Posting Lithium Batteries

All airlines have strict rules on carrying lithium ion batteries now.

Like Barrie I had my batteries checked, and have had that done a few times.
I have 3-D printed holders for my spare batteries, which completely cover the contacts, just so they can't complain about them when I fly.
Previously I use Ziplock bags, but they weren't so keen on those in case they tore. I used to keep one battery in the charger, in a bag and the other in a separate bag.

You should never pack li-ion batteries in hold luggage. That is not allowed.
If they short they burn so fiercely they could set the whole hold alight before any extinguisher system could work. They have special extinguishers in the passenger compartment to cope with a Li-ion fire.

Freight is handles differently and they are then in a special container.

Posted today via Collect+ very simple to use and the collection point happens to be literaly just down the road!

Thanks for the link MikeP/Barrie. Nearest pick-up point is just along the street from me

I have used collect + a couple of times for guitars I needed to post and no problems.

I just sent my mobile phone with battery back to Virgin with their supplied plastic bag which was prepaid to send with Royal Mail. It had a big label on it which said "Care - Contains Li-ion battery" and Royal Mail were obviously happy with that.

If the battery was installed in the phone that would be OK.

Personally I've had bad experiences with Collect+ - found them to be very slow. They are owned by Yodel and have a bad reputation in some quarters.

I like myHermes, especially because (like some others) they have parcel lockers where you can drop things off.

(But just my opinion).

It is worth checking (with all carriers) what the insurance policies are. Cameras are often excluded if damaged in transit or even if they go missing!

I was interested to hear Mannesty's and Gwyn's remarks on air travel with litium-ion batteries. Today I bought some 50mmx50mm coin colectors vynyl wallets which will be perfect for the Q's batteries.

My spare battery for the K30 has travelled in a Think Tank 2 pocket thingy - thislink

That then goes in a pocket in my Event Messenger bag . So far no problems . and it's done 5 round trips to Dublin that way this year .

I haven't seen these before, surely in Glasgow it's an Event Messages bag?

Not bad Ken

mine is link

It's a bit of a tardis and what goes in the front pocket has to be seen to be believed

An extra category (exception) covering the transport of lithium ion batteries was added to transport regulations on 1st January 2013. This exception is covered in the 2013-2014 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instruction for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and the 54th Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). They may be transported inside equipment, providing both the factory manufacturing the batteries and the shipper handling them meet the requirements laid down in the regulations. There are exceptions for both lithium ion (ELI: Excepted Lithium Ion) and lithium metal batteries (ELM: Excepted Lithium Metal). Two batteries per package of no more than 100W/h are allowed, or eight of no more than 20W/h. There is no limit on how many can be carried on an aircraft under these exemptions; the captain does not even have to be informed the items are on his aircraft, though they generally are (certainly where I work). Passengers are allowed to carry lithium batteries in equipment, and spare batteries (up to a set capacity)in carry-on baggage. Batteries inside equipment up to 100W/h can be checked in. link

Lithium batteries on their own are Class 9 and have to be packaged under strict guidelines, and there is a limit of 5KG on passenger aircraft, 35KG on cargo aircraft.

The Post Office does not have approval under these regulations, though it's Parcel Force service does.

Gwyn's statement concerning the fire extinguishers in aircraft holds is incorrect. There is no extinguishing agent or system that will extinguish a lithium fire on an aircraft. There are fire suppression systems using foam on some cargo aircraft that will contain a lithium fire for a short while (until it can land, hopefully), but there are no passenger aircraft with these systems, and FedEx is the only company that has this system installed on freighters.