EXHIBIT 5


                                            October 20, 1995



Exide Electronics Group, Inc.
8521 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, North Carolina  27615

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This opinion is furnished in connection with the registration pursuant to the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of 641,024 shares
(the "Shares") of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Exide Electronics
Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). The Shares are being
registered for resale by certain selling stockholders.

In connection with rendering this opinion, we have examined the Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended to date; such records
of the corporate proceedings of the Company as we deemed material; a
registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act relating to the
Shares, (as amended, the "Registration Statement"), and the prospectus contained
therein (the "Prospectus"), and such other certificates, receipts, records and
documents as we considered necessary for the purposes of this opinion.

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares are legally
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and when sold in accordance with the terms
of the Prospectus, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares
of the Company.

The foregoing assumes that all requisite steps will be taken to comply with the
requirements of the Securities Act and applicable requirements of state laws
regulating the offer and sale of securities.

Furthermore, we hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement and the use of our name in the Registration Statement
under the heading "Legal Matters."

                                            Very truly yours,

                                          /s/SMITH HELMS MULLISS & MOORE, L.L.P.