Flying with sealed lead acid batteries

[tALSit de CoD]

Hey, next week i'm off to Perth for a test, and I need to take with me something along the lines of this:

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB2496&keywords=sb-2496&form=KEYWORD 

Now... I don't know what the deal is with flying with one of those, but I thought maybe The Hive Mind may know.

I don't really care if it's checked or hand luggage, I just need it to get there.
// talsit.org

[McGinnes Mark]

Couldn’t you buy one over there? Or is it for powering some device during the flight?

 

Macca

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[Gav]

If it's for powering a device during the flight, your main concern is to make sure it doesn't come undone with vibration. Wrap the battery and electronics up in six or seven layers of duct tape, to be sure :-D

And not sure about the regs, but I'd be curious to know.

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[Iain Chalmers]

My boss had quote a lot of grief with the batteries in his wheelchair when flying internationally a few years back. The next time he flew, he went to a lot of trouble getting data sheets from the battery manufacturer (via e wheelchair manufacturer) documenting the batteries were gel/matt and unspillable. That cause him less, but still some grief...

It's easily understandable that owners of expensive aluminium structures (like 747s) are somewhat concerned about carrying possibly-spillable containers of sulphuic acid...

You might not have a problem if the battery has "non spillable" clearly marked on it like the photo in the PDF linked in Jaycar's site, but if that "sealed lead acid battery" is anything like the one in my motorcycle, it's more accurately described as "non maintainable" rather that non spillable - the one I've got is just a regular wet cell battery with snap on covers over the vents. I'm pretty sure if it ended up upside down in the unpressurized hold of a plane and got taken up a few tens of thousands of feet, it'd leak acid out... I'd prefer you didn't carry one in any aeroplane I happened to own...

If it were me, I'd try getting hold of some documentation clearly showing your batteries are sealed, but also have a source of replacement batteries lined up in Perth just on case... 

Big

[tALSit de CoD]

Plan B:

Get some LiPos by Monday. I can fly with LiPos of the size I need.

I was thinking of something along the lines of:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17273__Turnigy_nano_tech_5300mah_2S2P_30_60C_Hardcase_Lipo_Pack.html 

BUT, I need 2 lipos + a charger by close of business monday.

Any ideas?
// talsit.org

[James Deucker]

Are you planning to take it in carry-on or in checked-in baggage?

Flying domestic here it's not so hard to deal with, though as usual the biggest problem you'll likely strike is if it looks hand-made rather than off-the-shelf. For some reason the baboons in charge of firing electrons at things and staring at the shadows conflate "hand made" with "explosive".

That of course is much less of a problem in checked baggage than carry on.

On 14 October 2011 10:47, Iain Chalmers <big...@mightymedia.com.au> wrote:

[Jake Anderson]

I've done it in the past and gotten some curious looks (and the guy on the xray machine bricked himself but then i was flying with this ;-> http://www.vapourforge.com/jake/temp/1005_0029.jpg), but that was a long time ago.

You can ship batteries, but they must be in cabin luggage, disconnected and in an insulated box (Tupperware container), I've done it a few times since 9/11 and apart from getting a supervisor a few times to check it its been fine, and I've had some fairly knarly looking packs.
I'd wager they wont want you having something like that hooked up to some home brew electronics on the flight (home brew means anything where all the components aren't in fancy plastic cases with a made in china sticker on.

not so much because OMG ITS A BOMB! more omg its a crummy radio emitter that's subtly messing with the ILS, or omg its a fire hazard ;->

Either way, be prepared to throw it out at security and give yourself some extra time.

[tALSit de CoD]

I don't care how it gets to Perth, it just needs to get there.

I won't be using it in flight, and I can leave it in its original box (if it comes in one).
// talsit.org

[James Deucker]

tupperware container, checked luggage, problem solved.

[James Deucker]

oh, and duck tape the lid down because otherwise it will pop off in flight

[James Deucker]

another option would be to call a motorbike shop or two, and ask if you could pre-pay and get them to have one ready for you to pick up on the way from the airport.

[Christopher Beckett]

Why don't you just express post the device to yourself, sans battery then pick up a new one in perth? It's by far the easiest.

-- 
Christopher Beckett

[tALSit de CoD]

Yep, the problem is that I'm getting in at 9pm at night, and then I leave the following morning to do a test at 6am... doesn't leave much time.

// talsit.org

[Jason Ball]

nobody to pick one up for you?

--

ja...@ball.net
vk2...@google.com

[Jake Anderson]

staying at a hotel?
get it sent there, its pretty common they would probably even hold it for a day or 2 before you check in.

[Terry Dawson]

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 10:57 AM, tALSit de CoD <tal...@talsit.org> wrote:
> Plan B:
> Get some LiPos by Monday. I can fly with LiPos of the size I need.
> I was thinking of something along the lines of:
> http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17273__Turnigy_nano_tech_5300mah_2S2P_30_60C_Hardcase_Lipo_Pack.html
> BUT, I need 2 lipos + a charger by close of business monday.
> Any ideas?

Lithium batteries are much harder to fly with than SLAs.
Lithium batteries have specific CASA warnings relating to them and
they are introducing (have introduced?) new declaration forms
regarding them.
They're a fire hazard if accidentally shorted apparently.

Terry

[Lachlan Horne]

They are - but you have to declare above a certain capacity IIUC, which is something like 100Wh, so a large laptop battery. 5.5Ah * 7.4V = 40.7Wh.

[Terry Dawson]

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Lachlan Horne <wil5on...@gmail.com> wrote:
> They are - but you have to declare above a certain capacity IIUC, which is
> something like 100Wh, so a large laptop battery. 5.5Ah * 7.4V = 40.7Wh.

You're right, I did some more digging:

http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_90372
http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_100484

.. are both good references.

Back to SLA batteries .. I'm struggling to find anything on them ..
other than carrying acid is considered a bad thing.

Terry

[Ada Lim]

On Oct 14, 10:57 am, tALSit de CoD <tal...@talsit.org> wrote:
> Plan B:
> Get some LiPos by Monday. I can fly with LiPos of the size I need.

> I was thinking of something along the lines of:http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17273__Turnigy_nano_tech_5...

>
> BUT, I need 2 lipos + a charger by close of business monday.
> Any ideas?

... call the hobbyking retail shop in caringbah, asks them if they
have some in stock, pick up.

if I wasn't working this weekend I'd lend you a charger and give/sell
you some lipos, but I'm in tamworth for two weeks.


> // talsit.org

>
> On 14 October 2011 10:47, Iain Chalmers <bigi...@mightymedia.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 14/10/2011, at 10:28 AM, tALSit de CoD < <tal...@talsit.org>
> > tal...@talsit.org> wrote:
>
> > Hey, next week i'm off to Perth for a test, and I need to take with me
> > something along the lines of this:
>

> > <http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB2496&keywords=sb-2496&f...><http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB2496&keywords=sb-2496&f...>
> >http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB2496&keywords=sb-2496&f...

[Terry Dawson]

As near as I can determine you cannot take sealed lead acid batteries
in carry-on luggage.
It does look like you can declare them and so long as they are
properly packaged, they can be transported in the hold.

Terry

[Terry Dawson]

> As near as I can determine you cannot take sealed lead acid batteries
> in carry-on luggage.
> It does look like you can declare them and so long as they are
> properly packaged, they can be transported in the hold.

Reference:

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/dangerous-goods/global/en
"Are your goods cleared for take-off?"

Terry

[Jake Anderson]

everything I have ever seen says they want you to take free batteries in
carry on luggage
if there is a mishap with them in the cargo hold there is nothing you
can do about it.

batteries in devices can go in checked baggage.

The best answer would be to call the airline or airport security and get
clarification.

[Tristan Steele]

I have done it before, although the battery was inside an external battery pack for a camera flash. At one airport I was asked if they could have a look, and they did a trace swipe on it, but nothing at the other airport.

Your luck may vary though, especially if it is not in a "professional" enclosure.

Tristan

Xcuse typos plase, sent fro ny phone.

Jake Anderson <groo...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Keith Franks]

I keep reading this thread and thinking of the people at customs going through Talsit's bag....

Clothing... check

Underwear... check

Child pron... check

Drugs... check

Guns... check

Bomb... check

Battery....... whoa there, wait a minute, buddy. What are you trying to pull? GUARDS!!

[Daniel Harmsworth]

If you can give me specs I can pick up the batteries locally for you
to pick up when you get here.

--
Daniel Harmsworth
Chairman, The Perth Artifactory Inc.
http://www.artifactory.org.au