Posting a camera with a battery via Royal Mail

[jon.kelly1986]

I need to send a camera and battery to a buyer in Belfast from South West England, and am wondering what Royal Mail's current rules are for sending batteries.  I'm having trouble finding a definitive answer when checking the Royal Mail prohibited items page.

I ordered a camera a few months ago, and the seller sent it Special Delivery from Scotland. The Civil Aviation Authority rejected the package when Royal Mail sent it via Air, and it ended up at the National Returns Centre due to prohibited contents, where, according to the tracking, it remains today.  Thankfully, the seller refunded me.

I'm worried that the package I'm sending might suffer the same fate if it goes by air when it's sent to Northern Ireland.

I'm going to send the camera with the battery installed inside it, which I believe is within the rules when I have searched the web. The camera is only valued at £100, and the buyer has paid for Royal Mail 48.

[dancewithadingo]

Good Evening Jon

Royal Mail will not permit the sending of batteries. They present a high risk. Take out the current ones before sending and tell your buyer and get him/her to buy their own. If needs be you can make a refund to cover the cost of the replacements.

[sml192]

According to the information on Royal Mail's website lithium batteries can be sent if installed in the device as long as you conform with the specific restrictions and packaging guidelines outlined. 

Lithium ion / polymer batteries - contained in / connected to equipment / devices  

 (for example rechargeable batteries/cells found in portable electronics such as laptops, mobile phones, iPads, camcorders, cordless power tools etc.) 

International & UK destinations - Allowed in the mail, with restrictions and packaging guidelines below: 

• Damaged or recalled batteries or cells are not allowed. 
• Each package must contain no more than four cells or two batteries installed in or connected to equipment/devices. 
• The maximum net quantity of cells or batteries is 5kg per package. 
• Watt-hour rating must not exceed 20Wh per cell or 100Wh per battery. 
• Each cell and battery must be of a type proven to meet the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, section 38.3. 
• Batteries are subject to these tests irrespective of whether the cells of which they are composed have been so tested. 
• Cells and batteries must be manufactured under a quality management programme as specified in the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. 
• Any person preparing or offering cells or batteries with or in equipment for transport must receive adequate instruction on the requirements commensurate with their responsibilities. 
• Cells and batteries must be protected against short circuit. 
• The equipment containing cells or batteries must be packed in strong rigid packaging and must be secured against movement within the outer packaging and packed to prevent accidental activation. 
• The sender's name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging. 

[dancewithadingo]

Jon

I should just modify my statement. I appreciate that there are a few categories and situations that are allowable but in the main you would be well advised to not include them with the item. It will only cost your buyer a couple of quid for new ones and as I said previously you can refund him any cost.

Don't take the risk of the camera of being held in The National Returns Centre. It's not worth it.

[fargvs]

 'I'm going to send the camera with the battery installed inside it, which I believe is within the rules ... '

 Yes .--- Cameras with batteries already fitted are accepted by Post Office / Royal Mail unless the rules have changed  recently ?.

[julies9731]

I send items with batteries uninstalled with Royal Mail as long as in original packaging.  I can send batteries on their own with Royal Mail.

To be honest, if you read RM battery guidelines, you can send most types. 

[jon.kelly1986]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I've contacted the buyer and informed them I can't send the camera with the battery via Royal Mail. I offered a discount for a used battery, which is about £15 with delivery from MPB. I tested the buyer's details at checkout to make sure they will ship. From doing another Google search, it seems getting batteries to NI from mainland Britain is a complete pain.

[rjwilmsi]

Electronics containing batteries are allowed. So a camera with installed battery is fine.

Electronics with separate used/loose batteries are not allowed. So an item that's a camera with an installed battery plus a spare battery isn't allowed as the spare battery is not installed.

Loose batteries are allowed if they are in new sealed retail packaging so you should be allowed to send a camera that uses AA batteries as a camera and a packet of new sealed AA batteries.

However, there is always the possibility that the CAA staff doing the inspections can get it wrong/ their scanners can't differentiate between loose batteries with or without original retail packaging, so I would stick to batteries contained in electronics only.

I have posted plenty of laptops and smartphones that contained batteries using Royal Mail without issue.

Also, if you send the item Tracked 48 it will may well go by boat to NI, so it's not going to get X-ray scan.

[old4new]

I purchase batteries from a company that deals in selling all types of Batteries and they use RM 48 for delivery.

I have also sent many items using RM with Battery installed and received many items with Battery installed via RM

[dansvan1]

The irony is, if they were to reject it, The National Returns Centre is in Belfast.

You are definitely safer sending without, though installed batteries are supposed to be fine.

[old4new]

The irony is if you make sure your package has your return address on it and for safety include a note inside with it on, all returns to the RM national returns centre are sent there for a reason, to be returned to sender, so they check return address and if need be open package to find it inside, it will then end up back at the senders home, they can only dispose of items they can not return to sender, Yes you may have to wait.

BUT WHY WOULD IT BE RETURNED ?

RM allow batteries to be sent.

Not Allowed UK & International.

Batteries that are classified as dangerous goods and certain used
batteries
(Including wet spillable lead acid/lead alkaline batteries (such as car batteries),
used alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCd),
zinc-air batter

Batteries, specifically new and used lithium batteries when not sent with
or connected to an electronic device
(Including power banks)

Allowed to be sent UK & International

Batteries, specifically new alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH),
nickel cadmium (NiCd), zinc-air and zinc chloride
Packaging guidelines: Must be new and sent unopened in their original retail
packaging. Surround with cushioning material e.g. bubble wrap.

Allowed to be sent to UK but not International

Batteries – new wet, non-spillable
(E.g. sealed lead acid batteries, absorbed glass mat and
gel cell batteries).
Packaging guidelines: No more than one battery in any one parcel. Maximum
weight 1.5kg. Item must be protected against short circuit (by insulation of
exposed terminals) and securely packaged. Package must be marked. “NOT
RESTRICTED” and “SPA67 / SP238”.

So if you follow the rules you will not have a problem.

But even if you do not follow the rules do you think RM scan to see inside of all packages ? 

Do you think even if a postie suspects it is something that should not be sent they will report it ?

Royal Mail deliver illegal drugs every day and when it is weed they can smell it and know what it is, they just carry on posting why should they care.

Plus your package is insured if you send it by a method that covers it so if it was damaged or lost you would get cover for the item, so if your item went to the returns centre and they could not find a returns address you would be covered.

[jon.kelly1986]

The buyer requested to cancel the order, thankfully. Turns out they were going to use the camera to record a Choir, which it really wasn't suitable for.

[dancewithadingo]

Good Afternoon Jon

Allelujah.

[messier44000]

Can only comment on products that I have sold with lithium batteries included.

I used a UN3184 label when sending Parcel Force and had no issues.

Also no problems with the supplier sending to me with the label attached 

using FEDEX or DPD. 

"The UN3481 label is a crucial shipping label required for packages containing lithium-ion batteries, whether they are contained within equipment or packed with equipment. It indicates that the package contains a dangerous good (specifically, lithium batteries) and is essential for complying with international transportation regulations

Key Characteristics of the UN3481 Label: 

• Purpose:

  To identify packages containing lithium-ion batteries as dangerous goods, alerting handlers and ensuring proper safety procedures. 
• Content:

  The label must clearly display the UN number (UN3481), hazard class (Class 9), and the lithium battery mark (a symbol representing a battery). 

• Size and Color:

  The label has specific size requirements (minimum 100x100mm) and color specifications (white background with black symbols and a red border). 

• Application:

  The label must be securely affixed to the package, making it visible during transit. "

• Regulations:

  The UN3481 label is part of a broader set of regulations for shipping lithium batteries by air, road, rail, and sea. 

[1902elder]

If the camera has a  dedicated battery, it is entirely wrong to say you can buy a new one for a couple of quid, you cannot. Also, there is no problem sending any camera with battery installed, I have sent plenty without any problem. The same applies to other items that require batteries, portable CD players for example. To suggest sending without batteries, and refunding to purchase new ones is a nonsense. Just not necessary.

[dansvan1]

OP was specifically sending to Northern Ireland, where thanks to the Windsor Framework, they may have needed to declare the contents on a customs declaration, so there's a chance it could have been checked.

My point about the National Returns Centre was, OP was sending a parcel to Belfast, if (in the highly unlikely case) RM had taken issue with the inclusion of batteries, they are then ment to send the item to the National Returns Centre, in Belfast; the city the parcel was intended for.

I wasn't suggesting that the parcel was going to be returned. I have received many items with button cell batteries through the post; but I have also been denied the chance to buy items at point of purchase due to the inclusion of batteries.

As OP said, getting batteries into NI from Mainland Britain is not easy.

[old4new]

Sending from Mainland England/Scotland/Wales to NI with Royal Mail is just like sending from any part of the UK to UK, you do not fill custom declaration forms in or anything else like that, you simply pay the postage and send just like any other package.

So sending to NI makes no difference, I have sent many items there from England, Now sending to places like the Channel islands is a different game but were not talking about them.

[dansvan1]

I live there. I have received a couple of parcels with customs forms since the Windsor Framework came into effect on May 1st. So, some post office workers must think they do. I don't have to pay customs, but it did have a description of the item, weight of item, value etc on the customs sticker. It's essentially just bureaucratic window-dressing.

Others have had no kind of noticeable documentation, though there was talk of this info being in the form of a QR code. No one really knows, or I suspect, cares. The whole thing was barely mentioned on the news.

Now they've done a deal with the EU, it may be irrelevant now. Will have to see.

[dansvan1]

Tried to edit post but time expired.

I looked it up on the Government website. Private citizen to private citizen requires no additional documentation for now. Same for Business to consumer. However, business to business do require customs declaration. So it looks like the odd overly cautious Post Office employee may try to get you to add one.