Camera batteries and postage?

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I remember we had a thread last year about Royal Mail and their blanket ban on individual lithium batteries being posted, but it didn't seem to have any solid conclusions on how to post lithium batteries.

I got 2 retail packaged original Canon LP-E12 batteries with 2 cameras I bought and was considering selling one of them, but the thought of how difficult it might be to sort cheap/reliable postage is putting me off.

I seem to remember someone saying that Collect+ were still OK for sending (but I can't see anything about their policy on their website).

Anyone have any recent experience of sending batteries or advice on how it's possible now?
 
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It is actually ok to send Lithium batteries through Royal Mail, but you just have to do two things

1. make sure the batteries are individually boxed so they cant bash together and go bang

2. Tell the counter staff so they can scan the correct Bar Code.

I have sent quite a few this way and never once had an issue, they don't like not being told and take exception should they find them if they scanned the parcel before it went on one of their planes.

Paul
 
Paul-H said:
It is actually ok to send Lithium batteries through Royal Mail, but you just have to do two things

1. make sure the batteries are individually boxed so they cant bash together and go bang

2. Tell the counter staff so they can scan the correct Bar Code.

I have sent quite a few this way and never once had an issue, they don't like not being told and take exception should they find them if they scanned the parcel before it went on one of their planes.

Paul
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Where did you get that info from? The RM site seems to say exactly the opposite.

The equipment containing 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. The sender’s name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging.

These items must be presented at a Post Office® counter.

Lithium ion/polymer batteries sent in isolation are prohibited. Please see www.royalmail.com/prohibitedgoods
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http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/Tell-me-about-Restricted-Goods

Batteries

Batteries that are classed as dangerous goods by the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Technical Instructions are prohibited. This includes wet spillable lead acid/lead alkaline batteries (such as car batteries), used alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCd), zinc-air batteries, and damaged batteries of any type.

Lithium ion batteries when not sent with, or contained in/connected to an electronic device, are prohibited.

Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries are allowed when sent with or contained in/connected to an electronic device, but are subject to packaging, volume and quantity restrictions. Please see www.royalmail.com/restrictedgoods.
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http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/Tell-me-about-Prohibited-Goods

So far, the only legal way I can see to send the battery via Royal Mail would be to put an old camera in the package as well, so its "sent with an electronic device".
 
crofter said:
I get all my batteries from Amazon, they always come with My Hermes,if that helps, I've never sent any though.
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Seems to be one rule for Amazon and another for the normal user :(.

image.jpg


https://www.myhermes.co.uk/help/carry-guide.html
 
Probably like Royal Mail with MyHermes possibly allow business sellers registered with them to post batteries.

A few of the couriers will touch batteries, eg Interlink (I've asked them) as I need to post occasional laptop batteries, but it's possible the lower value of camera batteries makes it a bit more prohibitive.
 
It's a silly situation, if send a brand new genuine Canon battery in its original packaging and Royal Mail detect it they will confiscate it and give no compensation, if I stick the same battery in a parcel with an old camera included it suddenly becomes OK.

I can even send 4 second hand batteries without their packaging if I include a camera...

It's like the inmates were allowed to write the rules for the asylum...

I still haven't found an answer for Collect+, might be worth an email (but I fear the people who answer emails in their contact centre aren't going to be all that clued up either).
 
Oh the whole system is nuts.

Looks like you can send with iPostparcels too but collection surcharge means it'll cost near £5, if you can add another collection for the same day though i think they only charge it once
 
Look, this is a lot more sensible and straightforward than people seem to think.

The restrictions on lithium batteries are imposed by IATA and apply to air freight. Royal Mail use air services for some "domestic" post, but other carriers like Yodel and Hermes don't. (That's why Royal Mail can get stuff to places like Guernsey and the Orkneys next day, but nobody else can.) So Royal Mail have to comply with these IATA rules but it's not an issue for the others.

Obviously if I'm sending something from Maidenhead to, say, London, it's not going to go anywhere near an aircraft. Or at least, it shouldn't. But air services are integrated into the Royal Mail domestic network, so if a person or a machine misreads an "SE" postcode as "ZE", it's on a plane to Shetland. I think Royal Mail's blanket restriction is to prevent this sort of "accidental" air carriage.

Does it make a bit more sense now? If the rules are stupid, blame IATA.
 
Collect plus is fine. We recommend them to our customers that want to return batteries.

There must be a dozen threads like this now. Does nobody use the search facility or read the information that is readily available on royal mails website?
 
Dave1 said:
So far, the only legal way I can see to send the battery via Royal Mail would be to put an old camera in the package as well, so its "sent with an electronic device".
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Tape a resistor, capacitor or other component to its side, then you can correctly answer "yes" when asked if it is sent with an electronic device!


Steve.
 
Where did you get that info from? The RM site seems to say exactly the opposite.

From the Post Office I use to send my parcels, they said as long as they are individually packed in proper boxes within the parcel its ok to send them as long as they know so that the correct bar code can be scanned and correct warning labels attached.
 
Paul-H said:
Where did you get that info from? The RM site seems to say exactly the opposite.

From the Post Office I use to send my parcels, they said as long as they are individually packed in proper boxes within the parcel its ok to send them as long as they know so that the correct bar code can be scanned and correct warning labels attached.
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You are lucky to have a Post Office willing to 'bend' the rules. When I enquired from them they referred to a fold out list (I think it was this one) and said "No lithium batteries by themselves, under any circumstances". They also said if they were discovered after posting they would confiscate them and dispose of them as they saw fit.
 
Paul-H said:
Where did you get that info from? The RM site seems to say exactly the opposite.

From the Post Office I use to send my parcels, they said as long as they are individually packed in proper boxes within the parcel its ok to send them as long as they know so that the correct bar code can be scanned and correct warning labels attached.
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http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/Tell-me-about-Restricted-Goods

"Lithium ion/polymer batteries sent in isolation are prohibited. Please seewww.royalmail.com/prohibitedgoods"

which goes on to say

"Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries when not sent with, or contained in/connected to an electronic device, are prohibited."
 
It seems to have become a "Don't ask, Don't tell" lottery
I have received all types of battery including Lithium through the post, from various suppliers.
However I have not had cause to send any.

I have no Idea how the PO could tell the sort of battery that was enclosed except by opening it.
One lithium battery came from Hong Kong by air, and it was marked as that on the customs slip.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
One lithium battery came from Hong Kong by air, and it was marked as that on the customs slip.
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From what I've read, there's no issue with that, the Royal Mail has no say over what a foreign postal service accepts, so it's OK for a HK retailer to post a battery to the UK, but not OK for the UK sender to post the same battery anywhere, once it arrives.
 
So what postal service are UK suppliers using to send batteries?
I don't have the need to buy any at present but reading above makes me inclined it'll be less hassle to buy from a non UK source.
 
Dave1 said:
From what I've read, there's no issue with that, the Royal Mail has no say over what a foreign postal service accepts, so it's OK for a HK retailer to post a battery to the UK, but not OK for the UK sender to post the same battery anywhere, once it arrives.
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Don't know where you read that. These are CAA regulations. Royal Mail doesn't have any say in it.
 
All mine come in via Royal mail and as said above when I post them out I tell them and never had an issue, the counter staff just scan a bar code for lithium batteries and stick an extra label on the parcel warning of its contents.

If they are bending the rules as claimed above why would they have the labels to hand to use. That makes no sense.

Paul
 
Paul-H said:
All mine come in via Royal mail and as said above when I post them out I tell them and never had an issue, the counter staff just scan a bar code for lithium batteries and stick an extra label on the parcel warning of its contents.

If they are bending the rules as claimed above why would they have the labels to hand to use. That makes no sense.

Paul
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If you sending batteries by themselves they are definitely prohibited by Royal Mail, if the batteries are accompanying an electronic device they are allowed with the labels.

I suppose you are lucky that they are either ignorant of the rules or just bending the rules for you to be nice.
 
I am a postman and I know that we are not allowed to send Lithium batteries through the post.

However, I sold my D3200 a few weeks ago and I had a spare battery. Sold it on ebay, because I bought it on amazon and it came through fine with its normal packaging, and it was bought by an international buyer from Italy.

Went to my local Post Office, where I'm good friends with the postmaster, and he said I should know full well that it's on a list of prohibited items.

I said I did know but that I had also received this from amazon in this packaging.

So I sent it anyway and we both agreed that it would probably be confiscated.

The guy from Italy received it fine and was very happy with it.

Moral of the story is that it's probably best not to say anything and if the postmaster asks you what's inside, then it certainly isn't a lithium battery! ;)
 
wezza13 said:
I am a postman and I know that we are not allowed to send Lithium batteries through the post.

However, I sold my D3200 a few weeks ago and I had a spare battery. Sold it on ebay, because I bought it on amazon and it came through fine with its normal packaging, and it was bought by an international buyer from Italy.

Went to my local Post Office, where I'm good friends with the postmaster, and he said I should know full well that it's on a list of prohibited items.

I said I did know but that I had also received this from amazon in this packaging.

So I sent it anyway and we both agreed that it would probably be confiscated.

The guy from Italy received it fine and was very happy with it.

Moral of the story is that it's probably best not to say anything and if the postmaster asks you what's inside, then it certainly isn't a lithium battery! ;)
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And if it had caused a fire which brought down a plane (as the higher risk of this is the reason they are restricted), it would probably be best not to say anything then as well...
 
What a load of nonsense even under IATA guidelines Lithium Battery's for cameras can still be conveyed on an aircraft. It's a shame Royal Mail doesn't have the common sense to follow suit.
 
One battery on one aircraft bursts into flames and the whole world has to suffer, and it was not even in transit, it was being used by the aircraft's systems at the time, a poor quality battery or a poor quality system and the whole world panics.

Sledge Hammer to crack and egg springs to mind.
 
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