Posting Lap tops

[graymatter 153]

Can anyone tell me if they have had problems posting laptops or cameras with lithium Ion batteries.

 

In Australia, the Civil Aviation Authority (CASA) has included all lithium ion batteries on the dangerous goods list and our postal service has decided that we can’t post laptops using airmail.

 

After investigating, I have determined that laptops etc are in the low power range with my note book producing 48watt hours (4400mah) on a scale which goes up to 100 watt hours before hitting the medium power range.

 

Low Power is fine in your luggage but medium power must be in cabin baggage.

 

Unfortunately, Australia Post is not interested in the power and refuses to transport laptops with batteries.

 

My problem is that I want to send a laptop to Philippines so my best solution is to bring it to Thailand and send it from there . I can lie on the declaration form but an xray will catch me out.

 

Are there any issues posting things from LOS to Philly?

 

[GlynRhedyn 32]

In the UK when I post electrical goods I'm asked if it includes batteries. That's just for surface mail internal not air mail so maybe some countries are going over the top with regulations. I can't help any further sorry.

Glyn.

[short 215]

Lithium batteries grounded the Boeing 787 and they thought they understood them.

[Nightrider 340]

Can you not leave the batt at home and try to source another one in the PI , or just use the power lead instead , i remember a couple of years ago the batt on an old acer i was using in Patts packed up and i managed to get a similar one from tuk com and fix it to my machine with some gaffer tape , it worked fine for the duration of the lappys life....!

[darkmancomes 75]

Just came across your answer as recent as 2 days ago when I was posting a mobile phone within the UK first thing they asked at the post is was the battery removed before wrapping! It can be in the package but not in the device.

[jacko 8,815]

I think the best answer is above from Nightrider.

Plug it in until you can source a replacement locally....

 

Strangely I have flown with my laptop often enough without the slightest question.

[graymatter 153]

Thanks for the replies. I am actually sending the laptop to a lady in Phillipines who may or may not have electrical power. The country is a mess at the moment.

 

I will send it without the battery first and then send the battery in a few weeks. I was just asking if sending a battery from LOS would be an issue?

 

This whole thing reminds me of the Mobile Phone petrol pump bullshit.

 

My local station has big signs with a mobile with a line through it and a year ago the “New Australian” behind the counter locked the doors and refused to let me out until I hung up my mobile phone. I pointed out that the story concerning mobile phones igniting petrol fumes was a myth but he was determined that I was not going out to the car park while talking on my phone. The irony in this case is that the petrol station actually has a mobile phone tower on the roof which is 1000 times more powerful than my handset.

 

I am sure that somewhere in the world a lithium battery has caught fire but it didn’t happen in the hold of a plane. Further more it didn’t happen from a low powered device such as a mobile phone or a laptop.

[polar 4]

Actually at my work we do a lot of shipping of lithium batteries and equipment containing lithium batteries. There are tons of rules for shipping the batteries based on their watt hours and the number of cells contained in each battery when shipping by aircraft. There have been incidents during transport due to damage to the battery shells. I was looking on the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and they have the reference to Australia mail for lithium batteries, but there was no date as of when they could be shipped. I suppose one problem is all countries have to allow them to travel. Another option might be to ship by airline which will get it out of the mail and allow it to travel under aviation rules. Both Australia and the Philippines allow lithium batteries to be carried this way. Another way is to used a international courier. There will most likely be some specific packing and labeling required on the package for either of these methods.

 

The easiest way by far is to carry the whole unit along with the battery on your person if you were traveling there (not always an option). There are special exemptions for carry batteries up to a 100 watt hours this way.