Schneider Protection Relay Air Freight Compliance Guideline

REL52012C (Schneider Protection Relay) Lithium Battery & Air Freight Compliance Guideline

1. Conclusión central

The REL52012C (Schneider Easergy P3U30 Series Universal Protection Relay) contains no rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It may only be fitted with a non-rechargeable lithium metal coin cell battery (for clock/data backup) or adopt a supercapacitor as backup power supply.

Both configurations comply with air freight regulations and can be shipped by air as ordinary goods without special dangerous goods declaration.

2. Detailed Battery Type & Especificación

2.1 Battery Configuration Confirmation

2.2 Notas clave

According to the official manual of Schneider P3U30 Series, most models use a supercapacitor as power-off data backup power, with an average backup duration of about 100 days for new units.

Even if some models are equipped with coin cell batteries, they comply with IATA DGR 64th Edition Special Provision SP 188:

Installed lithium metal coin cells with rated capacity ≤0.3Wh are exempted from UN38.3 test reports, dangerous goods packaging certificates and dangerous goods labels.

3. Air Freight Operation Specifications (Doméstico / Internacional)

3.1 Domestic Air Freight (24–48 hours delivery)

1. Document Preparation:

Cargo list, commercial invoice (for business transactions), power of attorney (when appointing a freight forwarder).

2. Packaging Requirements:

Keep original anti-static packaging; label outer cartons with Fragile and This Side Up marks.

Use 5-layer corrugated carton for single unit; fix multiple units on pallet with stretch film reinforcement.

3. Shipping Process:

Book space with airline / freight forwarder and provide product model & weight information.

Deliver goods to airport cargo terminal or arrange door pickup (nota: cargo acceptance closes 4–6 hours before flight departure).

Obtain Air Waybill (AWB) number for full-track tracing.

4. Pickup & Inspección:

Pick up goods with ID / business license plus AWB number; check quantity and appearance on site.

3.2 International Air Freight (3–7 days delivery)

1. Additional Document Preparation:

Customs declaration form, inspection application form (si es necesario), certificate of origin (tariff preference for certain countries), packing list, proforma invoice (for destination customs clearance).

No need to provide UN38.3 test report or MSDS (exempted for coin cell batteries).

2. Packaging Standard:

Mark outer cartons with shipping marks (port of destination, consignee, package quantity, etc.).

Use anti-static and cushioning materials to protect internal electronic components.

3. Customs Clearance Tips:

HS Code: 8536.20.00 (Electrical protection relays).

Declare as General Electrical Equipment; no need to mark “Contains lithium battery” (within exemption scope).

4. Key Air Freight Takeaways

✅ Battery Compliance: Both supercapacitors and lithium coin cells ≤0.3Wh are exempted for air transport.

✅ Packaging Standard: Antiestático + cushioning + pressure-resistant outer carton, marked Fragile / This Side Up.

✅ Simplified Documents: No UN38.3 / MSDS required; prepare documents as ordinary cargo.

✅ Shipping Option: Doméstico: standard air freight (48h); Internacional: air freight + customs clearance agency (5–7 days).

✅ Risk Control: Purchase all-risk air cargo insurance (premium approx. 0.5%–1% of cargo value).

5. Preguntas frecuentes

Q1: Will airlines reject REL52012C with built-in lithium coin cell?

A: No. IATA regulations clearly exempt small-capacity installed lithium coin cells that meet: non-rechargeable, no external short-circuit risk, and complete individual encapsulation.

Q2: Is battery information required to be marked on the air waybill for international shipment?

A: No special marking needed. Such small-capacity coin cells fall under exemption; declare as ordinary electrical equipment directly.

Q3: Can REL52012C be shipped by passenger aircraft?

A: Sí. The product is not classified as dangerous goods; acceptable for both passenger and cargo aircraft.

REL52012C Supercapacitor Backup Duration Analysis (Conclusión central + Official Data)

1. Core Function Positioning

The built-in supercapacitor (double-layer capacitor) of REL52012C (Schneider Easergy P3U30 Protection Relay) is only for data backup, not for supporting normal equipment operation.

Its core function is to maintain the following key data when main power fails:

RTC real-time clock (ensuring accurate time recording)

Relay configuration parameters (preventing setting loss)

Event records and fault logs (ensuring data integrity before power outage)

2. Official Backup Duration Data (Temperatura ambiente: 25°C)

3. Key Factors Affecting Backup Duration
4. Temperatura ambiente

Every 10°C temperature rise halves capacitor service life and shortens backup time accordingly:

35°C: ~50 days (new unit), ~15 days (after 5 años)

45°C: ~25 days (new unit), ~7 days (after 5 años)

2. Capacitor Aging

Though supercapacitors have hundreds of thousands of charge-discharge cycles, their capacity gradually drops from 100% to around 80% after long-term use (aprox. 8–10 years).

3. Charging Status

When main power is normal, the supercapacitor charges automatically and continuously to maintain full charge readiness.

4. Critical Explanation (Avoid Misunderstanding)
5. No support for normal operation: Limited energy of supercapacitor only sustains low-power data storage circuit; cannot drive relay protection functions, measurement modules or communication interfaces.
6. Data protection mechanism: When supercapacitor voltage drops below threshold, clock data may be lost and time needs reset after reboot.
7. Alternative Solution: For longer data backup, optional external backup battery (Número de pieza. HMIZGBAT) can be adopted, providing over 5 years of backup cycle.
8. Quick Key Points

✅ Purpose: Only data backup, not operational power supply

✅ New Unit: ~100 days @ 25°C

✅ After 5 Years: ~30 days @ 25°C

✅ Temperature Impact: Backup time halves per 10°C rise

✅ Energy Limit: Cannot drive protection / medición / communication functions