New Travel Requirements with Spare Batteries [Archive]

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Mike Temporale

12-30-2007, 07:30 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html' target='_blank'>http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html</a> </div>"Effective January 1, 2008, the following rules apply to the spare <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink0" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,0);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,0);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,0);" target="_new" href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?action=expand,57800#">lithium batteries</a> you carry with you in case the battery in a device runs low: • Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries. • You may not pack a spare <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" target="_new" href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?action=expand,57800#">lithium battery</a> in your checked baggage • You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely! • Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed."There's some new restrictions coming into effect when it comes to travelling with spare batteries starting on January 1st.   If any of you like to carry a second phone or laptop battery, you will want to read over these changes and make sure that you are within the allowed amount.  Overall, I don't think this is going to effect me, since I tend to carry my spare phone batteries with me onto the plane.  What I'm really interested to know, is if that USB port on the back of the seat infront of me can be used to charge my devices?  Does anyone know the answer or has been brave enough to plug in their device and find out what happens?

bshpmark

12-30-2007, 07:46 PM

Pretty soon you won't be able to take humans aboard aircraft. After all, humans make bombs, start fires, shoot guns, stab folks, etc etc etc.

tddisc

12-30-2007, 08:55 PM

Overall, I don't think this is going to effect me, since I tend to carry my spare phone batteries with me onto the plane.

I think this is going to be a huge issue since the limit is 2 batteries per passenger, not per device. So you said phone batteries (more than 1), so if you bring anything else that needs extra batteries, you're out of luck. 'Do I bring only one extra spare for my phone so I can bring a spare battery for my laptop or two phone batteries?'

Hopefully those TSA morons will relax the restrictions as time goes one. And all of this is because the NTSB couldn't rule out the possibility of batteries starting a fire in a plane. Nor could they show that the batteries were the cause. 'We don't know what happened so let's just ban everything we can think of that's somehow related.'

ksb

12-30-2007, 11:42 PM

I think this is going to be a huge issue since the limit is 2 batteries per passenger, not per device.Actually, it looks like the TSA has created three size classes (i.e., Small, Medium, and Large) and set different limits on each class. The rules for the batteries that power most cell phone and laptops don't have carry-on limits. (Oddly, the TSA rules seem to be silent on the Large class. Also, the web page explaining the rules is a mess with inconsistencies in its tables -- TSA really needs to fix this to avoid confusing many people.)

The new rules for lithium-ion batteries are: 1) uninstalled batteries must be in your carry-on luggage (batteries installed in your devices may be in your checked or carry-on luggage) and must be switched off (i.e., have their contacts covered since most batteries don't have switches of their own), 2) for medium batteries (i.e., over 100 WH) no more than two with a total of 300 WH can be in your installed in devices in your checked bags, and 3) for medium batteries (i.e., over 100 WH) no more than two with a total of 300 WH can be in your carry-on bags.

So, most laptop and cell phone batteries are under 100 WH and thus there is no limit on the number that can be carried on board. My BlackJack II battery is 1,700 mWh at 3.7 V, or 6.29 WH. My Dell XPS m1330 has a 56 WH battery (a standard 6 cell lithium-ion notebook battery). Since both are under 100 WH, they are both classified as "Small" batteries.

Rule 1 above says that I can have "Small" batteries in my checked bags, as long as the batteries are installed in the devices that they power. (I would never check my phone or computer, so that's not an issue.) Rule 1 also says that I can bring any number of spare batteries on board, as long as they are turned off (i.e., have their contacts covered); so I can put each battery in its own zip-top bag to comply with the rule.

Some huge extended-duration laptop batteries may fall in to the "Medium" class. (Using industry-standard cell sizes, such a battery would have to be a 12-cell battery.) The rules would allow one in the checked luggage (installed in the device) and two (not installed) in the carry-on bags.

Thus the only change that this rules change really imposes on most of us is the individual wrapping of batteries to prevent electrical contacts in our carry-on bags. Between this and last year's liquids rule, it is clear that the zip-top bag industry is secretly in charge of the TSA.

Non-Geek

12-31-2007, 04:06 PM

Rule 1 above says that I can have "Small" batteries in my checked bags, as long as the batteries are installed in the devices that they power ...

ksb:
The rules are much more restrictive than you said (& I am not sure if you rules 2 and 3 are correctly interpreted either) :-
Rule 1 : What about extra rechargeables AA and AAA batteries? I now have to carry them in carry-on and "switched-off".
Rules 2 & 3 : Where do I put the extended-duration laptop battery? It can't be in checked luggage because I won't leave my computer checked, right? So it goes to carry-on too and switched off.
These have serious weight implication to the carry-on luggage when I am flying to/fro Europe (many airlines have weight limit on carry-on). The changes are not just sticking some plastic wrappings on!! Correct me if I am wrong.

Ed Hansberry

12-31-2007, 10:45 PM

Pretty soon you won't be able to take humans aboard aircraft. After all, humans make bombs, start fires, shoot guns, stab folks, etc etc etc.

Not to mention the people that spontaneously combust.

Kris Kumar

01-01-2008, 02:55 AM

Pretty soon you won't be able to take humans aboard aircraft. After all, humans make bombs, start fires, shoot guns, stab folks, etc etc etc.

I hope someone is aggressively researching into StarTrek like Tele-portation or Harry Potter Flue Powder technique. :)