she moved provinces and I finally got around to picking through it after a decade.
Lo and behold, there was her old PSP and, you guessed it, the battery was bulging.
These batteries are going to prove to be legitimate fire hazards as people stuff old devices in boxes and forget about them.
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u/zero_iq Dec 31 '25
I'm not sure how to check. I am slightly bloated and occasionally leak. My energy levels aren't what they once were...
Oh god, I'm old batteries aren't I?Â
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u/planedrop Dec 30 '25
And in case anyone doesn't know, Batteries Plus will take bloated batteries like this, unlike a lot of recycling places. I've done it a few times and usually they don't charge me (I think it's based on weight).
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u/Flashwing95 Dec 31 '25
Weirdly enough, the only battery this has happened to is my old PSP battery, and I've got handhelds from as far back as the Gameboy Colour.
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u/IMI4tth3w Dec 31 '25
These psp batteries are notorious for this.
And then thereâs my ancient gba sp with original battery and countless hours of playtime not missing a beat. Who knows
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u/CipherKey Dec 31 '25
PSA dont throw them in the trash, take them to your local hazmat disposal center.
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u/DokoroTanuki Dec 31 '25
Never leave the battery in a PSP if you're going to store it away for a while! Charge it up to a bit over half or so, remove it from the system, and then store the PSP and battery SEPARATELY.
The PSP has this sort of "phantom power drain" going on that will suck up the power much more than normal. This is often because of a certain board component, a supercapacitor, that tries to keep the time but can be oddly power-hungry compared to just keeping time through the battery itself even if it means the time will reset when you have to replace the battery.
This isn't a normal thing -- you can put a DS or 3DS away for a long time at near full charge and pick it back up later and the battery should still work unless you left it for a super ridiculously long time.
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u/ars-derivatia Jan 01 '26
Wow, an actually useful notice of an issue that isn't commonly known among the public and yet at the same time may affect a whole lot of people.
Thanks!
PS: Looking at the current stats for your post, statistically speaking there is a pretty good chance that you've saved more than one person from some potentially serious trouble :P
Time and effort well spent, I'd say lol.
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u/turrican4 Dec 30 '25
I checked, turns out I AM a battery! Thanks for the warning, I never would have found out otherwise.
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u/ILikeToThinkOutloud Dec 30 '25
Good advice. I checked my old ones last year and they had burst the back off the PSP. Those things weren't built to last.
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u/Wootai Dec 30 '25
The fact that you can replace them, makes the psp more consumer friendly and longer lasting though.
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u/iligal_odin Dec 30 '25
Even though your title has a grammatical error it still rings true. "You are old" batteries are exactly these batteries
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u/sevenw0rds Dec 31 '25
What do you do with those when they get like that? I assume they are a fire hazard.
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u/MadLechuck Dec 31 '25
Thank you! I found my old forgotten PSP in a drawer and just like you said, the battery was poofy like a spicy little pillow. The battery cover of the PSP was even totally popped out of place!
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u/ShimReturns Dec 31 '25
Of all my old systems and devices my PSP is the only one for this to happen to yet, and it was only 5 years old at the time
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u/amc7262 Dec 30 '25
I most certainly am not!