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Thread: USPS and lithium batteries

  1. #1

    Default USPS and lithium batteries

    Looks like international shipments may start having issues if li-ion batteries are included.

    http://about.usps.com/news/service-a...al-updates.htm
    http://about.usps.com/postal-bulleti...l/updt_004.htm

    Effective May 16, 2012 and expecting to last until January 2013.

    OUTBOUND INTERNATIONAL MAILING OF LITHIUM BATTERIES

    Until January 2013, the Postal Service will not be able to accept packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries addressed to international destinations. This includes mail destined to, or from, APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations.

    This change is required by the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), both of which currently prohibit lithium batteries in mail shipments that are carried on international commercial air transportation.

    This change will not apply to packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries when mailed within the United States on domestic commercial air or ground transportation.

    International organizations apply different rules to the carriage of lithium batteries in mail shipments carried on commercial aircraft as compared to domestic requirements.

    We anticipate that by January 2013, international aviation rules will be changed to allow mailing of lithium batteries when installed in the personal electronic devices they are intended to operate.

    USPS is working with expert organizations to determine if any new exceptions can be developed prior to January 2013. Further announcements will be made should USPS be able to accept lithium batteries in certain types of mail shipments as soon as any new options become available.

    We appreciate our customers’ business. We recognize this change will pose an inconvenience to our customers and we look forward to continuing to be their international shipping partner.
    We all have to start somewhere. The journey is all the more impressive by our humble beginnings.

    http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz for the lazy man's resistor calculator!
    http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...e-to-Ohm-s-Law for getting resistor values the right way!

  2. #2

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    Please, please, please, PLEASE tell me this is some kind of sick joke! Ugh... I'm moving from Japan back to America on the 23rd of this month, and was planning on shipping my one finished saber so as to avoid having to bring it in carry-on on the plane (imagine that, I don't want to bring an aluminum tube containing replica grenade sections and filled with wires and circuitry, past security onto a plane. Wonder why not... ) The individual battery packs I have for my saber-in-progress I was going to bring in carry-on, because due to stupid rules about "batteries installed in devices vs. batteries that are loose", it's just easier that way. Since the rules were changed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, I'm wondering if THAT'S going to be possible now.

    UGH!!! And why are the rules only until January?! Will lithium-ion batteries magically become less dangerous at that time?! Makes... no... SENSE!!!

    <sigh> Thanks Silver Serpent. Seriously, can't thank you enough for posting that bit of news for us international saber-lovers (even if I might just get a concussion from beating my head against the wall as a result).
    Boring conversation anyway...

  3. #3

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    Check with FedEx and UPS. They have their own airplanes and I don't think they are halting Li-ion shipping practices. It sounds like they just don't want Li-ion on passenger planes (USPS uses passenger planes to move their mail).

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by acerocket View Post
    Check with FedEx and UPS. They have their own airplanes and I don't think they are halting Li-ion shipping practices. It sounds like they just don't want Li-ion on passenger planes (USPS uses passenger planes to move their mail).
    <looks up sheepishly, with disassembled saber-parts in hands> ...oh? Really?

    LOL... Good idea, and I think you're mostly right. But I checked a little while back (with FedEx, not UPS), and it seems that they follow pretty much the exact same guidelines as USPS. So while I haven't found anything definite, my money's on them changing their rules as well. Nah, joking aside, I did just open up my box and take out the battery pack from my finished saber. Figure it's cheaper to leave it here and buy a new one when I get back to the states, than to have my box held up, seized, or be subject to a fine for failure to report hazardous materials. I will check and see, though, if passenger planes will still allow li-ion batteries to be brought on board in carry on.

    Still a dark day for overseas saber-smiths.

  5. #5

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    Right now, it is JUST the USPS, and only for packages originating IN the U.S. heading out to an international destination. As they have written it, you can still send items with li-ion batteries INTO the U.S.

    Or you can just avoid all those headaches and ship it FedEx or UPS. Or DHL, or whoever.
    We all have to start somewhere. The journey is all the more impressive by our humble beginnings.

    http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz for the lazy man's resistor calculator!
    http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...e-to-Ohm-s-Law for getting resistor values the right way!

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Silver Serpent View Post
    Right now, it is JUST the USPS, and only for packages originating IN the U.S. heading out to an international destination. As they have written it, you can still send items with li-ion batteries INTO the U.S.

    Or you can just avoid all those headaches and ship it FedEx or UPS. Or DHL, or whoever.
    Thanks for the info!

    That makes no sense, though. If it's an international civil air organization that's changing the rules, why would you still be able to send things with li-ion INTO America? Weird. Bureaucracy makes me a sad, sad panda.

    Wonder how the store will respond to this news. I asked Tim a short while back if he'd be willing to **** FedEx overseas, and he said no.
    Boring conversation anyway...

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