Me too. I have an order from FT sent via hk post. The hk post page says “out from hk” but ft tells me the package is “lost” in the hk system. Almost 4 months and still waiting.
I have to say it…one thing we have in our favor, one BIG thing, is the “Vapers!” That’s a huge market right now and they needs their battrees!! :bigsmile:
I was just checking the Fasttech forums for information and one guy there that was wondering why there are no updates on his tracking since it was accepted by HKP over a week ago. Lydia, a CSR at FT responded with the following:
Hi F*** H***,
Sorry for the confusion. USPS has stopped giving details tracking updates for some USPS packages, while others are still getting step by step updates. We're not sure why this is but, your package is definitely on its way to you. Please give it some time and it will be delivered. Please let us know if there is anything else we can help with you. Thank you.Kind regards,
Lydia
Customer Advocate
For what it's worth I have an order as well that has been sitting at HKP with no updates since it was shipped on the 2nd. Sure would be nice to find it in my mailbox by this weekend for a nice surprise. Certainly not holding my breath though. :(
If no more batteries is the case, I would hate to be in on the panic buying batteries late in the game. I just bought 8 Panasonics 3100s on ebay for $79.
In no good news comes along, and these fit all my flashlights, I will order another 8, and some more Tenergy’s for my less powerful lights.
New with factory charge, how long will good batteries last in storage? Is this the best way to store long term?
And off to work.
Could also be vapers to blame for this! >.<
I tried to find official info explaining the clampdown. It is strange that China Post, Hong Kong Post and Singapore Post are all on the list of designated/authorised operators to handle lithium batteries.
http://www.upu.int/en/activities/postal-security/dangerous-goods.html
http://www.upu.int/fileadmin/documentsFiles/activities/postalSecurity/listAuthorizedDOsLithiumBatteriesEn.pdf
So what is wrong with them shipping it? Why the x-ray fuss?
Hmm…because of increased lithium battery traffic? Could be. In the end it might be their volume/clout that helps “clear the air” so to speak, on this whole thing too. 
Of course this is pure speculation on my part.
I picked up a leaflet in the collection office whilst I was collecting my fluke 117.
<a href=Photo Storage | Photobucket target=_blank><img src=http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x48/gords1001/20130911_204243_zps3f001f9d.jpg border=0 alt=>
<a href=Photo Storage | Photobucket target=_blank><img src=http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x48/gords1001/20130911_204250_zps14cf8034.jpg border=0 alt=>
<a href=Photo Storage | Photobucket target=_blank><img src=http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x48/gords1001/20130911_204258_zpsbf92530f.jpg border=0 alt=>
(sorry about the quality, gords is semi drunk……)
Now, in torch terms, how this reads to me is, I couldn’t ship two 18650 cells to chloe, at all if that was all I shipped.
But say, I built a 2*26650 light and dale bought it off me, with cells.
I could cut three 26mm plastic disks from a carton, drop a disk down the tube, drop in the first cell, drop a disk down the tube, drop in the second cell, drop in the third disk and then screw on the tailcap. That would satisfy royal mails terms as long as the cells have less than 2g of lithium……
Can we really see fasttech et al going through this rigmarole? I don’t think so, fwiw, I’ve got three 32650 cells and a rook of 18650 cells sat in an order from fasttech and six 26700 moli cells on the way from Elektrolumens. …….
oh dear :~
I’m not sure the extent to which the e-cig business or the well publicised airline fires have had to do with this. The point is that someone with a degree of clout has decided to clamp down and it is having an obvious effect in the short term. The questions are then,(a) is this stringent regulation sustainable and (b) how will the sellers respond? I don’t know the answer to these questions but I suspect the relevant authorities can’t keep this up and that the Chinese merchants are already beavering away on various workarounds as I speak.
In the UK lithium batteries sent in isolation are prohibited but there is a caveat(subject to lots of yada yada) if they are “contained in/connected to an electronic device”. Maybe we will now all receive our batteries packed in $1.00 lights!
I just received an email from Wallbuys about a pair of Panny 3400’s I bought during their recent battery sale:
I wonder how things will get on shipping laptop battery packs? thats probably the biggest li ion shipment to one address, say an IT department updating their inventory for the office staff.
for what its worth, I’ve never had an issue getting cells from big_f_f_d ( torchy the battery boy ) on ebay, he’s Glasgow based and given how quick he ships, I’m sure he lives in a post office lol
I think those said from US warehouse … mine shows shipped yesterday today.
EDIT: Tracking number looks to be USPS and their website says no web updates with this package receiving at NJ facility with delivery confirmation.
if an 18650 shortage/price increase/armageddon etc happens because of this
I WILL BE GOING ALL ENELOOP/NIMH LIGHTS
i felt it was necessary to post that in all caps
well……just decided to do something I never do and checked my tracking……
using singpost, my package shipped over seas on the sixth, looks like my old landlord will have a red slip any day because I’ve still not done an address redirect and wont be able too till Saturday lol
You're right. I was already going to look into that because I just got a shipping notice and mine is coming from their U.S. warehouse. They got lucky.
I'm lucky.
I already have plenty of lithium ion cells. I could go at least a couple years without buying more. I even bought a 32650 and I don't even have a flashlight for it. I don't need more unless I order a 3x26650, and I don't really need new cells, but I'd want brand new button tops to better ensure that they're a matched set.
That Duraloop deal was almost perfectly timed, and having a couple dozen of those, plus Eneloops, means I already have a good alternative to lithium ion.
Even though I've avoided 18650 lights, at least my 26650 lights were always compatible, and I've even picked up a couple 18650-only lights lately. Even though I already have enough 18650's, I'm now more likely to stock up on pack pulls.
I feel bad about folks just getting into this.
Well I’ll bet one of the asian mail carriers will look to pick up business by looking the other way.
I ordered a couple of Keeppower 14500’s from Wallbuys last week. No tracking, and I’ve no idea if they have been sent. I could check my account, I think,but I’d have to ask Cherry for the password lol. Ah well, I’ll have to stop playing with the Supfire, and use the cells sensibly in a single 18650 light lol.
Maybe the solution is to include a cheap “USB Charging Box” and install the batteries in them.
Something like this LINK
Then the batteries would be installed in device, packaged in box that says “Mobile Power Bank” and shipped. Everyone wins
Trouble is, many of the USB boxes won’t take protected 18650 cells.