OK, I totally don't get this. Why do you have to discharge the battery? Apple and the CPSC specifically want people to not use the affected batteries anymore. They instructed customers to remove them immediately and run on AC power until they get a free replacement. So there is only one other reason I can think of to discharge the battery. That would be to save on shipping costs by eliminating the weight of the charge in the battery. But Apple is paying for shipping, so why risk your property and life to save them a couple bucks? I wonder how many people will die watching Disc 1 of Fellowship of the Ring. Thoughts and prayers in advance.

"That would be to save on shipping costs by eliminating the weight of the charge in the battery" Apple probably doesn't want all those "charges" hanging around . . . . . for fear it would affect their year end statement :-}

Apple probably doesn't want all those "charges" affecting their year end profit

I agree that there's a dilemma here - not supposed to use the battery, but supposed to ship it back empty. I understand charging transfers electrons to the battery of cells in a power pack, but I've never heard that charging appreciably increases weight. Certainly not to the level where it would increase shipping charges by a couple bucks. Or did I miss something in that long-lost physics class?

To get the best discharge I'll put in a long DVD with the screen brightness turned down all the way. When the screen is on, the drain rate sometimes triggers a shutdown before max discharge. Heck, I might just breadboard the battery pack to a light and see how long I can *read* Lord of the Rings.

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rezonate wrote:
I understand charging transfers electrons to the battery of cells in a power pack, but I've never heard that charging appreciably increases weight. Certainly not to the level where it would increase shipping charges by a couple bucks. Or did I miss something in that long-lost physics class?

Yahtzee.

For safety reasons, batteries are suppose to be shipped in a discharged state.

Well that contradicts itself wow every time I get a laptop or battery operated device from apple or any manufacture it has at least half a charge.....WOW I guess the with all the traveling on planes, trains, and trucks it must gain energy in motion. So the real reason would be make sure you discharge it because if you don't when it travels out to California it will get over charged and explode.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 ~ 11:36:27 PM

There is absolutely no reason why anyone should believe this tripe. Apple doesn't give a fig if the battery has a charge or not. This was an advertising gambit. The highlighted word "laptop battery" in the short article above popped up an advert for a merchant. Typical macobserver.com scam. Did anyone "win" the macobserver contest a few months ago? Was their an announcement of a winner? No. That was a con much like the macobserver battery recall announcement you read above. Beware your email address? Spam coming your way? Maybe there will be a virus macobserver needs to protect you against? Just click here on this flashing button and we'll help you from your dollars?

What are you babbling about?

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Guest wrote:
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 ~ 11:36:27 PM

There is absolutely no reason why anyone should believe this tripe. Apple doesn't give a fig if the battery has a charge or not.

Actually, I just rec'd my replacement battery from Apple yesterday, and indeed the instructions for returning it clearly state that said battery must be discharged before being returned.

My assumption is that while *most* batteries are safe enough to ship charged (the new one was), these batteries are being replaced because of their potential danger... discharging it would, in theory, limit that danger.