Exide Industries — multiple cases of explosion of exide batteries

Address:	Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Website:	www.exideindustries.com

Since october 2017, we have received multiple lots of ep 42-12 vrla (Smf)
Batteries with puffed/bulged defects. For example, out of 496 batteries delivered on 24/02/18, 148 nos. Batteries found to be bulged/puffed beyond acceptable limit. The same was detected in our pdi (Pre-dispatch checks) and communicated to exide highlighting the risk of explosion and associated danger. We requested replacement of the puffed batteries but exide confirmed that the bulging/puffing was well within ‘exide allowable limits” and ruled out any performance / safety issues. Subsequently exide provided a written commitment (Technical note) to that effect with serial numbers of the puffed batteries. We used those batteries rather
Reluctantly (After much back and forth deliberations and visits by exide) in its
Solar home systems and deployed them in bihar, odisha and up, purely on
The written assurance of exide.

However, on 14th march, 2018 we received the first of the 3 cases of battery
Explosion / crack, so far, pertaining to the same lots where defect of
Puffing/bulging was highlighted.

After the first incident of explosion, we informed exide about
The said failure despite the written assurance of performance and safety from exide. Subsequently sales head, north, and service head, north visited us on 20th april, 2018 and inspected one of the damaged batteries. They confirmed that technical person from exide would visit our customer site to assess the root cause of failure and take further actions. Till date, even after our several foolowups exide has not visited or shown inclination to address this issue.