Importing electronics

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kleinp123

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Dear All

I recently purchased an XPAL external battery for my laptop and it is currently being shipped to SA. Unfortunately I did not realize about customs requiring a Letter of Approval from SABS for anything that can be plugged into mains power. The device itself takes in 19V from the charger and gives 12V output. Do you think customs will confiscate everything or just the charger?

It is easy for me to get a generic 19V charger for the battery but if I loose everything that is 2.5k down the drain :(

Regards
Peter
 
Say what?

Thats the first time I've ever heard of BS like that.
 
Just a week ago I picked up a DVR (which plugs into mains) from Cape Mail which I've ordered from China
 
This is partly true. What could happen is they could hold the battery as "dangerous goods". This happens often with people importing batteries for RC drones and cars.

However you could strike it lucky and they just let it go through. Never know with our customs department.
 
Try to make an affidavit at the police office that the product is just for personal use and you undertake not to distribute, lend, hire or sell it. But don't get it until they ask you for it. SABS is surely just for stuff you intend to sell.
 
Orihalcon said:
This is partly true. What could happen is they could hold the battery as "dangerous goods". This happens often with people importing batteries for RC drones and cars.

However you could strike it lucky and they just let it go through. Never know with our customs department.
Click to expand...

I've never had this problem. I've imported laptops with batteries, devices with seperate and built in batteries and of course seperate batteries. The only issue was that batteries when traveling without the device can only go via courier. The courier has to take special steps in transporting the batteries too which involves proper packaging and labeling - including a label from Chemtrec (http://www.chemtrec.com/) including an international toll free number to call to get info about the product.
 
Space_Chief said:
I've never had this problem. I've imported laptops with batteries, devices with seperate and built in batteries and of course seperate batteries. The only issue was that batteries when traveling without the device can only go via courier. The courier has to take special steps in transporting the batteries too which involves proper packaging and labeling - including a label from Chemtrec (http://www.chemtrec.com/) including an international toll free number to call to get info about the product.
Click to expand...

The more you know. I cannot attest to whether couriers were used in my examples...but suspect they weren't...just normal mail.

So in these cases would some problems arise in your opinion? When no couriers are used and the Chemtrec information is missing?
 
Orihalcon said:
The more you know. I cannot attest to whether couriers were used in my examples...but suspect they weren't...just normal mail.

So in these cases would some problems arise in your opinion? When no couriers are used and the Chemtrec information is missing?
Click to expand...

No. It's not a customs issue. It was an issue that the post office can't be used to carry Lithium ion batteries. At one stage it was an issue with all such batteries but they later excused and allowed laptops with batteries. But if you want an extra battery, it has to go via courier. It's a "safety" issue and not a customs issue.

I've had a cell phone battery order cancelled this year for this reason and of course I found out about this several years ago when I was importing an extended laptop battery from Japan. The item couldn't go EMS. Last year when I imported a new laptop, they said the rules changed and batteries with their devices were now allowed by post office but not extra batteries.

Here's more info:
http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Pages/lithium-batteries.aspx
 
Space_Chief said:
No. It's not a customs issue. It was an issue that the post office can't be used to carry Lithium ion batteries. At one stage it was an issue with all such batteries but they later excused and allowed laptops with batteries. But if you want an extra battery, it has to go via courier. It's a "safety" issue and not a customs issue.

I've had a cell phone battery order cancelled this year for this reason and of course I found out about this several years ago when I was importing an extended laptop battery from Japan. The item couldn't go EMS. Last year when I imported a new laptop, they said the rules changed and batteries with their devices were now allowed by post office but not extra batteries.

Here's more info:
http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Pages/lithium-batteries.aspx
Click to expand...

Nice!

Thank you for the link and information.
 
Space_Chief said:
No. It's not a customs issue. It was an issue that the post office can't be used to carry Lithium ion batteries. At one stage it was an issue with all such batteries but they later excused and allowed laptops with batteries. But if you want an extra battery, it has to go via courier. It's a "safety" issue and not a customs issue.

I've had a cell phone battery order cancelled this year for this reason and of course I found out about this several years ago when I was importing an extended laptop battery from Japan. The item couldn't go EMS. Last year when I imported a new laptop, they said the rules changed and batteries with their devices were now allowed by post office but not extra batteries.

Here's more info:
http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Pages/lithium-batteries.aspx
Click to expand...

The battery is Lithium ion or polymer and is being sent from China via FedEx. This is what FedEx have on their website:

If you are shipping electronic goods and computer parts for personal use or resale you need a test report from the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). If the Letter of Authority is not available within five days of the goods arrival, the shipment will be confiscated.
 
kleinp123 said:
The battery is Lithium ion or polymer and is being sent from China via FedEx. This is what FedEx have on their website:

If you are shipping electronic goods and computer parts for personal use or resale you need a test report from the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). If the Letter of Authority is not available within five days of the goods arrival, the shipment will be confiscated.
Click to expand...

I don't think that is actively enforced. It is a proviso for customs to be able to confiscate products, and not by Fedex. Even when my electronics were kept at the post office customs house near OR Tambo there was only the question of paying import duties, not standards declarations. The SABS cannot hope to validate every device like ICASA does (and only for products for resale )
 
jansdejager said:
I don't think that is actively enforced. It is a proviso for customs to be able to confiscate products, and not by Fedex. Even when my electronics were kept at the post office customs house near OR Tambo there was only the question of paying import duties, not standards declarations. The SABS cannot hope to validate every device like ICASA does (and only for products for resale )
Click to expand...

Awesome! It is due to be delivered on Thursday. I'll send an update to let everyone know if all goes smoothly.

PS this little guy packs a nice 90Whr extra for your laptop/netbook. Hope it works out.
http://www.energizerpowerpacks.com/vn/products/xp18000/
 
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