Flying with a camera outfit
Flying with a camera outfit
Author
Discussion

Elderly

Original Poster:

3,740 posts

269 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
See this:- http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

If you have One or two bodies, a flash, a mobile phone, maybe a lap-top -
CRAZY!!

V6GTO

11,579 posts

273 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Are my batteries (Ni-MH) lithium-Metal or lithium-Ion?

How do I find out how much the equivilent lithium content is for a 12v 1650mAh battery?

Why do governments make it so ing difficult?

Martin.

havoc

33,490 posts

266 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
V6GTO said:
Why do governments make it so ing difficult?

Martin.
Because they're full of people completely divorced from the real world.

Has anyone come up with a REASON for this rule, or is it just like the liquids rule - completely pointless harassment of the travelling public.

CVP

2,799 posts

306 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Don't forget this is USA govt, they can make things especially awkward. Not only will you not fully understand the rules, the TSA staff meant to be enforcing them will not really know them either !

Can't see any such rules in the UK...yet
Chris

Oilchange

9,727 posts

291 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
This is NOT the US government being difficult.

The US follow the regulations outlined in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, as do all airlines/countries that have signed up to it.
Including the UK.


RIGHT!
Dangerous Goods.

Classed into 9 separate classes, 1-9
Explosives
Gasses
Flam Liquids
Flam Solids
Ox agents/Org Peroxides
Toxic/Infectious
Radiactives
Corrosives
Misc

Lithium batteries are Class 9 Miscellaneous.
Lithium batteries have nearly all the characteristics of all the UN Classes.

Lithium hazards are:
Lithium metal forms the cathode of the battery and is a lightweight flammable metal that burn vigorously and react violently with water.

Electrolytes found in Lithium batteries are often strong oxidising agents, reducing agents and inorganic salts that are dissolved in highly flammable organic liquids.

Cathode materials may either be liquid, gaseous or solid. These materials are often toxic and can be irritants to the eyes and the skin as well as to the respiratory tract.

Electrical or physical abuse including piercing or crushing may cause the release of the contents of the battery containing corrosive toxic or irritant fumes or products

Electrical or Physical abuse, such as charging, short circuiting, forced discharge, exposure to elevated temperatures, piercing or crushing, may cause the release of the battery/cell contents with possible spontaneous ignition or explosive consequences may occur.

The explosive potential of lithium is approximately equal to the same mass of TNT.







Lithium batteries are particularly dangerous and unstable. They display ALL of the properties of the 9 classes, under various conditions, except Radioactives.

We pack them in sealed plastic bags, then they go in a sealed/banded steel drum that is packed out with inert shock and liquid absorbing filler.

If you have seen one of these batteries explode you would be surprised...


The airlines follow IATA Dangerous good regulations. These allow certain lithium batteres, usually under a certain size providing it is servicable and installed in the intended device. Laptops/mobile phones/cameras etc.

They will not allow you to carry bulk batteries as they are a hazard and have to be packaged in accordance with the regs. I won't quote actual sizes/amounts as they change annually but they have their reasons.


OC




Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 29th December 11:27


Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 29th December 11:28


Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 29th December 11:31


Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 29th December 11:32

agent006

12,058 posts

295 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Why quote in watt hours when the common measure for batteries is amp hours? Halfwits.

baz7175

3,551 posts

242 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
V6GTO said:
Are my batteries (Ni-MH) lithium-Metal or lithium-Ion?

How do I find out how much the equivilent lithium content is for a 12v 1650mAh battery?

Why do governments make it so ing difficult?

Martin.
Ni-MH is Nickel-Metal Hydride which doesn't contain any lithium at all and instead uses a combination of compounds in either the AB2 or AB5 families (such as lanthanum, nickel, vanadium, manganese, praseodymium, cobalt, titanium, zirconium) some of which are also "cracked" using iron, cobalt etc...spot the chemist... wink

Oilchange

9,727 posts

291 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
well you should be fine then.

they might still confiscate them though, you can make things with them...

havoc

33,490 posts

266 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
well you should be fine then.

they might still confiscate them though, you can make things with them...
irked

Why bother ****ing travelling then - you can make 'things' with all sorts of stuff!!!

V6GTO

11,579 posts

273 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Thanks Barry thumbup

CVP

2,799 posts

306 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
This is NOT the US government being difficult.
My apologies, the link was to the US Dept of Transport site and doing a google search could not find anything similar enacted by the UK, but I guess it will come our way if it is an IATA initiative.

Seeing as we are going through Miami in Feb it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm off to check our batteries, I think we are ok as Only the flash has lithium batteries in I think all the main camera bateries are NiMH

Chris

kiwisr

9,335 posts

238 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
V6GTO said:
Why do governments make it so ing difficult?

Because they're full of people completely divorced from the real world.

Has anyone come up with a REASON for this rule, or is it just like the liquids rule - completely pointless harassment of the travelling public.
Because cargo hold fire extinguishment systems are incapable of putting out fires caused by these batteries if they short circuit accidentally, which I imagine is a very real risk. Have you ever seen Lithium burn?

http://upsfire.com/philfire.htm

Edited by kiwisr on Saturday 29th December 19:01

Andy M

3,755 posts

290 months

Oilchange

9,727 posts

291 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Thats OK, I wasn't ranting or anything.
I'm not even American. The point is Lithium batteries are quite dangerous and its a bit unfair when the finger is pointed at the Yanks for something that is right and proper. They are simply enforcing IATA DG regs to the letter when other others might not 'have to'
We take great care with lithium batteries as they are bloody dangerous when handled incorrectly.

take care and happy new year everyone.


CVP said:
Oilchange said:
This is NOT the US government being difficult.
My apologies, the link was to the US Dept of Transport site and doing a google search could not find anything similar enacted by the UK, but I guess it will come our way if it is an IATA initiative.

Seeing as we are going through Miami in Feb it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm off to check our batteries, I think we are ok as Only the flash has lithium batteries in I think all the main camera bateries are NiMH

Chris

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

256 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Andy M said:
Hmm...he doesn't mention a 1D in his list of "non-pro" stuff. Might have to investigate this, I'll be wanting to carry 2 spares with me on my travels.

Andy M

3,755 posts

290 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Famous Graham said:
Andy M said:
Hmm...he doesn't mention a 1D in his list of "non-pro" stuff. Might have to investigate this, I'll be wanting to carry 2 spares with me on my travels.
Where're you going?

fergusd

1,251 posts

301 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
kiwisr said:
V6GTO said:
Why do governments make it so ing difficult?

Because they're full of people completely divorced from the real world.

Has anyone come up with a REASON for this rule, or is it just like the liquids rule - completely pointless harassment of the travelling public.
Because cargo hold fire extinguishment systems are incapable of putting out fires caused by these batteries if they short circuit accidentally, which I imagine is a very real risk. Have you ever seen Lithium burn?

http://upsfire.com/philfire.htm

Edited by kiwisr on Saturday 29th December 19:01
I suppose carrying on litres of duty free booze (which burns very well) still hasn't been identified as being 'dangerous' at all ?

Loss of profit vs no profit loss inconvenience to travellers . . . the airlines and all the 'safety' related quangos really should get a good boot in the balls . . .

Fd

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

256 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Andy M said:
Famous Graham said:
Andy M said:
Hmm...he doesn't mention a 1D in his list of "non-pro" stuff. Might have to investigate this, I'll be wanting to carry 2 spares with me on my travels.
Where're you going?
Everywhere biggrin