Batteries in the post (UK)

But it’s ok to send new batteries installed in the toy. And you can send non-lithium batteries separately, provided they are new.

Hope so Victor :wink:

So my big 8000mAh has a dead cell. Apparently hobbyking won’t ship the new unit and thus it has to be collected. Not many listings on Ebay either !

What does one do to get a new Lipo other then drive to Ipswich on the weekend ?! :face_with_head_bandage:

Jonathan

DPD? Hermes? Yodel?

Hobbyking will ship me LiPos from their UK warehouse using Parcelforce.

Parcelforce will let you send Lithium batteries but not damaged ones, it’s on their website.

" Electronic devices sent with lithium batteries (including mobile phones, digital cameras, etc) where the battery is not connected to the device. Packaging guidelines: The maximum number of lithium batteries allowed in each parcel is the minimum number required to power the device plus two spares. For lithium ion/polymer batteries the Watt-hour rating must not exceed 20Wh per cell or 100Wh per battery. For lithium metal/alloy batteries the lithium content must not be more than 1g per cell or 2g per battery. The maximum net quantity of cells or batteries is 5kg per parcel. Each cell and battery must be of a type proven to meet the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III , section 38.3. Cells or batteries that are defective or damaged are forbidden. Cells and batteries must be packed in inner packagings that completely enclose the cell or battery and protect them from short circuit. The equipment sent with cells or batteries must be packed in strong rigid packaging and must be secured against movement within the outer packaging and packed to prevent accidental activation. Sender’s name and address must be visible on the parcel. These items must be sent via the Post Office only, and presented at the counter."

Where they ask you “What is in the package” you say “Battery” they say “Cannot accept that” - definitely Catch 22. If you lie then there is every likelihood that the package will be destroyed as a high proportion are now X-Rayed - Catch 22 squared:sob:

I have this discussion every week with SOTA merchandise, luckly nothing has batteries in it.

It’s into the world of weasel words… you cannot send Lithium batteries on their own but you can send electronics with a Lithium battery. Yes, I don’t know how to explain that to the counter staff even with a printout of Parcelforce’s rules and regs.

Luckily it was just one of the balance wires that had stretched and broke its internal internal wire. A bit of heat shrink and the battery is fine again. After some more digging I found this:

So a 8000mAh can only be personally collected it seems. Might be OK for smaller batteries.

Such a royal pain the behind ! This relates to stories about how sellers are using toys to send batteries in and then asking the customer to dispose of said toy upon receiving the battery

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I get asked frequently if I stock batteries. No way! Storing and sending them safely is far too difficult. If you order a single button cell in an order with someone like Farnell, it usually comes by separate carrier in a huge box with lots of safety stickers.

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How do the 8000mAh batteries get to Hobbyking? Is a pallet full of batteries safer than a single one?

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Hobbyking transport technology

You should ask them ! All seems pretty stupid and restrictive. If you can get onto a flight with one why can’t pat the postman deliver it to your door !

You can’t get onto a flight with an 8000mAh 4S battery without permission from the captain (on every airline I’ve ever flown), as it exceeds the 100Wh limit.

As to how the batteries get to HobbyKing, IATA has fairly clear guidelines on how lithium batteries must be shipped, and if that is too onerous, they can ship via sea, the way the vast majority of freight is delivered.

My local Post Office wouldn’t let me send a small wrist-watch as a birthday gift to my niece in Surrey because it contained a battery! The counter clerk just said “Batteries are not allowed.”

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Fair enough ! Thought some activators on here had managed to do so, not specifically an 8Ah battery. Tis a big’un !

Jonathan

I purchased an 8400 battery from Hobby King earlier this year, shipping was expensive, and when delivered it arrived on an articulated lorry covered in hazmat labels, the driver had a hard hat and safety glasses, and asked where the fork lift was. A single box 150x150x90mm shrink wrapped to pallet and also covered in Hazmat labels…You couldnt make this up. Nice battery though, keeps the radio going for a full days radio (Not just Sota, beach-kite etc)
73
Tim

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Says many things about the UK and misguided H&S. I guess when the time comes Ill have to clog up the roads with another futile journey to pick up this incredibly dangerous battery that somehow survives being squished by my QRO amplifier upon every activation.

Maybe Nigel will change things for the better :see_no_evil::+1:

I remember about a year ago I was talking to someone on-air about having to return my handhled radio that was a few months old then for repair, I was heard by the Postmaster at a nearby village who came back to me and told me that sending the battery with the radio was permitted, but not on its own - and even told me what the cost would be - taking it to my local post office armed with the appropriate information it was accepted without any issues and was delivered to its destination and duly returned a few days later.

the problem is many companies use H+S as an excuse to do something else, mainly reduce costs and stop doing something.

I just bought a cheap LED torch with an 18650 LiIon battery. Came in the post, posted in the UK. The battery was in a bubble wrap bag and the torch was in its bubble wrap bag both a post bag. So not much impact protection. The battery could have been inside the aluminium torch body.

Also provided was a single 18650 charging cradle, pop battery into cradle and connect cradle to a USB port to charge. Mine didn’t seem to work. 30secs with a case spudger and we’re inside. Hohoho! I wonder what the charger is? Nothing that’s what it is. The 5V from the USB supply is connected straight to the cell.

:scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream:

Yes, that’s a bit of serious fire risk. No, it’s safe as there’s a CE mark on it! Mine didn’t work because the soldering was cheap and shoddy. Remade the joint and we’re back in (firemakeing) business.

OK, I’ll knock something up to use my Imax charger but non-techy people would use this with all the attendant hazards.

This is why we can’t have nice things. This why we have draconian regulations that make moving stuff about almost impossible. It’s because CHEAP CHINESE COWBOYS make this crap and don’t care who they may kill or hurt or whatever damage they may cause. A quick buck and to hell with consequences.

The torch itself is fine.

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