Lipo Postage Restrictions

[SlowOne]

Originally Posted by Aire valley

Mmmm..reading that dangerous goods document... I may be wrong but it refers to Lithium metal and Lithium ion batteries..... Can't see a reference to lithium polymer batteries. !! So , maybe no need to panic...

Lithium-ion refers to the technology of the battery. In this technology, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode during discharge and back when charging.

In Lithium-ion polymer batteries, the difference is that the lithium salt electrolyte is held on a solid polymer, and not in an organic solvent. The advantage is that Li (Lithium-ion) Po (polymer) batteries are cheaper to make, adaptable to lots of different packaging shapes and are more rugged and reliable. The disadvantage is that LiPo batteries hold less energy than a pure LiOn battery. But the principle remains the the lithium technology is in use.

The technology is the same, they are in the same category and they are still not allowed under IATA and Post Office rules. HTH

[neiloliver]

The likes of DHL will ship Lithium ion batteries, excepted from dangerous good regulation as long as the batteries are each <100Wh, have been tested to the UN T1-T8 tests and they are packaged / labelled correctly. I think the maximum number of batteries per package is two but I need to confirm that. The person packaging the batteries must receive adequate training.

Increased transportation regulation for batteries is something we have to live with and no-one should try and falsify as shipping declaration - people go to jail and receive large fines every year for this offence. It is taken very seriously, especially in the US.

As for Lithium ion polymer cells being more rugged and cheaper to make, this is simply not true, The cost per Wh for pouch type Lithium ion polymer is far higher than that for prismatic and cylindrical cells and they are far more prone to damage.

N

[bodgit]

As in post 20 where does the buyer stand if Royal mail open the package and destroy them. As the poster says they would not refund the seller or buyer. The seller has had the cash, does the buyer accept the risk and accept he cant claim his cash back from the seller.

[terry.sc]

If the buyer doesn't receive the goods then it is the seller is the one out of pocket. If you managed to buy some lipos from Amazon, they sent it by post and the post office destroyed the package you would expect to be reimbursed as it was Amazons responsibility to get the lipos to you. The same with selling second hand lipos, it's the sellers responsibility to deliver the goods paid for.

Offer the option of using a courier or the post office, pointing out that the post office might destroy the lipos, and any sensible buyer should go for the extra cost of a courier. Of course if the post office did destroy the package there aren't many buyers who will just shrug it off as their loss, the ones who will still demand their money back will usually be the same ones who would cheap out on the postage in the first place, so good luck in resolving it.

[jaank]

I Bought a lipo from the ebay and got it shipped to Estonia with Royal Mail.
Everything worked out great.