flying with can light battery

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If you travel overseas with a canister in your carry on, keep an eye on security when they inspect it. Hong Kong airport sliced the packing in my canister with a knife to see what was behind it and as bad luck would have, my canister flooded on a dive and the seawater shorted it out and burned the entire unit.
I believe we don't have any standard in this issue in HK! Bunch of clowns. Sometime I got held up for half an hr because they needed to get the permission from the airline!!!!! Other time no problem whatsoever. It is all depend on who is sitting behind the x-ray machine.
 
I just got off the phone with Ted at Light Monkey and got a pretty detailed answer on this. TSA rules have changed recently and they have had to make some changes to stay compliant. The older rules specify a maximum quantity of lithium in each battery. The new rules specify a maximum Watt*hr per battery of 160Wh. The battery I’m using is apparently 115Wh and is ok.

They have paid for 3rd party testing to certify that their batteries are UN 38.3 compliant and safe for air transport. New batteries, and those returned for service, are going to be engraved with their Wh rating and a statement of UN 38.3 compliance.

LM batteries larger than 160Wh are going to be divided into separate cells with individual hot leads which are jumpered together in the head.

ETA: He also agrees that the TSA agents don't really know the rules and recommends flying with copies of the compliance statement on their website.
 
Compliance with TSA regs only relates to whether the battery is ok to fly. It really does not address the issue of carry on vs checked bag. I always do it in carry on.

There is a reason they don't allow loose batteries in checked baggage. Lithium batts can be a tremendous heat source and start a fire, even with their terminals taped. If there is going to be a fire, it is better to have it in the passenger compartment where it can be extinguished instead of in the cargo hold where it can (and has) cause the plane to go down. Even following the rules and keeping it in the device can not completely eliminate the risk. Anything you bring on a plane should have o-rings or lids removed so it does not pressure seal. Also, can lights are heavy. Putting them in carry on relieves some of the weight restriction burden from your checked bag. I had a legal sized carry on one time that was almost 80 pounds with can lights, cylinders and sorb. I made sure to hoist it into the overhead over a nice little old lady instead of being over my head.
 
Compliance with TSA regs only relates to whether the battery is ok to fly. It really does not address the issue of carry on vs checked bag. I always do it in carry on.

There is a reason they don't allow loose batteries in checked baggage. Lithium batts can be a tremendous heat source and start a fire, even with their terminals taped. If there is going to be a fire, it is better to have it in the passenger compartment where it can be extinguished instead of in the cargo hold where it can (and has) cause the plane to go down. Even following the rules and keeping it in the device can not completely eliminate the risk. Anything you bring on a plane should have o-rings or lids removed so it does not pressure seal. Also, can lights are heavy. Putting them in carry on relieves some of the weight restriction burden from your checked bag. I had a legal sized carry on one time that was almost 80 pounds with can lights, cylinders and sorb. I made sure to hoist it into the overhead over a nice little old lady instead of being over my head.

That makes sense so I guess I'll take it carry on . But I'm not sitting anywhere near you. I've seen baggage spill from the overhead.
 
Lithium batteries cannot be in checked luggage

If you mean large lithium metal batteries, that's true. Large lithium-ion can be checked according to http://phmsa.dot.gov/safetravel/batteries, which is the website Southwest Airlines refers to. Here is the chart they use:

Capture.jpg
 
Lithium batteries cannot be in checked luggage

Loose lithium batteries can not be checked. Lithium batteries installed in their device may be checked, depending on the amount of lithium. And there are special rules for scooter batteries.
 
Loose lithium batteries can not be checked. Lithium batteries installed in their device may be checked, depending on the amount of lithium. And there are special rules for scooter batteries.

My can light battery - installed in a light but with leads unconnected - was confiscated from checked luggage by TSA. They left a note explaining that LiOn batteries couldn't be packed in luggage. Unfortunately... it was a NiMh battery that was clearly labeled as such. Been two years since I filed a claim for reimbursement.
 
I have flown quite a few times now with my large UWLD canister light. I always put it in the carry on, together with regs, dive computer, etc. The always open the bag, I explain what it is, they swab the light down, and wish me a good trip. Takes about an extra minute, but never any serious problem.
 
My can light battery - installed in a light but with leads unconnected - was confiscated from checked luggage by TSA. They left a note explaining that LiOn batteries couldn't be packed in luggage. Unfortunately... it was a NiMh battery that was clearly labeled as such. Been two years since I filed a claim for reimbursement.

That reflects on the stupidity of the TSA agent, not the regulations. Just another reason to put anything questionable in carry on.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.
 
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