New regulations for lithium batteries in USA on airplanes Jan. 1 2008

[AlanWald]

See USA Dept. of Transportation web site for details if you travel with any lithium batteries. Loose (not installed in a device) lithium batteries are forbidden in checked luggage.

Safe Travel

http://dot.gov/

safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html


Effective January 1, 2008, the following rules apply to the spare lithium batteries 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 lithium battery 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.

The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours:

* Under the new rules, you can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
* You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. Examples of two types of lithium ion batteries with equivalent lithium content over 8 grams but below 25 are shown below.
* For a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
* Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer!

WEB SITE FOR TIPS ON PACKING BATTERIES Safe Travel

 

[H2ODog]

Any idea why spare lithium batteries are forbidden in checked luggage only? Seems kind of odd that you can have them in your carry on but not in checked luggage.

 

[AlanWald]

This is what the TSA web site says

"Keep batteries and equipment with you, or in carry-on baggage - not in your checked baggage! In the cabin, flight crew can better monitor conditions, and have access to the batteries or device if a fire does occur."

 

[pasley]

Lithium batteries can be touchy.

While in Baghdad I picked up a dozen small lithium batteries for our weapon sights and put them in my pocket, which quickly grew very warm as several of them were making enough contact with each other to heat up.

Speculation: This could be the problem in checked luggage, several spare batteries in contact with metal objects or each other and over heating.

Just a thought.

 

[jimdiverman]

If you go back and recheck that TSA thread, you will notice that the TSA has backed off on their original edict. Now they are only prohibiting loose batteries in your checked baggage, and not requiring that you carry on all other batteries. The batteries can now be checked if they are taped up on the ends and not rolling around in there. They just changed it yesterday morning sometime.

 

[broncobowsher]

Any idea why spare lithium batteries are forbidden in checked luggage only? Seems kind of odd that you can have them in your carry on but not in checked luggage.

My guess is that it has something to do with that checked bag that caught fire during handling a couple months back.

 

[DiverDonn]

I have a real problem with putting batteries in any device put in my checked baggage particularly lights. I have had at least 3 lights totally ruined, when a TSA inspector turned a light on in my checked luggage and left the ight on. By the time I got to my destination, and realized what had happened, the plastic lens had warped from the heat. In fact I thought the idea is to NOT put batteries in checked lights. I have one dive light that does not have removeable batteries- in that case I have been advised by TSA to remove the bulb-whether it is checked or carried on. What I am now doing both for regular dive lights and my camera strobe is only putting in some of the batteries, that way I am not carrying a ton of extras but there are not enough in the device to turn it on either. DD

 

[AlanWald]

This from the TSA web site TSA: Safe Travel with Batteries and Devices
late January 1. 2008
Checked luggage batteries must be properly packaged to avoid removal.


Effective January 1, 2008, the Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will no longer allow loose lithium batteries in checked baggage. These batteries may continue to be packed in carry-on baggage.

Under the new DOT rule, lithium batteries are allowed in checked baggage under one of the following conditions:

* The batteries must be in their original containers.
* The battery terminals must not exposed (for example placing tape over the ends of the batteries).
* The batteries are installed in a device.
* The batteries are enclosed by themselves in a plastic bag.

Loose lithium batteries found in checked baggage may be removed

 

[Ken Kurtis]

"We're from the government. We're here to confuse you."

I received an updated link for info on the lithium-ion batteries. This one's from the TSA. And - what a surprise - it has some mis and confusing information it in.
TSA: Safe Travel with Batteries and Devices

So I went back to the original source and called the contact number in Washington on the PHMSA news release. They in turn referred me to an 800 number that's an info hotline for all the questions about this. Here's that number:

800/467-4922 (then push the number 1)

It was clear after talking to the (nice) guy who picked up the phone that he was just parroting the information that's been on the website and didn't really know much himself, other than what he'd been handed. (And he says they're getting hundreds of calls.) I asked him if there was someone else I could talk to who might be a little better-versed on all of this and he said, "How about if I give you the number of the guy who actually wrote the regulation?"

So I spent about the last 20 minutes on the phone with Arthur, the author of the regs and he was very helpful. but he also freely concedes that this is a very confusing area and that a lot of the attempts they've made to clarify things have probably only made things worse.

Arthur also said (as I mentioned in a previous post) that although the regulation technically went into effect yesterday (Jan. 1), it's going to be a few months before the TSA people (don't forget this is a DOT reg that's being implemented by TSA) are trained and up to speed. Arthur said their goal is smooth implementation without hassling the flying public.

He also pointed out that the regs were originally designed mainly for mfgs who bulk-ship lithium-ion batteries. That's why the language is written in "grams of lithium" which doesn't do the consumer much good. But now they're going to apply this to the general public as well.

The easiest way to think about this: If you have extra/spare lithium-ion batteries that you're traveling with, put them in your CARRY-ON bag.

Arthur told me that even though the language on the website refers to "loose" batteries, what it really means is any battery not in the device it powers. And on the TSA website, where it implies that lithium-ion batteries in a plastic bag or in original packaging can be checked, Arthur says that is NOT correct.

Basically, they define the batteries as under 8 grams of lithium, 8-25 grams of lithium, and over 25 grams of lithium. The other way to think of that (which you can calculate from the battery) is in watt-hours. 8 grams is roughly 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is roughly 300 watt-hours.

Batteries under 8 grams (100 watt-hours) - No limit. Take as many as you like (according to Arthur).
Batteries 8-25 grams (100-300 watt-hours) - Limit two per passenger per device.
Over 25 grams (300+ watt-hours) - Not allowed.

Arthur basically said that cell phone, digital camera, and regular laptop batteries all fall under the 8 gram (100 watt-hour) limit. No problems. For instance, my HP laptop battery ends up being about 45 watt-hours. Even my extended 12-cell battery would be about 90 watt-hours, so is OK.

The way you can figure out the watt-hours of your battery is to look on the battery and take the voltage times the amp-hours to get the watt-hours. (Mine was 10.8V x 4.4AHr = 47.52 watt-hours.) If the amp-hours are in milliamps, you'll need to convert to amps. But basically, Arthur said most consumer stuff should be fine. but he did re-emphasize that, to play it safe, put ALL of your spare lithium-ion batteries in your carry-on.

I also specifically asked him about AA batteries (which I put in my checked bags) and he said they're not an issue, nor are NiMH batteries. With my AAs, I also leave them in their original packing and Arthur said that's perfect. He also pointed out that, if you've got checked batteries in your bag, it's a good idea to stand by the TSA guy while they x-ray the bag so that if anything needs to come out, the TSA guy can just hand it back to you. Arthur specifically said, "We don't want to end up with bins of batteries the way we did with lighters."

So that - I think - should be the latest info. As I've said before, it's an evolving subject. It looks like the practical implementation is a ways down the road but that doesn't mean some over-zealous TSA person couldn't ding you tomorrow. And if you've got questions, call the 800 #.

- Ken

 

[paradicio]

Good info, thanks for the diligence and keeping us up to speed!