Don’t send LiPos in the air—especially puffed ones

I just found out that I can’t get my LiPo batteries delivered to me via express delivery—at least not legally. I admit it—I found a super cheap battery pack online and ordered it so I could take a look. Since I had a race coming up, I decided to have it sent express so I could test it out beforehand. It arrived, but unfortunately, it had a bulge in it. My friend calls that “puffed”. So, anyway, I emailed the company and then went to send it back through my local post office. I figured I could still get it exchanged in time, so I packaged it and requested Priority Mail. This is where the “Uh oh” happened. You know when they ask at the PO “Anything liquid, hazardous or perishable?” I must have hesitated because the clerk, trying to be helpful, asked what was in the box. When I replied that it was a battery that I was returning, she told me that I could not send it back via air. I was confused since I thought it had been delivered by air (it was express to begin with) and told her so. She let me know that lithium polymer batteries can be very hazardous and for safety reasons you can’t send them in an airplane. So I took my package and left. I emailed the online supplier and after waiting a day, they told me to take a picture of the battery and email it to them, which I did. I’m still waiting for my replacement battery from them, but in the meantime, I wanted to let everyone know to be very careful with sending LiPos by air, especially if they are puffed. By the way, my friend told me that they have to soak in a bucket of salt water for at least 30 days in order to neutralize the battery, so it’s outside now.

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