A SteelSeries wireless keyboard has developed severe battery swelling after its owner left it plugged in for extended periods. The battery pack inflated so much it pushed up the keyboard’s top plate, creating a wide gap. Thankfully, it didn’t puncture and catch fire.
Of course, the main appeal of a wireless keyboard is its ability to send inputs at a distance, and connect to mobile devices, without a dangling cable. However, for Reddit user Molti_gfx, improving input latency outweighed wireless flexibility, meaning the keyboard was kept plugged in 24/7. Unfortunately, this seemingly caused excessive charging and discharging cycles, which ended up causing battery swelling.
While it’s well known that excessive charging isn’t good for battery packs, one would assume that a product from a known brand such as SteelSeries would feature some sort of protection system that stops or limits battery usage when USB power is detected. In this case, though, it looks as though the lack of any power-bypass circuit caused the battery to be constantly fed.
Even worse, according to Molti_gfx, the keyboard refuses to work when the battery is unplugged, meaning that removing it from day one to protect it wasn’t an option either. This also means that, while waiting for a replacement pack, Molti_gfx has to use a replacement keyboard or keep using the damaged battery. The latter is clearly a dangerous option, since putting more pressure on this already damaged pack could cause it to burst, potentially starting a fire.
We’re not talking about a cheap budget keyboard or a knockoff here either. This is usually a €300 peripheral, albeit one that was snagged by Molti_gfx for just €100 during a discount period.
As for why Molti_gfx didn’t get a wired keyboard in the first place and avoid all this risk, it came down to price. Missing out on such a deal just to get a downgraded wired version doesn’t make sense, especially as you would expect the keyboard to have proper power management systems.
Thankfully, this situation didn’t end up like the scorched Steam Deck. That said, if you’re running a wireless keyboard that’s permanently plugged in, you may want to double-check if a proper power-bypass system is implemented, just to be safe.
