2016 Guidelines for Shipping STAND-ALONE Lithium Ion Batteries

[Tim Tyler]

This informative PDF from Panavision describes how to ship lithium ion batteries or travel with them on passenger aircraft.

 

As of April 1, 2016, lithium ion batteries must now be shipped as Class 9 Dangerous Goods, and a restriction has been implemented on the bulk (three or more) shipment of UN3480 lithium ion batteries as cargo, including checked luggage, on passenger aircraft

 

From Panavision http://www.panavision.com/sites/default/files/docs/documentLibrary/2016-04_Panavision_Website_Batteries_revised.pdf

 

Also good info at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration http://phmsa.dot.gov/safetravel/batteries

[Kalle Folke]

Hi,

I'm just about to ship my Arri 416 kit to New York from Europe and maybe someone who understands this better can help me how this effects me?

 

I want to ship three OBB-2 onboard batteries. On the batteries theres a label that says "the equivalent lithium content is less then 8g" and that it's "tested according to UN manual of test and criteria chapter 38.3"

 

Will I be in trouble if I pack it together with the other gear in the flight cases? Should I ship them separately? Sorry if this seems like something I could easily look into myself, but English is not my first language and I'm having a hard time taking in all that text...

 

Thanks! Kalle

[Mark Dunn]

The leaflet only covers passenger aeroplanes. Presumably they will go as cargo. The OBB-2 is 80Wh so that's OK. The carrier will advise but it seems that you can pack them with the equipment, but not send them separately.

http://www.dhl.co.uk/en/express/shipping/shipping_advice/lithium_batteries.html

[Brian Drysdale]

Cargo does get mentioned, I gather at least one cargo plane has been lost due to a battery fire. You'll have to use suitable packaging and possibly have documentaion from the manufacturer. Check with your carrier in advance about separate batteries.

[Kalle Folke]

Thanks!

I'll contact DHL tomorrow when they open to see how to proceed. It's not easy reading those documents...

The info on the batteries I've gathered so far:

Arri OBB-2 onboard batteries for Arri 416

Lithium-Ion

92,16Wh (calculated with the formula Ah x V = Wh that is written in the linked documents)

3,2Ah

28,8V

Tested according to UN manual of test and criteria chapter 38,3

the equivalent lithium content is less then 8g

According to this thread (http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=60980) there's 8 sets of 2 cells in parallel. Does this mean that there's 16 cells?

[Brian Drysdale]

Here's an example of the Certificate - its from PAG in this case.

 

https://www.paguk.com/sites/default/files/pdf/AirTransLiIon.pdf

[Keith Walters]

the equivalent lithium content is less then 8g

Not sure what that's got to do with anything. The fires are caused by the extremely flammable organic solvents used in lithium batteries. The electrodes in a lithium battery are separated by a porous polymer layer that's about as thick as tissue paper. If that gets ruptured, the electrodes can touch, producing a white-hot arc that boils the solvent. When the pressure gets high enough the cell ruptures and the vaporized solvent bursts into flame.

 

None of the combustion products produced are particularly toxic; the main problem is an uncontrollable fire starting in a confined space.

 

According to UL, a sure-fire (so to speak) way of getting Lithium batteries to explode is to put them in a decompression chamber, which is why aviation authorities are so concerned about them

[Max Field]

Pretty much out of the loop here. I've shipped a hundred small Lithium Ion batteries through USPS over the years and no one's ever had a problem. Is it really that bad? The post office is the only cost-effective way I have of shipping certain things.

[Robin R Probyn]

Most annoying is so few people at the actual airport have a clue..

 

Last year I boarded a flight with no problems ,and within the legal limits for under 160WH batteries.. but was then questioned in transit ! at Dubai by a 16 year old kid who had no idea.. he then suddenly decided I was ok to board the next flight,based solely on my destination.. Copenhagen .. !!.. its a lottery every time.. and largely dependent what part of the world you are traveling from/to..

I would always have a back up plan to source locally.. some officious little Napoleon will take them at some stage..

[Brian Drysdale]

Here's a demo of a battery fire created by shorting the terminals. There are a number of burning laptop videos on line.

 

[Mark Dunn]

Pretty much out of the loop here. I've shipped a hundred small Lithium Ion batteries through USPS over the years and no one's ever had a problem. Is it really that bad? The post office is the only cost-effective way I have of shipping certain things.

If you haven't declared them it is that bad. Here you're merely likely to have them destroyed, in the US you may be likely to be jailed.

[Phil Rhodes]

Not sure what that's got to do with anything. The fires are caused by the extremely flammable organic solvents used in lithium batteries.

 

I suspect that's what sustains the fire. Quite often what causes the fire is either short circuits caused by contamination of the battery with metal particles, which may puncture the extremely thin separator layers, or the fact that mistreated batteries can begin to form metallic lithium on the electrodes, the same way an electroplating bath operates. Ordinarily, lithium ion batteries contain absolutely no metallic lithium (other lithium-based batteries do). They contain lithium salts, compounds of lithium. If actual metallic lithium forms, a fire risk is created, since lithium is pyrophoric - that is, it will spontaneously catch fire in air, at normal temperatures.

 

Again, there is not actually supposed to be any metallic lithium in lithium-ion batteries. If there is, the battery is broken.

 

If it was just the lithium it wouldn't be so bad, but as you say, other battery components tend to be ignited by the flammable metal or the heat of a short, and that's where the real issue comes from. Eight grams of lithium is actually quite a lot by volume, as lithium isn't very dense, but the real problem is burning solvents and plastics.

 

P

[Kalle Folke]

DHL couldn't give a comforting answer so I'm heading to a specialist in shipment of dangerous goods to get this sorted. Will report back what I find out.

[Robin R Probyn]

I really think its a bit of over kill TBH.. big fires have started in cargo planes,carrying alot of lithium but not properly stored.. any professional battery iDX /PAG etc. is securely incased. 3 or 4 for personal camera use pose a minuscule risk..50 fake iPhone chargers on a flight are much more of a worry.. its the bulk freighting, from China flight I don't want to be on..

Edited May 18, 2016 by Robin R Probyn

[Keith Walters]

Here's one I prepared earlier.

Note:

1.Sequence has been slightly edited for dramatic effect :rolleyes:

2. The battery contains two cells so the two separate fireballs are authentic.

3. This was shot in broad daylight so that gives you some idea of the ferocity of the flames

4. The same thing happened spontaneously in a person's lounge room ...

 

http://www.930thursday.com/Fire.mp4

[Keith Walters]

 

since lithium is pyrophoric - that is, it will spontaneously catch fire in air, at normal temperatures.

 

 

Not lithium. It just rapidly turns a lead-grey colour. All alkali metals above sodium (Potassium etc) will however do this. The only other metal that does that, oddly enough, is plutonium.

[Robin R Probyn]

sure anyone can set these things on fire and make them explode in a lab or a wheel barrow.. the planes themselves have batteries.. yes 787 Dreamliner looking at you :).. but professional camera batteries are not known to do this ever really.. all these American outfits with acronyms are really just trying to scare us all to death, to justify their nefarious goals... and then the whole world has to comply to them.. its like a bad B movie from the 50,s.. Reds with lithium ! must be stopped ! enough I say !..

Edited May 18, 2016 by Robin R Probyn

[Brian Drysdale]

I suspect it's aimed at the cheap Chinese batteries, rather than those provided by the broadcast battery manufacturers, which are tested to the required level and you can get certificates for. The rules basically ensure that the terminals on the batteries are covered, so are good practise for transporting them. This has been around for a few years now, so noithing new.

 

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/ups-747-crash-highlights-lithium-battery-danger

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31709198

[Max Field]

 

If you haven't declared them it is that bad. Here you're merely likely to have them destroyed, in the US you may be likely to be jailed.

You're saying with this new classification or always? Our legal system has bit too much on its plate to worry about batteries in the mail.

[Robin R Probyn]

Dont get me wrong Im for safety of course.. but I do believe there is a certain culture of fear being propagated by these various agencies mostly emanating from the US.. .. and the IATA is one of them.. and i have to fly alot with gear and its really become a pain ,all these sometimes rather stupid rules.. like my tiny bag of kimchi being confiscated as a liquid ! .. but going off on a bit of a tangent.. probably need another Gin.. morning Vicar..

[Kalle Folke]

Ok, I've managed to ship it finally.

 

It's clear to me that these rules are not well known yet and it's hard to get straight answers. I finally contacted DGM, Dangerous Goods Management who actually do this all the time. Just brought the cases and they handled it all and booked the FedEx shipping.

 

I left one battery on the camera and two batteries well packed in the same case. Put a IATA Lithium Ion label on and signed a "Shipper Confirmation for Excepted Lithium Batteries. The class for my batteries and shipping is UN3481 and Section II of Pl 966.

 

Don't apply this to your shipping if you're not sure it's right… sender has legal responsibility to follow IATA rules and I guess the potential for trouble is big...

 

Hand cranked camera next? :)

[Keith Walters]

sure anyone can set these things on fire and make them explode in a lab or a wheel barrow.. the planes themselves have batteries.. yes 787 Dreamliner looking at you :).. but professional camera batteries are not known to do this ever really.. all these American outfits with acronyms are really just trying to scare us all to death, to justify their nefarious goals... and then the whole world has to comply to them.. its like a bad B movie from the 50,s.. Reds with lithium ! must be stopped ! enough I say !..

Yes, but the problem is, consumer Li-Ion batteries regularly do that spontaneously. The demos you see on Youtube etc are basically illustrations of what happens when they do.

The biggest difference between Lithium-Ion batteries and just about all other types is that they use extremely flammable organic solvents for the electrolyte. All other commercial types of battery use water-based electrolytes, which, while corrosive, will not burst into flame.

"professional camera batteries are not known to do this ever really.."

I've seen the remains of a Betacam charger where one did :-)

 

It's true that professional equipment normally uses cylindrical cells with a metal jacket which are much less likely to explode, but they still are capable of it. When they do it looks like a sky-rocket gone off course....

[Keith Walters]

I suspect it's aimed at the cheap Chinese batteries, rather than those provided by the broadcast battery manufacturers, which are tested to the required level and you can get certificates for. The rules basically ensure that the terminals on the batteries are covered, so are good practise for transporting them. This has been around for a few years now, so noithing new.

 

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/ups-747-crash-highlights-lithium-battery-danger

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31709198

You're absolutely right, but airline counter staff or courier drivers are not equipped to recognize the excellence (or otherwise) of professional (or "professional") customers' arguments.

In reality, as with most safety-critical items, showing a certificate basically means squat. You still have to be able to demonstrate that the product you are carrying actually matches what it says on the certificate. Fortunately, the authorities don't seem to have woken up to that yet :D

 

A large part of my current job entails:

A. Getting Chinese manufacturers to understand what a test report and certification are actually for.

B. Getting them to understand that once they have a product certified, it only remains certified if they keep making an identical product in the same factory.

[Mitch Gross]

The new rules are actually quite simple & clear.

 

Carry-on: two Li-Ion up to 160w, as many 95w batteries as allowed by weight. Pack individually (Ziplok bags count).

 

Cargo or stowed luggage: no Li-Ion allowed.

 

Shipping: Li-Ion must use specialized hazardous goods shipper.

 

Just because you did it in the past doesn't mean you can do it now. The rules have changed.

[Robin R Probyn]

Yes, but the problem is, consumer Li-Ion batteries regularly do that spontaneously. The demos you see on Youtube etc are basically illustrations of what happens when they do.

The biggest difference between Lithium-Ion batteries and just about all other types is that they use extremely flammable organic solvents for the electrolyte. All other commercial types of battery use water-based electrolytes, which, while corrosive, will not burst into flame.

"professional camera batteries are not known to do this ever really.."

I've seen the remains of a Betacam charger where one did :-)

 

It's true that professional equipment normally uses cylindrical cells with a metal jacket which are much less likely to explode, but they still are capable of it. When they do it looks like a sky-rocket gone off course....

 

 

Keith your totally right sir... then basically all consumer electronic devices should be banned.. but they never will be.. but I get stopped nearly every time.. but my pro batteries are 99% safer than all these cheap Chinese ones that 300 or so other passengers are toting around with immunity .. sort of makes the IATA regs a bit stupid.. except in the case of freighting large amounts in the hold of aircraft