New TSA regulations on Lithium batteries

As of January 1, 2008 NO spare Lithium OR LI-ION batteries in checked bags...and

only two batteries per person allowed as spares in carry-on (i.e., not installed

in devices.)

 

There are also rules regarding the amount of lithium per battery which is allowed.

 

Check out the regs here and pay special attention to the chart on this page.

 

http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

Yikes. Can you imagine what's going to happen when the security goons try to make sense of this stuff?

So, let's see: I'll put one in each camera body, and two in each detached vertical grip (thus, "installed" in a device), and carry the two spares with contact covers on them, as they require. That's 8 batteries. All of my strobes use NiMH, so that's not even part of the discussion. I think this is really more of an issue for people with the whopping big external laptop batteries.

What tripe. All of this nonsense because we won't make the hard decisions and go after terrorists in a meaningful way.

 

These bozos they are hiring couldn't, for the most part, spell Lithium. (Those who are not taking it anyway.)

 

No offense to the TSA but they repeatedly fail their own security inspections. Maybe they should ban old ladies from the planes. Let one stiffen up and she makes a jim-crack battering ram.

I looked at the information this link provides. I read it once, then twice and then over a couple of times more. Amazing, just truly amazing.

 

I don't pretend to know the reasons these new regs are in effect, and athough I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt,

this is the government, afterall. Their track record for truth-telling, efficacy, and horse sense is about a 3.5/10 nowadays.

 

I guess what we're gonna have to do know is start taking apart one of those Li-On batteries we all use and then separate the lithium from the other crappola they have in them and then weigh the lithium to make sure it's under the SLWA (suggested lithium weight allowance).

Sure we are.

 

Alternatively we could write to Nicanon and ask them their batts' weights of lithium. I'm sure they'll answer in a jif. Sure they will.

 

The TSA as government agency, with its sweeping resposibilities has got to do better than this. But it probably won't.

 

Photo.net contributors and its sister sites will step in and plug the breach and will provide clear, useful information about battery carriage on airplanes.

Although the TSA is handling the restrictions in its typically ham-handed way, there are very good reasons for the restrictions. Lithium batteries, if they short out, will burn fiercely, almost explosively. They are safer when installed in a device than when packed inside luggage because they can come into contact with a conducting material that can short them out. There have been a series of recalls of devices which could potentially short. Now, supposedly, devices which are mis-configured are off the market, but the batteries can short when they are not installed.

<p>

<a href="http://www.geardiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/dell_fire_2.jpg">Look here</a> to see what can happen with lithiums. It's too much of a risk to have it happen on a commercial flight.

How long have we all been using lithiums and flying? [it's been 5 years for me.] What problems have occurred that are a result of this?

Chris,

 

The use of lithium-ion batteries is increasing, both because they are replacing other types and because the number of portable devices which require powerful rechargers is increasing. Consequently the risk from these batteries is increasing. It is known to be a risk. I believe that last year, one of the laptop battery fires happened at Los Angeles International Airport, shortly before the passenger who owned the laptop was going to board.

 

It depends how you view safety vs. convenience/cost. Do you want to wait until there is a fire in an airplane luggage compartment? I don't. Of course that TSA is dealing with the problem in a clumsy way -- that's their way. But I'm surprised they haven't restricted lithium-ion batteries before this.

If the problem is that batteries can short when they're loosely packed, as they're suggesting, why limit the number of spare batteries in original packaging or plastic bags to 2? There are lithium AA batteries which are quite small, and eight of them is required at one time to power a camera such as the F5. Rechargeable AA batteries don't have the capacity. I suppose I should get the NiMH battery then, or switch to the F6.

While one may indeed rant about how well this has been considered, in practical terms, it's NOT about terrorism. This is about basic transport safety. At least one plane has had a wopping cargo area fire fueled by LI batteries, and I've seen plenty of video of them going up - it's not pretty.

Ok, now I think I got it. As long as any signle lithium metal battery is below the 2 g limit, it's good to go as carry-on. If it is above 2 grams per battery, then they can't be taken on the plane.

 

For Li-Ion batteries, which most digital SLRs, mobile phones, and laptops use nowadays, as long as a single battery is below 8 grams in lithium content, they're good to go as carry-ons. If a battery is above 8 grams only two of them are allowed as carry-ons, and in this case the total lithium content of these must be at most 25 grams.

 

I don't think the carry-on limitations are a practical restriction to anyone.

 

For checked baggage, only installed batteries are allowed.

<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_7829794?source=bb">Denver Post Article</a><P>It is kind of funny how people assume that TSA's only job is in regards to terrorists. It is all about safety in general. IF you've ever seen Lithium burn, you wouldn't want it in your cargo hold.

<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_7829794?source=bb">Denver Post Article</a><P>It is kind of funny how people assume that TSA's only job is in regards to terrorists. It is all about safety in general. IF you've ever seen Lithium burn, you wouldn't want it in your cargo hold.<P>Forgot HTML

In contractors tools I have three 24Volt Ridgid battery packs; I suppose they could be checked thru if they are each on a circular saw, hammer drill, sawsall clone? For my IBM T30 laptop I often carry a spare lithium battery; one that swaps out it the DVD carrier' it allow more run time. Maybe this battery ban is just going to boost Mac laptops with flash drives? <BR><BR>A battery wether if NiCad or Lithium can short out if the connectors come into contact with say a mess of paperclips, coins, keys, etc><BR><BR>Lithiums being abit newer have had some super rare meltdowns; interally; with no expernal shorting of the contacts. Lithiums are actually really old; they are used in pacemakers.

Lithiums are in many cargo holds of airfrieghters; alot of the contactors tools made in China are moved to the USA that way; or by slower ocean container freight.

do they know the difference between a battery and a cell?

\my wife's P&S takes 4 AA cells, can she carry a half set (2)

or 2 sets (8) or only one set of the non-rechagable spares?

can they make the airplane land in the parking lot of the nearest wal-mart so she can take photos of the grand-kids?

 

This is the same kind of bs as the required fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. It is more economical to carry more food or fuel or clothing in one truck rather than 2 smaller trucks

the small cars:" my feet size 11, don't fit between the front seat and the door opening, it';s tricky to get in and out.

do I have to remove my toes?

and large families, travelling in 2 crackerboxes instead of one decent sized car, or will we put restrictions on the number of children we can have, like China?

overall it gets sillier and sillier.

it reminds me of " who will bell the cat"?

I wouldn't count on most TSA screeners understanding the 8 gram rule. "You're only allowed to have 2 extra batteries." "But they're less than 8 grams and I'm supposed to be able to take as many as I want." "You're only allowed to have 2 extra batteries."

 

Does anyone have any idea what the lithium content of the Canon BP-511 (the battery in the 10 - 40D and 5D) is?

Well, do you think that TSA screeners are going to look for how many little batteries you carry in your carry-on bag? I doubt it. If it seems like your whole bag is full of batteries they might pay attention ;-)

 

I think the rule table is quite clear and it says that the two-battery rule only applies for batteries in excess of 8 grams. If I travel to America some day I will print a copy of it and point it out to the TSA guy if they try to prevent me from getting on board.

By the way if the batteries do exceed in 8 grams per battery, you cannot carry two spares. You can only carry two such batteries total, even if one is installed.

 

The news reporting on the rules is atrociously poor quality. TIME and others are creating confusion. Sometimes I wonder if they ever get facts right.

A US Nickel coin weights 5 grams; a US bill weight 1 gram. A battery les s than 8rams is a small battery. They will call single cell batteries a *battery*; whether its one or more cells.

Kelly: But it's not about the weight of the battery/cell - it's about the "equivalent weight" of the <i>lithium in the battery</i>. There's far less than 8g of actual lithium in typical DSLR battery.

A US Nickel ie a 5 cent coin weights 5 grams; a United States paper bill weighs 1 gram.<BR><BR> A battery weighing less than 8 grams is a small battery. A Lithium AA battery weighs about 15 grams. They will call single cell batteries a *battery*; whether its one or more cells.<BR><BR>In shipping Lithium batteries; the mass of the Lithium in the anode is used; not the battery's weight in DOT documents.

I understand the safety issue but, sometimes in order to protect us from ourselves they make

things worse. If everyone remembers the the Sony battery issue last year this some what

makes sense, but if memory serves me right these batteries burst into flames when they were

in use not in storage. With bomb, terrorist issues and drug smuggling do we need this

regulation?

<i>If everyone remembers the the Sony battery issue last year this some what makes sense, but if memory serves me right these batteries burst into flames when they were in use not in storage.</i>

<Br><br>

Many devices - such as laptops - are taking a small trickle from the battery even when the device is idle. My D200, for example, is always displaying the memory status, even when the camera is "off." Pull the battery, and this behavior stops. "Suspended," rather than "hibernated" laptops - same story. More to the point, though: part of the concern is that OTHER sources of fire, while bad enough in a cargo hold, are made much worse if they happen to touch off a container with a load of lithium on board. It's like shipping fuel pellets.

<br><br>

<i>With bomb, terrorist issues and drug smuggling do we need this regulation?</i>

<Br><br>

These are unrelated things. It's like saying, "Considering we're already worrying about people who put explosives in their shoes to try to kill a plane load of people, do we REALLY need to worry about airbags in the taxicabs we take to the airport?" It's a false dichotomy. As I'm seeing this written rules, this will appear to have no impact whatsoever on me, since the batteries I'd carry and pack (for my D200 rig, including the laptop I travel with) won't even be an issue.

[[this will appear to have no impact whatsoever on me, since the batteries I'd carry and pack (for my D200 rig, including the laptop I travel with) won't even be an issue]]

 

Wait until you get to your first TSA agent that doesn't understand the new regs...