USPS Prohibits ALL Lithium Outbound International Shipments

[Lee Mullen]

Forgive me if this is already news, but it is disturbing to those of us who buy our gear from overseas.

USPS Prohibits ALL Lithium Outbound International Shipments - RC Groups

http://about.usps.com/news/service-a...al-updates.htm

What happens now? Using couriers is out of the question due to high cost. This is wrong. It is ok to take these batteries on flights but not by cargo? Why OK for domestic air but not intl? Are Intl plane different? Please explain?

[Warren Kawamoto]

I believe this applies to APO, FPO, and DPO which basically covers US military personnel stationed in a foreign country, outside the US. So if you're living in Indonesia and not on a US military base, you're ok. Oops, my bad. I read the rules again, and it does apply to all international shipping.

[Lee Mullen]

Originally Posted by Warren Kawamoto

I believe this applies to APO, FPO, and DPO which basically covers US military personnel stationed in a foreign country, outside the US. So if you're living in Indonesia and not on a US military base, you're ok. Oops, my bad. I read the rules again, and it does apply to all international shipping.

So did I read it wrong, people in the US can still send Li-ion batteries overseas?

[Eric Olson]

Originally Posted by Jalan Salur

It is ok to take these batteries on flights but not by cargo? Why OK for domestic air but not intl? Are Intl plane different? Please explain?

I don't think any Li-ion batteries are made in the States anyway, so why buy batteries from here?

The same argument should apply to cameras as well, except for the fact that some manufacturers offer discriminatory pricing based on what country you live in. If these new laws significantly reduce the number of cameras purchased in the US because how difficult it is to ship them elsewhere, then I expect equipment manufacturers would institute a fairer worldwide pricing policy to compensate.

[Lee Mullen]

Or maybe alternatives to Li-ion batteries being available. I have just purchased a battery for XF300 from Amazon as it is simply not available in my country Eric.

[Murray Christian]

Wait, doesn't this just concern outgoing traffic from the US? Can't people still get them from Hong Kong, Japan etc?

[Chris Soucy]

This appears to be United States Postal Service specific, and affects ONLY outgoing (from the USA) transportation of the involved batteries.

This does not affect any of the other carriers.

I presume, as a totally wild guess, the USPS has had some less than well packaged units shipped that have caused them grief, so have decided, in the safety interests of all concerned, to can the transport of same on international flights.

The difference between internal and international?

Anyone seen any floating airfields in the middle of either the Pacific or Atlantic than can take a fully loaded 747 cargo jet, with smoke emanating from its hold?

That's why International has been canned, because if it goes "pear shaped", the planes have nowhere to land but in the drink.

Time to find another source for your batteries guys, if you live outside the US of A.


CS

[Lee Mullen]

Pity this is once again nothing but RED TAPE. Certain batteries that work on AF100, XF300 seem only available in the US of A Chris!

Looks like another step toward a socialist one world order. Will they be banning the purchase of electronics next because capacitors could "potentially" blow up a plane? LOL

[Chris Soucy]

Er, Jalan...........

If I may, this is ONLY the USPS.

All other couriers can and will carry them, if correctly packaged, I guess.

Considering they all use the same planes to the same destinations, nothing much has changed, and I can't really see some great conspiracy going on here, they simply don't want to transport them overseas.

Anybody else can, just not THEM!


CS

[Murray Christian]

Originally Posted by Jalan Salur

Pity this is once again nothing but RED TAPE. Certain batteries that work on AF100, XF300 seem only available in the US of A Chris!

Looks like another step toward a socialist one world order. Will they be banning the purchase of electronics next because capacitors could "potentially" blow up a plane? LOL

No offense (well, feel free to take some after that silly "socialist" crack, but anyway) but have you looked?
I don't know what you need exactly but this place in Australia and this place in Singapore appear to sell the same sorts of things (I can vouch for the latter).
If you're worried about genuine parts Videoguys could probably sort you out in any case (bit pricey though, I guess)
And this is a quick search without even attempting to find a pro video place in Hong Kong.

[Lee Mullen]

Thanks but will that battery work with the AF100 as there are reports that some dont?

[Jay West]

Originally Posted by Jalan Salur

What happens now? Using couriers is out of the question due to high cost. * * * Please explain?

I'm not sure what was meant by "courier." Does "courier" mean companies like UPS, Fed-EX, etc or does it refer to the likes of DHL which can have actual couriers hand-carrying things?

Here in the US domestic market, virtually every US company ships orders by the likes of Fed-Ex. For the kinds of computer and video equipment I buy, UPS ground rates are often included in the price. When shipping is charged separately, it usually does not make any difference whether you select US Mail parcel post, UPS ground or whatever. I have to say that I do not know anything about the rates for international shipment by the likes of UPS and Fed-Ex versus US Postal Service parcel post or mail. If you are not seeking overnight or two-day delivery, is it really that much more expensive to have shipment via UPS?

I wonder if this temporary ban might have something to do with the increasing popularity and availability of cordless Li-on power tools? These things have much bigger batteries than are used on most cameras, and maybe the newer designs still have bugs in them. I remember that, about 15 years ago, Dell had a batch of bad laptop computer batteries that could overheat and burn. Maybe Rigid, Dewalt, Milwaukee or one of their competitors got a bad bunch of batteries for their cordless hammer drills or reciprocating saws.

Still, it is interesting that only the USPS has its panties in a temporary bunch over this. When I say "temporary," I am referring to the part of the announcement where the USPS said:

"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."

http://about.usps.com/news/service-a...al-updates.htm

Maybe this is a "Homeland Security" thing? UPS and Fe-Ex run their own fleets of aircraft and distrbute via local air-cargo companies operating under contract. USPS mail goes via all manner of air-carriers including passenger aircraft.