Sending Ni-Cd batteries via courier/post

I would check against the post office site as the exclusions are much the same for all couriers, it may give a clearer picture.

And yet I have received many Li battery products through lots of different couriers.

Royal Mail don't take batteries.

If shorted out they can catch either fire or explode spewing out caustic and steam - potentially rather nasty. Lithium are worse.

I don't know about this lot but when I get batteries or kit containing them delivered to me by post they are typically marked with a specific warning label on the outside : "CAUTION: contains Lithium batteries - do not ship on if packaging is damaged" or words to that effect.

I presume they stick that on when you say that the contents include batteries. Stored energy in rechargeable cells can be a serious fire risk if they get shorted out or damaged internally.

possibly if the package gets wet and the batteries discharge through the wetness causing a fire?

More likely the real risk is if they lose the package you won't be able to claim on their compensation.

Perhaps you could wrap them in tinfoil (not so it touches the terminals obviously)

Owain

Not quite true.

Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries when not sent with, or contained in/connected to an electronic device, are prohibited. Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries are allowed when sent with or contained in/connected to an electronic device, but are subject to packaging, volume and quantity restrictions. Please see

Tim

They were probably described as 'Computer accessories' or something like it, though.

One was a spare 10.8V LiIon for my Bosch screwdriver - on its own, not part of any device.

I do not think it was delivered by men like this:

I dont think that's possilbe. Water doesnt conduct much, and stops when it hits 100C

NT

They should be discharged before being sent.

Bill

then they are dead .

lithium cannot be discharged and survive, Nor indeed can Nickel batteries.

But it is probably a good idea for guns.

Isn't it a cover all clause because they may be banned items on aircraft for general purpose freight?

If you look at the exclusion list for most UK carriers you will find that you cannot claim compensation on most common place items sent through their services - including most(all) electronics. It probably better not to take their options for an increased compensation value.

Jiffy bag with internal bubble wrap lining.

Dodgy things (post wise) I buy from ebay come through the postal system (multiple carriers) without any problems and often without any special packing precautions.

NiCd don't mind being discharged, as long as they're not reverse charged (which can happen if you discharge multiple cells in series).

I thought NiCd grew whiskers between the electrodes if left discharged for too long?

I think they are worried about shorts making them or the packaging catch fire. Brian

They can do this even if they are well looked-after. I've had a fair amount of success in de-whiskering individual 1.2V cells by splatting them with a simple 12V car battery charger (meter pinned hard on the end-stop). You may need to give them a few seconds instead of just a quick splat - but it's definitely at you own risk.

NICd or NiMH? I've always read that NiCd re-whicker again quickly, making it of little practical use.

NT

Nicads are fine if stored flat.

Bill