Li-ion Battery Shipping Resources

| PERG News: March 2018 | 

Two of PERG’s annual sponsors offer professional camera battery products. CORE SWX and Anton Bauer (part of Vitec Videocom) both now offer products designed to help people who are shipping batteries do so safely and in compliance with international regulations. 

CORE SWX offers the Fleet Micro battery charger with Safetly mode, which discharges batteries to 30% per for transport by air per regulations.

Anton Bauer offers the LPD Travel Discharger in V-mount or Gold mount. This is a dedicated discharge unit that can discharge four 90-Wh batteries in 3 hours or less. No external power is required for discharging, and the discharger is thermostatically cooled, so it is safe to leave unattended.

Both companies also provide comprehensive information about shipping their products on their websites. Informative links about battery shipping requirements can also be found on PERG’s Initiatives page. Let us know about your questions and challenges with regard to shipping batteries

Let us know if you hear about any battery related incidents!

• http://www.coreswx.com/transportation-information/
• http://www.antonbauer.com/en-US/Transportation-Information
• http://www.esta.org/PERG/Initiatives/lithium-ion_batteries.html

Update: Shipping Lithium Ion Batteries

| PERG News: May 2017 |

Andrew Butler from Anton Bauer gave PERG’s NAB audience an update on shipping lithium ion batteries. He reported that the new rules for shipping that were adopted last year have essentially not changed. Stand–alone lithium ion batteries are forbidden on passenger aircraft (under packing instructions 965, which applies to batteries that are not contained within equipment or shipped with equipment). Camera and lighting batteries, subject to 965 should be discharged to less than 30% charge before being shipped by air, and must be shipped via cargo carrier only.

The IATA guidance document and 2017 updates are available on PERG’s website at:

http://www.esta.org/PERG/Initiatives/lithium-ion_batteries.html

Butler reported that in 2016 the FAA imposed fines on a number of companies that did not ship batteries in compliance with the new regulations. Rental houses, camera assistants and lighting technicians need to stay fully informed on this issue. Rental houses are encouraged to help educate camera assistants about the shipping rules.

Anton Bauer and Core SWX are among the manufacturers that now integrate travel features into their chargers. The feature enables the user to safely discharge camera batteries to less than the regulatory maximum charge. Blueshape offers a shipping case pre-labeled with the required lithium ion battery shipping label. Blueshape chargers display the percentage state of charge.