New FAA Warning on Lithium Batteries

[DeusVerto]

Secondary (rechargeable) Lithium batteries have a very low internal impedance, which means short-circuit currents can run several times the cell's stated capacity in mA/hours.

Some more exotic lithium "polymer" batteries can dump 50 times their rating. I have personally tested 4000 mAH "hi-C" cells which can shed their charge at a 120 amp rate or more. To put this into perspective, your house will likely have a 100 amp capacity service panel main breaker. This means heat can build VERY quickly both inside the battery and in whatever conductive material is doing the shorting.

Remember the now infamous Dell laptop fires which led to a massive Sony battery recall? Here are some pics on what happens when a lithium battery has a catastrophic internal short-circuit failure.

Exploding Laptop.com - Your Dell is on Fire !

Not a pretty sight.

The moral of the story is: be very conservative with the protective covers around your batteries while traveling.

 

[Deac in the Wake]

From the link posted above. http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/media/safo10017.pdf

"These recommendations are limited to lithium batteries transported in the cargo hold of an aircraft (including cargo holds that are not distinct from the flight deck), and do not apply to lithium batteries carried onboard by passengers and crew members, or otherwise stowed in the passenger cabin of the aircraft."

"most lithium batteries and devices are currently classified as excepted from the Class 9 provisions of the HMR. Because of this exception, they do not require a Notice to the Pilot in Command"

Again doesn't sound to me like they are going after consumer electronics on passenger flights.

I tape over my can lights connector when flying. It is prudent to do so. I also rubber band a lithium notice over my battery and carry it onboard the plane.

Can you imagine if they tried to ban laptops from the cabin and the luggage?

As I pointed out in my original post, this only targets large commercial shipments. At one time, you could carry or cargo O2-generators on board a plane. Same with personal breathing O2. Now, O2 generators are restricted to cargo-only flights (and subject to heavy requirements) and personal O2 must be in a carrier-approved/regulated dispenser- and no extra bottle may be carried onboard.

The point is that incremental steps are precipitated reactively. When something happens because of a Li-ion battery, they will be subject to further regulation and this is just a step towards that. I don't have a problem with it but I do encourage others to help themselves by taking care to package batteries carefully to avoid a problem later. In the end, we'd all hate to the be guy whose battery ignited and crashed the plane we were on. I hope.

To answer the question as to why I use tape and plastic, just as has been posted above, it's the best way to insulate terminals on a battery. Plus, it shows the TSA rep that I'm actually aware of what it is and am trying to be responsible about it.

 

[tarponchik]

To answer the question as to why I use tape and plastic, just as has been posted above, it's the best way to insulate terminals on a battery. Plus, it shows the TSA rep that I'm actually aware of what it is and am trying to be responsible about it.

I agree but I'd rather use ziplogs or plastic food storage boxes sold in groceries than duct tape, or at least an electric tape if you prefer taping. Duct tape leaves sticky goo on surfaces and this may cause problems when you stick your battery back in.

 

[iztok]

For the battery experts here. If battery pack got in contact in some water but didn't catch on fire or anything and it is dry now is it still an issue or should I be ok with charging it and using it?

 

[tarponchik]

For the battery experts here. If battery pack got in contact in some water but didn't catch on fire or anything and it is dry now is it still an issue or should I be ok with charging it and using it?

If this was salty sea water, wash the battery with fresh water (best of all soak it in distilled or bottled drinking water for 10-15 min) then air dry and clean the metal contacts with very fine sandpaper (you can use the brownish side of a matchbox if you do not have sanpaper). If this was fresh water, then just air dry.

 

[iztok]

If this was salty sea water, wash the battery with fresh water (best of all soak it in distilled or bottled drinking water for 10-15 min) then air dry and clean the metal contacts with very fine sandpaper (you can use the brownish side of a matchbox if you do not have sanpaper). If this was fresh water, then just air dry.

Fresh water indeed! It is dry now.

 

[DeusVerto]

I don't believe soaking a battery in a potentially conductive fluid is a best-practice idea. Rinsing is probably fine, but I doubt a little sea water is a huge issue anyway if you merely wipe it off.

Sanding metal battery contacts is NOT a good idea, unless they are badly corroded anyway. Most battery contacts have an anti-oxidation conductive plating (usually nickel) for optimal contact which you will destroy by doing this. A q-tip with WD-40 works in a pinch if you do not have regular contact cleaning solution. Spray the WD-40 on the Q-Tip and wipe the contacts, then dry with another one. WD-40 is a great solvent for lots of things, btw, like road tar..but I digress...

If you DO sand the plating off the contacts, you will have to keep the exposed base metal (spring steel or beryllium copper typically) VERY clean all the time. Bare steel or copper oxidizes and loses its electromechanical integrity very quickly, especially in a marine environment.

Another good cleaning method would be using a pencil eraser, if you have nothing else around. I used to do this with high speed logic boards and it worked great.