Sending an EPIRB

Goldie

Goldie

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Sep 2001
Messages
2,312
Location
Nr Falmouth, Cornwall.
Visit site
I have a 406 EPIRB for sale which I’d advertised for collection only (I’m in Cornwall). A potential buyer has contacted me but would require the EPIRB sending to him. The issue is that Post Office and couriers all seem to specifically prohibit items containing batteries and the EPIRB of course, contains a lithium battery and they’re REALLY paranoid about those!

Does anyone have any suggestions on legal delivery options please? Thank you.
 
Yes, Royal Mail can be a but funny about this. Sometimes when i'm sending large quantities abroad I have to state what they are, weight, etc. Within the UK I haven't had any issues but to be fair we mostly use the likes of UPS, etc.
 
I always used to find CollectPlus cheaper than Royal Mail anyway, and certainly more convenient than having to get to a Post Office while they were open. I think that price difference may have shrunk a bit recently, but it's still an alternative if your local Post Office are determined to turn down your business.

The size of lithium battery in an EPIRB should be below the limits for any special handling - practically everything electronic nowadays has a modest lithium battery in it - but obviously that doesn't help if someone's making their own interpretations.

Pete
 
My reading of GPO regs is that they are OK when fitted in a device.
It would make it very hard to buy any battery powered device if they weren't allowed to be posted!
 
Goldie said:
Different day, different person, different result! Just needs additional stickers (special handling?) identifying the contents apparently. For bigger stuff I use the couriers suggested (many thanks all) but the village PO is just a walk away.

Thanks all, now sorted.
Click to expand...
There's a woman like your former adversary at my local PO too. I have been known to fib.
 
Goldie said:
I have a 406 EPIRB for sale which I’d advertised for collection only (I’m in Cornwall). A potential buyer has contacted me but would require the EPIRB sending to him. The issue is that Post Office and couriers all seem to specifically prohibit items containing batteries and the EPIRB of course, contains a lithium battery and they’re REALLY paranoid about those!

Does anyone have any suggestions on legal delivery options please? Thank you.
Click to expand...
I have just sent a Radio Scanner by Hermes Tracked Courier. I never noticed anything about batteries. Mind you could they mean Car Batteries as when they tip over acid leaks out.
 
Jim@sea said:
Mind you could they mean Car Batteries as when they tip over acid leaks out.
Click to expand...

There are rules about lithium batteries, because it's possible for them to catch fire or explode. But there are also exemptions for small ones fitted into electronic devices, which should cover an EPIRB.

Pete
 
In reality the lithioum batteries of concern are rechargeable lithium and then only when actually being recharged. Your EPIRB will have something like CR123 long life non rechargeable lithium batteries. Check the regs closely as they may have distinction for rechargeable versus non rechargeable. If no distinction then try another carrier. These CR1234 are very stable and hold charge for 10 years. ol'will
 
The real problem is the guys in the post offices not understanding the regulations. Before now I’ve printed off the relevant bits and taken them with me to show the staff. Doesn’t make you popular but it does get the item sent. If all else fails, go to Parcel2Go or similar and use them instead: often cheaper and near us it’s an automated drop off locker.
 
Our local post offices are extremely tight about this - we send a lot of phones and laptops and they always have have the batteries been removed from the phones etc (which is tricky as they're always iPhones) yet DPD who deliver them here on a regular basis have no issues whatsoever with them.
 
One of the Post Office issues with lithium batteries is that a lot of first class mail is airfreighted around the country. Burning aircraft are not popular as Boeing discovered.
 
When it comes to batteries being sent through the Post Office, there is a confusion between 'Prohibited' and 'Restricted'. Batteries are come in many and varied states, and not all are prohibited for sending through the post. Click on the '+' symbol against batteries on the linked page for full explanation:

Prohibited And Restricted Goods | Post Office
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top