OT: New rules: no camcorder batts in luggage

riredale wrote on 12/30/2007, 12:03 AM
If I'm reading this website correctly, you had better get used to carrying all your camcorder batteries in your carry-on luggage. Detached lithium-based batteries will no longer be allowed in checked luggage.

I'm still confused by the 8-gram and 25-gram limits. Does this mean that I can't bring multiple batteries for my FX-1 with me on my next overseas trip???


EDIT:
The big 970-series batteries for my FX-1 are about 50 W-hrs. So in theory that means I can take, IN CARRY-ON luggage, any number of those. But I'd be limited to two of the large battery units shown on that web page.

Comments

farss wrote on 12/30/2007, 12:25 AM
The weight limits refer to the metallic lithium equivalent. In other words how much equivalent metallic lithium is inside the battery. As they said, the battery manufacturer should have this information available, it should certainly be on their product safety sheets and having a copy with you might be wise.

What I think it means is no battery with greater than 8gm Li equivalent period i.e. those monster bricks are out. And the total of all batteries Li eq cannot exceed 25gm. So if your batteries are say 4gm eq you can carry 6 of them onto the aircraft.

I'm glad to see this getting some attention, we've had a Li-Ion battery ignite just sitting on the shelf. Apart from the fire risk the smoke is toxic. Not something you want happening inside an aircraft. At least in the cabin there's a chance it can be dealt with.

Bob.
apit34356 wrote on 12/30/2007, 3:07 AM
Farss, I think you're right about this issue about air travel. One bad battery in a group of them could lead to some serious fires in the cargo bay, a lot of aircraft have aux fuel lines that pass thru or close to the central cargo bays, these lines are used to balance fuel loads--- tho these are well design, the intense heat of a Li battery fire could be problem, excluding wiring and "other" pl.pressure issues also.
MRe wrote on 12/30/2007, 9:01 AM
Hmmm.... yes and no. Wonder how they actually ship those batts from Japan (Malaysia, etc) to US (Finland, etc)? By ship? Doubt that. And big (major?) share of all cargo flyes using commercial airplanes.

In my opinion this is just another nuisance. But taking how much flying actually adds to global warming they should stop it completely. But that is completely another story.
apit34356 wrote on 12/30/2007, 9:34 AM
"actually ship those batts from Japan (Malaysia, etc) to US (Finland, etc)" If you check, you'll find that very little, if any, consumer electronics ship by plane from manufacturers. The bulk is ship by cargo freighters, a lot cheaper and not weight limited. A lot of "on demand" parts, ie, specialized laser diodes, ics will be air shipped, new limited productions cameras ie the EX that are struggling to meet demand, timed limited delivery contracts,ie....