RANT: Getting impossible to buy 18650's due to IATA shipping restrictions!

samgab · Aug 27, 2016

Is anyone else getting frustrated trying to get li-ion cylindrical cells and li-po RC battery packs shipped into their country? :banghead:

I'm in New Zealand, and with the new IATA shipping restrictions on li-ion and other cells, all of my usual places to buy batteries and cells (via China/Hong Kong) have one by one stopped selling them. It's reached the point now where I just cannot buy in li-ion's from overseas, and have to try to find local sellers, all of whom were already charging about 4 to 5 times the price the same items cost before these new rules came into effect, back when I bought them in myself; but now are increasing their prices even more because it is getting impossible to get them in as individuals. There aren't even any slow shipping options available.

The annoying thing is that, by my interpretation of the rules, they are allowed to ship them as long as the SOC is 30% or less. But either I'm missing something, or it's too much hassle for them to discharge to 30% SOC. Not that anyone is actually going to open the packet and voltage test the cells, surely? There's also something in the new IATA rules about only 1 package per consignment being allowed to contain li-ion cells??

Anyway, it's very frustrating.

Does anyone know of any suppliers that still provide shipping options to New Zealand at reasonable prices? I'm not sure if individual suppliers are allowed to be mentioned in this forum, but even a hint, a few words to google and I'd be alright with that...

Is there any hope that this situation will improve any time in the future? That solutions or work-arounds will be found? It's ridiculous. I know there was that issue with some Boeing 787 dreamliner's li-ion battery packs initially, but how many planes have actually come crashing to the ground in flames because of some new purchased 18650 cells that were in the cargo being shipped to a customer? Not that I'd say that needed to happen before banning them, but surely these new rules are a bit draconian and over the top? I don't think the risk is that great for properly packaged, new li-ion cells being shipped, weighed up against other risks?

Others' thoughts?

sidecross · Aug 27, 2016

I hope this is NOT what we can expect from 'World Trade' and 'Open and Free Markets'.

What is the problem? Modern technology cannot safely send lithium batteries out to customers?

samgab · Aug 27, 2016

sidecross said:
I hope this is NOT what we can expect from 'World Trade' and 'Open and Free Markets'.

What is the problem? Modern technology cannot safely send lithium batteries out to customers?

Yeah it's nuts. The 787 Dreamliner issues were to do with faulty wiring at the li-ion battery packs, packs which were in use, being charged/discharged by the BMS when the issues occurred.
Then you have hundreds of passengers on commercial passenger airlines each with several electronic devices in use, all powered by Li-ion batteries, being charged/discharged throughout the flight.
Then they have draconian restrictions on packaged li-ion cells in cargo which are safely encased in plastic and wrapped, just sitting not being used. Far safer than the hundreds of li-ion cells being used throughout the plane, if it is a passenger plane...
Where is the common sense and logic?

PapaLumen · Aug 27, 2016

Same in UK. Almost impossible now to get li-ion delivered. I can't see it changing until batts get safer!

Timothybil · Aug 27, 2016

Most of the responses by companies are knee-jerk over reactions to the real regulations. Read the actual regulations themselves, and you will see that the most restrictive portions are concerned with lithium primary cells, which for all intents and purposes are restricted to non-aviation means of shipping. Lithium-ion cells have fewer restrictions, that are more towards proper labeling and storage, and limiting quantities in any one package, so that if a fire were to break out in the cargo areas, they would not add to the carnage in a devastating way. The only real problem I have with the regs is that it makes it almost impossible for a single user like ourselves to ship lithium-ion cells. I can see shipping brokers stepping up one of these days after the knee jerk reactions die down and offering a means of packaging and shipping that meets the guidelines and is available to us average Joes. Maybe one could request a special shipping container and the appropriate papers be sent to oneself, and then the completed package sent by parcel carrier without problems because the broker has provided proper containment and papers, for a small fee. Until then, we are just going to have to bite the bullet and live with the situation.

PS: If anyone wants to take my idea and run with it, feel free to. I would just be glad to have provided the germ of an idea.

tatasal · Aug 27, 2016

The last time I read about air shipping regulations, is that the cell should be inside the product it is supposed to power, meaning loose cells, even in individual plastic cases, are no longer allowed. Perhaps another round of changes has been enforced..

terjee · Aug 27, 2016

samgab said:
Does anyone know of any suppliers that still provide shipping options to New Zealand at reasonable prices?

It looks to me like nkon.nl (use ru.nkon.nl when you're outside EU) will ship to Kiwiland, for a very reasonable fee. It's not uncommon for their prices to be quite competitive when compared even to asian resellers.

(I do get the policy of discouraging linking to specific resellers (prohibition in some of the forums), but since that's the very topic being asked about, I hope this response will be considered okay. Sorry if I'm misreading the situation, certainly no harm intended).

samgab · Aug 27, 2016

terjee said:
It looks to me like nkon.nl (use ru.nkon.nl when you're outside EU) will ship to Kiwiland, for a very reasonable fee. It's not uncommon for their prices to be quite competitive when compared even to asian resellers.

(I do get the policy of discouraging linking to specific resellers (prohibition in some of the forums), but since that's the very topic being asked about, I hope this response will be considered okay. Sorry if I'm misreading the situation, certainly no harm intended).

Legend! Thanks for this. I just ordered a couple of NCR18650GA's as a test order from them, so we'll see if they arrive, and how long they take to get here.
You're right, although it was a bit more expensive than my previous free worldwide shipping suppliers, it's still way cheaper than local NZ suppliers, for a small volume consumer like myself. Cheers!

Strintguy · Aug 27, 2016

I have recently ordered from fasttech and Banggood, both will still send batteries to Australia

samgab · Aug 27, 2016

Strintguy said:
I have recently ordered from fasttech and Banggood, both will still send batteries to Australia

How recently? Those are both suppliers I used to use for li-ions who won't ship to NZ any longer. Also gearbest and DX.
The new IATA rules started in April 2016 and the problems crept in since then.
I successfully got some from gearbest since April but I can't place a cell order from them now.

Poppy · Aug 27, 2016

I just ordered a four pack of 18650 from Gearbest to the US. They state that they ship to 254 countries on their site. You might check with them, because the statement wasn't specific about batteries.

samgab · Aug 27, 2016

Poppy said:
I just ordered a four pack of 18650 from Gearbest to the US. They state that they ship to 254 countries on their site. You might check with them, because the statement wasn't specific about batteries.

Yeah, actually that was what prompted this rant in the first place. I tried, but was unable to place an order from gearbest. I contacted their customer support and received this response:

"Your original question is "Hi, can this be shipped to New Zealand? Can you ship any li-ion cylindrical cells to New Zealand? I ordered some 18650 cells from you recently, but now seem to be unable to place an order?" Here is the answer from Our Customer service Team:
"
Hello Sam,
I have checked it for you, because the limit shipping method, battery can't be shipped to your country due to the custom issue now. We will improve it as soon as possible.

Please kindly choose other available items. "

Strintguy · Aug 27, 2016

samgab said:
How recently? Those are both suppliers I used to use for li-ions who won't ship to NZ any longer. Also gearbest and DX.
The new IATA rules started in April 2016 and the problems crept in since then.
I successfully got some from gearbest since April but I can't place a cell order from them now.

I ordered from Fasttech today, in case they do shut it down to Australia. Ordered no problem

Poppy · Aug 27, 2016

samgab said:
Yeah, actually that was what prompted this rant in the first place. I tried, but was unable to place an order from gearbest. I contacted their customer support and received this response:

"Your original question is "Hi, can this be shipped to New Zealand? Can you ship any li-ion cylindrical cells to New Zealand? I ordered some 18650 cells from you recently, but now seem to be unable to place an order?" Here is the answer from Our Customer service Team:
"
Hello Sam,
I have checked it for you, because the limit shipping method, battery can't be shipped to your country due to the custom issue now. We will improve it as soon as possible.

Please kindly choose other available items. "

Sam,
I placed my recent order, just in case they become unobtainable.
Since the problem seems to be Customs in Your country, you might want to speak with your Legislator/Representative, to sponsor a bill that will amend the restrictions on importation of certain batteries.

Good luck for us all!

Poppy

Poppy · Aug 27, 2016

samgab said:
Yeah, actually that was what prompted this rant in the first place. I tried, but was unable to place an order from gearbest. I contacted their customer support and received this response:

"Your original question is "Hi, can this be shipped to New Zealand? Can you ship any li-ion cylindrical cells to New Zealand? I ordered some 18650 cells from you recently, but now seem to be unable to place an order?" Here is the answer from Our Customer service Team:
"
Hello Sam,
I have checked it for you, because the limit shipping method, battery can't be shipped to your country due to the custom issue now. We will improve it as soon as possible.

Please kindly choose other available items. "

Sam,
I placed my recent order, just in case they become unobtainable.
Since the problem seems to be Customs in Your country, you might want to speak with your Legislator/Representative, to sponsor a bill that will amend the restrictions on importation of certain batteries.

Good luck for us all!

Poppy

samgab · Aug 28, 2016

Poppy said:
Sam,
I placed my recent order, just in case they become unobtainable.
Since the problem seems to be Customs in Your country, you might want to speak with your Legislator/Representative, to sponsor a bill that will amend the restrictions on importation of certain batteries.

Good luck for us all!

Poppy

Yeah, that was just what the customer service pleb replied. It's a load of rubbish, it's nothing to do with customs in NZ. There are no reports of any issues with importing Li-Ion cells into NZ, in terms of getting them through customs. The actual issue is a perceived issue from the sellers' end, and it's to do with shipping restrictions, and is not and never has been anything to do with customs. That's a red herring. I suspect it has something to do with the person's limited grasp of English, as if you read that sentence through it doesn't really make any sense.

"I have checked it for you, because the limit shipping method, battery can't be shipped to your country due to the custom issue now. We will improve it as soon as possible."

EDIT: Just to be sure I knew what I was talking about, I double checked our NZ Customs prohibited (imports) items website:
http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/prohibited/imports/Pages/default.aspx
I checked every listed item, including under Hazardous Substances and Unsafe Goods, and there is definitely nothing about batteries, cells, li-ion, etc.

TinderBox (UK) · Aug 28, 2016

last resort try local vaping supply websites.

John.

terjee · Aug 28, 2016

samgab said:
It's a load of rubbish, it's nothing to do with customs in NZ.

I don't have much information about NZ specifically, but there is a real problem with things getting shipped, and then getting rejected along the way. That is, it's *not* just fasttech, gearbest etc overreacting, they're actually having to deal with shipments getting rejected.

stephenk · Aug 28, 2016

samgab said:
Is anyone else getting frustrated trying to get li-ion cylindrical cells and li-po RC battery packs shipped into their country?

I'm in New Zealand, and with the new IATA shipping restrictions on li-ion and other cells, all of my usual places to buy batteries and cells (via China/Hong Kong) have one by one stopped selling them. It's reached the point now where I just cannot buy in li-ion's from overseas, and have to try to find local sellers, all of whom were already charging about 4 to 5 times the price the same items cost before these new rules came into effect, back when I bought them in myself; but now are increasing their prices even more because it is getting impossible to get them in as individuals. There aren't even any slow shipping options available.

The annoying thing is that, by my interpretation of the rules, they are allowed to ship them as long as the SOC is 30% or less. But either I'm missing something, or it's too much hassle for them to discharge to 30% SOC. Not that anyone is actually going to open the packet and voltage test the cells, surely? There's also something in the new IATA rules about only 1 package per consignment being allowed to contain li-ion cells??

Anyway, it's very frustrating.

Does anyone know of any suppliers that still provide shipping options to New Zealand at reasonable prices? I'm not sure if individual suppliers are allowed to be mentioned in this forum, but even a hint, a few words to google and I'd be alright with that...

Is there any hope that this situation will improve any time in the future? That solutions or work-arounds will be found? It's ridiculous. I know there was that issue with some Boeing 787 dreamliner's li-ion battery packs initially, but how many planes have actually come crashing to the ground in flames because of some new purchased 18650 cells that were in the cargo being shipped to a customer? Not that I'd say that needed to happen before banning them, but surely these new rules are a bit draconian and over the top? I don't think the risk is that great for properly packaged, new li-ion cells being shipped, weighed up against other risks?

Others' thoughts?

Have you tried purchasing from Australia?

CuriousOne · Aug 29, 2016

There are some transporters, like dhl, cargolux, which have own fleet, so can place the rightand screw on iata decisions, but I guess, renting aircraft from them, to deliver couple of 18650s to NZ, might be a bit expensive. I would resort to chinese drug dealers and other shady staff, which uses speed boats....

RANT: Getting impossible to buy 18650's due to IATA shipping restrictions!

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