Best practice for shipping Lithium batteries?

[neorichieb1971]

Hi guys,

A Canadian guy has asked to accept delivery of a Wii controller battery because the seller would not ship to Canada (from the UK).

I got it fine. It came in a cardboard amazon wrap packaging with a battery hazard warning label on it.

However when I tried to forward it on the post office refused to take it when I admitted there was a battery in there and it was lithium based and it was loose (its actually pre packed as per the factory with cardboard box and instructions).

I found this - http://www.dhl.co.uk/content/dam/downlo ... _guide.pdf


It seems you can ship batteries, they just put biohazard type labels on it. But I am not sure if there is a extra cost.

Has anyone got any experience with this? I've been asked to mis identify the package contents but I don't want to do that.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks.

[GaijinPunch]

Gonna depend on your cuntry and to whom you send it to. I've not tried from the US to anywhere. From Japan, options were always limited when it came to air deliveries, and I had to fill out forms.

[neorichieb1971]

Thank you for your input.

[system11]

Slap a sticker on it or lie. I haven't been charged extra personally.

[GaijinPunch]

Slap a sticker on it or lie. I haven't been charged extra personally.

Japan X-rays these packages. If they find one in there, they send it back to you and issue you no refund. No shit I forgot about the batteries in a PS3 and they sent it back to me. 9000 yen down the tubes. Not saying they will be that strict everywhere (nobody follows rules like the Japanese) but it's something to keep in mind. Again, YMMV. Best to check the website of Her Majesty's Parcel Brigade or whatever it's called there.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It'd be the "Royal Post" as it's referred to across the pond (but I like the "Her Majesty's Parcel Brigade" listing much better -- has a nice ring to it).

It's a huge hassle with the United States Postal Service (USPS) if you try to ship such hobby-grade based Li-Po batteries elsewhere from the USA -- my local hobby shop mentioned something about this particular issue some time back. Is a huge liability issue should such batteries catch fire on-board them planes/trucks/vans whilst in transit.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Tarma]

Royal Mail. It's called Royal Mail...

Can you not get Wii controller batteries in Canada / North America?

I'd lie. Stick a label that has "GLASS" written on it on the parcel. No one ever bothers asking what's inside then in my experience.

[GaijinPunch]

Royal Mail. It's called Royal Mail...

I actually knew that, believe it or not. It seems a bit like misnomer...

[Mrhide]

this is the issue:

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/ ... update.pdf


fedex will accept them:

(down to show Lithium batteries)

http://www.fedex.com/us/service-guide/s ... -ship.html

[neorichieb1971]

What I want to know is why amazon sent me the batteries in the mail with no problems, yet I can't send them anywhere else again?

I did specify the batteries were loose first time around. Although they were in Nintendo packaging, brand new. Perhaps the term "loose" means the battery is just sitting in a box without any secure padding.

I'm guessing Wii batteries are hard to get in some places. Nobody would need to go round the world if a local supplier was available.

[Immryr]

i'm confused. don't Wii controllers just take AA batteries?

[neorichieb1971]

Perhaps it was Wii U.

I've never owned a console starting with "Wii" so I don't know whats in any of them.

[Tarma]

i'm confused. don't Wii controllers just take AA batteries?

That's a good point. The original Wii-mote uses standard AA batteries.

Don't know about the Wii-U... I'd given up on Nintendo by then.