Lipo Battery - HobbyKing to Canada, questions

captain387

100 W
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
197
Location
Kingston, Ontario
Hi all,

I'm looking to add a few lipo batteries to my collection and I am looking for some information/advice on the purchase; I'm in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

I am looking to order from HobbyKing unless there are other options these days. I entered in a mock order for 4 - 6s 5000 mah batteries and their system seemed to allow this type of shipment to my address (listed as hazardous). The questions I have are:

- Has anyone had their order held at the border due to the size of the packs (I know there is a limit on battery capacity and shipping within Canada)?
- I am assuming there will be an import tax added to the total?
- Any other hidden costs?

I do have another option of an american family member who has two residences both in Kingston and the US. This family member has had some items shipped to the US PO box or Connects(spelling) shipping box which is a 45 minute drive and a wait at the border.

Thanks for the advice.

Jeremy
 
I order a lot of RC lipo from Hong Kong warehouse to Montreal. They come fast no problem. Customs check them average one out of five or six orders, only then they charge custom fees about 15%. It never happened that customs refused to release delivery.

If you oder from US warehouse, you are about sure to pay custom fees (8 out of ten). They don’t come much faster. Passing the border yourself with RC lipo does require a license for dangerous material. They will confiscate them if you don’t have the license.
 
Sorry, forgot.
Yes there are other options. I find some manufacturers on ali are much better than Hobby King, but more expansive. Yabo Power Technologies is one good example, for those who need high quality lipo made to custom spec.
 
Thanks a lot guys for the suggestions, appreciate it.

I will check out Yabo to see what they offer and price.
My lipo charging / discharging setups are about as safe as I can make it so I can live with a lower quality battery.

I have had pretty good luck with the used turnigy lipo I had purchased from a couple reputable sellers within Canada 6 years ago.

I will report back on how it goes.

Thanks,

Jeremy
 
If you are willing to spend the money, Tattu makes amazing LiPo batteries. You can pick them up from GetFPV.com.
 
Tattu (Gensace) is a distributor who doesn’t make any batteries. They only have them made with their name on it, and sell them with big profit. Yet they offer good garantee and after sale. Their batteries used to be made by Yabo Power Tech, but now I believe they are from Herewin Technologies in Guangdong. If you look at Lipos from those manufacturers, you will find some with very high c rate and very low resistance. Buying direct from high tech manufacturers in China is safe and the quality for the price is very good, but the shipping is making them expansive when you buy only a small quantity, because manufacturers don’t have a small order shipping network.

Hobby King is hard to beat for shipping lipo. Fast, low cost, no custom fees most of the time. But, they offer no options for battery configuration, because they don’t make them. Manufacturers will make what you want at very low additional cost: Wire size, connector types, choice of spacers... Too bad their shipping is so expansive.
 
markz said:
I got dinged hard with an order from HK USA warehouse using FedEx

Yep, the worst combination of HK warehouse/shipping method to Canada. FedEx are crooks, but if you refuse to accept the package, they will offer to cut the fees by half, that is still too much.

The best is Hong Kong international warehouse/DHL special dangerous goods (the standard free shipping from HK), Usually 10 days and no fees most of the time.
 
Yep, I cant remember exactly what I bought, nor how fast but I do remember I did need the items kind of urgently but didnt want to pay a lot and FedEx charged me $45cdn ontop with a letter a week or two later, I believe for Ground Shipping, because I chose NW warehouse or something.

MadRhino said:
Yep, the worst combination of HK warehouse/shipping method to Canada. FedEx are crooks, but if you refuse to accept the package, they will offer to cut the fees by half, that is still too much.

The best is Hong Kong international warehouse/DHL special dangerous goods (the standard free shipping from HK), Usually 10 days and no fees most of the time.
 
Hi,

So I ended up ordering some lipo from HobbyKing, International Warehouse.

It included free shipping (>$150), and the only shipping option available was through UPS express, so assumed a fee on receiving.
Batteries arrived in 7 days, UPS came to the door and required $46 to drop them off.

Maybe there is another option to contact HobbyKing and request a different shipping method, but would probably be charged for shipping $50, lol.
 
I just received a Hobby King battery order that was taxed at the customs. 67$ fees for a 680$ order. The 3 last packages I received from HK had escaped the custom fees.
 
Ah too bad, well I guess you roll the dice on the order and sometimes you may get an extra discount.
 
Yep. I have another order coming. I hope this one goes through. I guess the customs are picking up some parcels randomly.
 
MadRhino said:
Passing the border yourself with RC lipo does require a license for dangerous material. They will confiscate them if you don’t have the license.

Hi MadRhino... are you sure you need a license?

Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations 1.15 exempts a "user or purchaser" from all the nonsense: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part1-475.htm#sec115
 
I believe they will let you pass the border with your ebike battery, but you would have problems passing with boxes of lipo bricks or cells.

Some friend had his lipos shipped to a USA location and was picking them there to pass the border with his car. He had troubles, and had to file an import document for them, and wait a few days for them batteries to be released from border inspection. After that, he did the paperwork in advance to have the authorization to import batteries with a maximum of 150kg.
 
MadRhino said:
I believe they will let you pass the border with your ebike battery, but you would have problems passing with boxes of lipo bricks or cells.

Some friend had his lipos shipped to a USA location and was picking them there to pass the border with his car. He had troubles, and had to file an import document for them, and wait a few days for them batteries to be released from border inspection. After that, he did the paperwork in advance to have the authorization to import batteries with a maximum of 150kg.

The Sec 1.15 exemption seems pretty clear - perhaps your friend happened on a dimwit of a customs guy; it might help to print out Sec 1.15 to show them.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part1-475.htm#sec115

Paraphrasing of Sec 1.15 (Nullius in verba) :
Sec 1.15 (1): Part 3 (Documentation), Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks), Part 5 (Means of Containment), Part 6 (Training) and Part 8 (Reporting Requirements) do not apply... if:

(b) dangerous goods are contained in boxes weighing less than 30kg apiece, and
(c) total weight of all boxes is less than 150kg, and
(d) goods are transported by the user or purchaser.
 
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