Can Lithium batteries be sent by post?

[halfer]

I'm planning to send a 10Ah Lithium battery via the Post Office, using the "Express 48" service, so I think it's actually ParcelForce. Are there any restrictions on sending these via various couriers in the UK?

From the RM site:

Batteries that are classed as dangerous goods by the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Technical Instructions are prohibited. Please contact the manufacturer for transport information. Lead acid batteries (car batteries) are prohibited.

Some lithium batteries may be sent using our Royal Mail Tracked service (limited to high volume commercial customers). Restrictions apply.

Please see www.royalmail.com/prohibited-goods and www.royalmail.com/tracked

Do folks here use specific couriers? The chap I spoke to expressed reservations about sending it, but gave me a price quotation once I told him it wasn't lead-acid. Presumably once it has been taken, they'll not open up the parcel to check!

 

[morphix]

I'm planning to send a 10Ah Lithium battery via the Post Office, using the "Express 48" service, so I think it's actually ParcelForce. Are there any restrictions on sending these via various couriers in the UK?

From the RM site:



Do folks here use specific couriers? The chap I spoke to expressed reservations about sending it, but gave me a price quotation once I told him it wasn't lead-acid. Presumably once it has been taken, they'll not open up the parcel to check!

Well if you don't tell them what it is they won't know! It depends whether you need insurance cover I guess, then you'd have to declare what it is and provide proof of purchase if you need to make a claim, and if they don't carry batteries that could invalidate the insurance.

What I would recommend is going to interparcel.com or parcelmonkey.com as these sites will do cheaper prices with all the main carriers and they also list all the prohibited items for each carrier at an easy glance for you.

For super-cheap service go to interparcel.com and select Hermes, it's the cheapest but slowest (3-5 days)...that's the "lady/guy in the car" type service (formerly called parcelnet) which does all the deliveries for the catalogue companies like Next and M&S..they charge a fixed fee of £4.99+VAT and are quite generous with the size and weight and also don't seem as restrictive. Also there's Yodel (which I believe is a new incarnation of DHL's domestic service) and they are cheap £6.99+VAT (for up to 30kg) and DHL is known to be less restrictive than most couriers, I know they still carry batteries from China.

For ParcelForce, it often works out cheaper to book through parcelmonkey.com

 

[flecc]

I've sent some through the post with no problems, but do wrap well or you may end up with something like this one delivered:

 

[johnc461165]

I returned my faulty battery under warranty and it was sent back to me via the post office. I understand after checking, that if the batteries are inside the battery pack they are ok to send by post and as flecc say package them well. If they need a description you send them as bicycle parts.

 

[halfer]

Thanks all. Parcel Monkey looks pretty good, might give that a go.

flecc - yes indeed: lots of polystyrene beads and air-pocket wrap!