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kiki_doki · Nov 16, 2007, 05:17 AM

A few months ago I was in my kitchen when there was a massive BANG, I then noticed a nail on the floor surrounded by blue powder. We were dumbfounded for a while trying to figure out where this nail had exploded out of. It turns out a battery had exploded from the back of my clock. I called the company who then sent me a cheque to cover the cost of the clock and asked me to send the battery back to them to investigate. Now I have been advised (just by friends) not to send it back as they then have the evidence. This could have been very dangerous as the nail looking bit came shooting out from the bottom of the battery, this could have hurt one of my little people!! What should I do?
Many thanks
Kiki

Stratmando · Nov 16, 2007, 05:32 AM

Did you cash the Check? They may want Evidence back, or they may want to determine the cause, and prevent future problems. Hope you took pictures, or maybe you still can.
Haven't seen batteries do that unless a dead short.

Cobraguy · Nov 16, 2007, 06:22 AM

Sounds like your friends are litigious in nature. If there is no damage, if nobody was hurt, send them what they request. It may help them prevent a future occurrence and see if they have a problem with their battery supplier.

kiki_doki · Nov 16, 2007, 07:44 AM

Yes I did cash the cheque, the thing came bursting out of my clock, so was clockless!Bought a replacement. So the consensus is to send them the battery (not before I take pictures). Duracell were very eager to get the battery back, which got me a bit suspicious I must say...
Thanks for the answers
(",)

ballengerb1 · Nov 16, 2007, 09:31 AM

I totally agree with Cobraguy, if there was not harm to person or property other than the clock what did you expect to get by calling them? They paid for the clock which is appropriate in this situation. I do think your friends picture a settlement in the back of their mind. If you actually tried to sue the company it would likely be thrown out as frivolous.

kiki_doki · Nov 16, 2007, 12:52 PM

When I called them I didn't expect anything, I just wanted to let them know that their batteries had exploded and blew up my clock! Also bring to their attention the potential danger of a nail like object shooting through the air.Yes, they gave me money to replace the clock that their faulty battery had broken.

ballengerb1 · Nov 16, 2007, 03:18 PM

OK but not 100% on the money yet. It isn't their battery, they did not make the batteries for their clocks, they bought them from an outside contractor and they need to show Eveready or Duracell what happened to their product. Somewhere along the line someone should be looking at the battery and maybe even the clock to determine if there is a manufacturing flaw. The nail is likely the cathode rod from the center of the battery which is surrounded by the anode. If this was a lithium battery they can explode if air gets inside them. You mat hear about computer batteries exploding, many of them are lithium.

kiki_doki · Nov 16, 2007, 04:07 PM

Well no it wasn't their battery it was mine, because I bought it he he he. No, am going to let it go now (promise) and send them the battery back. However didn't understand the bit about them not making the batteries for their clocks? The battery was duracell, the clock was from a local shop though. But hadn't thought about the clock being the faulty item. Maybe I should try and sue them instead... I am (of course) joking!!

ballengerb1 · Nov 16, 2007, 05:46 PM

The very first poster Stratmando probably was correct about a dead short. A dead short is the only thing I have seen that will explode a battery so maybe it was the clock. However, exploding computer batteries explode when there is no dead short so go figure.