Shipping Cell Phones

So, I was at my local post office yesterday to mail off my rent check. While there, a lady was at the window next to me asking the mail associate about shipping cell phones. They told her that as long as the battery was in the cell phone and not separate, then she could mail it.

When I asked them "So, cell phones and batteries can be shipped, but ONLY if the battery is inside the cell phone?" and they said yes.

Now I know PartTimeScrapper could answer this for sure, but how you supposed to ship buyers cell phones and the batteries separate in the box, if the USPS wont allow this to happen?

My guess is they want them in the phone because batteries mixed together with contacts not taped properly could result in fire. If they are in the phone they are separate, idiot proof and would be safe.

I think Fed Ex policies are different but one should still tape the contacts, same would go for Li-ion button batteries.

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Originally Posted by KZBell

My guess is they want them in the phone because batteries mixed together with contacts not taped properly could result in fire. If they are in the phone they are separate, idiot proof and would be safe.

I think Fed Ex policies are different but one should still tape the contacts, same would go for Li-ion button batteries.

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So, you are saying to place a piece of tap over the contacts..where the batteries connect to inside the cell phone?

Yes, that should work.

I also think usps has gotten more strict over shipping such batteries air mail also. I seen FedEx doesn't allow potentially hazardous things shipped anyway but ground. But taped contacts solve the fire hazards.

Thank goodness I found this thread. I recently have started to dabble in finding cell-phones to scrap and had no idea that this was even an issue. So thanks for asking the question AND the responses folks. Life-saver thread!! Literally!
Aaron

Fire hazard big time if they short out on each other. Heres a good vid i found shows how to start a fire with a cell phone battery and steel wool.

How to Start a Fire with a Cell Phone - YouTube


fire at battery recycling plant, sounds like firecrackers going off

Explosions and fire at battery recycling plant in Trail, BC - TMTV News - YouTube

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Originally Posted by jghilino

Fire hazard big time if they short out on each other. Heres a good vid i found shows how to start a fire with a cell phone battery and steel wool.

How to Start a Fire with a Cell Phone - YouTube

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I saw on one of those survival shows where they did the same thing with a 9 volt battery.

That was one way I earned my wilderness survival merit badge in scouts. You had to start a fire 3 ways without matches- one was steel wool and a 9v battery!

Anything can be shipped if you meet the requirements. It just depends on who you ship through, too, from, what the material is, etc.

A real easy way to figure out how to ship anything would be to call your local shipping broker. They work with all types of shipping companies that specialize in all kind of things.

There are very good reasons why this is the case. When I worked for United, I spent almost two years in air freight as a load planner. Different types of aircraft can or can not ship certain types of material. You generally have three types of cargo areas in an aircraft. Non pressurized/non heated, pressurized, pressurized/heated. If you ever recovered your luggage after a long flight, and it felt ice cold to you, this is because it was not in a heated cargo area. If you had something expand a leak out of a container, it probably was not in a pressurized cargo area.

Also, there are certain types of material that cannot be loaded in certain cargo areas just because of the sensitive avionics, hydraulics, sensitive airframe components, etc.

But anything. literally, can be shipped. After all things obviously move from one place to another all over the country, someone is shipping them. Shipping also is different for companies than it is for individuals in some cases.

Scott

Saw today at the post office where there is a company that is buying back cell phones in conjunction with the USPS (how they got that deal I dont know). Its called Max Back (maxback.com). I looked it up and someone really came up with a sweet deal. Just type in the make/model of the phone you want to return and it will tell you the "up to $" price. They will look at the phone once you send it and let you know how much they will give you for it up to that amount. Of course, all of the phones that pay anything are the newer ones, which you can sell on ebay for a lot more. For kicks I typed in some of the older phones I have and they said "for recycling only". This was followed by the offer to recycle these phones for you if you just send it to them! What a deal! I wish I could do a business where people just send me stuff for free that I can turn around and sell.

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Originally Posted by shendog

This was followed by the offer to recycle these phones for you if you just send it to them! What a deal! I wish I could do a business where people just send me stuff for free that I can turn around and sell.

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Believe it or not people actually do that. We are more industrious than the average white-collar professional. Their lives center around work, financial investments, impressing people they don't like at after-hours social events, weekend vacations and soccer practice. Making money off of the stuff that they don't want or need anymore is the last thing on their minds.