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TSA BATTERY TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

E

Enrique Blein

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Hi, Merry Christmas to all.

I've been looking at the following page, regarding the limit of Wh allowed per battery transported as carry on luggage on airplanes:

http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

this page specifically speaks of "larger batteries" (100Wh-300Wh) as being allowed on carry on:

http://safetravel.dot.gov/larger_batt.html

Many on this forum have stated that 100Wh IS the allowed limit... some have said they even use split battery systems (like the SWIT S-8172S 80 + 80 WH V-MOUNT BATTERY) to bypass this restrictions...

I saw this info at http://www.videoproshop.biz/ where they claim the 150 Wh batteries they sell for Red cameras are allowed on airplanes.

Could anyone clarify this point?
 
You can bring batteries under 300Wh but only 3 in carry on and one must be attached to the camera.
There is no limit to the amount of batteries under 100Wh that you can carry on. I have flown with 6.
You can never ever check batteries in the hold.
I also usually print out that page from safetravel.dot.gov in case I get challenged.
Also, please tape the connections on the batteries.
 
Good advice from Shane...i also carry a folder on rules and regs from TSA....tape (clear tape) the batery terminals on the V-batts; carry a copy of the RED Website to show that it is a camera; and various other pages from SAFE TRAVEL site that will put a young TSA agent back in his place if he jumps out at me...have a shit load of documentation with you every time you travel so you don't get told NO and play within the rules. But that doesn't keep uninformed and those few stupid TSA agents from wanting to throw down their power on you....As i had a recent run-in with an agent in Atlanta that i wish i had a camera phone to show the world what pricks "some" of these guys can be just to screw with us for fun.
 
I can believe it! They are insane sometimes. You should have seen the time I tried to fly with some chocolate chip cookies. I was either going to get arrested or eat all the chocolate chips right there in front of them. I ate them.
 
Jason Comparetto said:
I can believe it! They are insane sometimes. You should have seen the time I tried to fly with some chocolate chip cookies. I was either going to get arrested or eat all the chocolate chips right there in front of them. I ate them.
Click to expand...

I would have promply thrown the cookies back up on them...
 
Tim Whitcomb said:
People are worried about the TSA? Seriously?

LAIUGH OUT LOUD!!

Now that is funny.
Click to expand...

If you travel frequently, then you'd understand our concern about the TSA. I'm 18 years old, yet I've travelled more than 428,000 miles by plane (yes, I keep track). Do you know how many times I've stood by and watched the TSA grab my bags and pour their contents out onto a table for examination? A LOT. Whether it's camera equipment or food as Jason mentioned above, the TSA is very, very picky. Which is completely understandable, by the way. I don't think anyone would want to be on a plane that's on fire because a 500 Wh camera battery exploded in the baggage compartment.

I think that this is a completely valid concern and not something that should be laughed at.

Anyway, back on topic. A small heads-up for anyone that's traveling with equipment overseas... The TSA is an organization in the United States. If you're traveling to another country, contact their "TSA" equivalent organization to check what the battery restrictions are there too. Some other countries have even tighter battery regulations than the TSA. Airlines sometimes have their own restrictions also.
 
Brian, as you said, back on topic. I guess that if 3 batteries are the limit, then one should go for the highest Wh allowed under "Larger Batteries", if one travels alone. Have to check on other organizations like TSA like you mentioned, thanks for pointing that out...
 
I've been looking at some of the international battery regulations and 160 Wh seems to be the universal maximum.

- British Airways
- Lufthansa [PDF]
- Qantas
- Virgin Atlantic [PDF]

Also, it seems that some airlines suggest that passengers carrying batteries between 100-160 Wh (classified as "dangerous goods") review the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria [PDF] (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria: 4th Revised Edition - Lithium Battery Testing Requirements [PDF]). Seems a bit much, but I guess it can't hurt to read...
 
Nice Brian, I was set on buying around 150-160 Wh, so, this would make an ideal choice when considering other airlines...I'm thinking that a Wh 150 battery should last between 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours, so 3 batteries (maximum allowed per person) plus some 6 Redvolts should keep you running.

BTW, the Redvolts are 30 Wh, I suppose six of them should not be a problem
 
I travel ALL THE TIME... TSA is a freaking joke if you have followed the news - a reporter just smuggled guns, knives, bomb making kit... breezed right thru security... while they stop other people for cookies. scan 80 year old women in wheel chairs. the mechanism is broke. I would not worry about being stopped for 160W Anton Bauers... and carry the forms, just in case a TSA agent with a brain (1% seems against hiring policy), actually notices that its a camera battery - usually they just swab the bag
 
Tim Whitcomb said:
I travel ALL THE TIME... TSA is a freaking joke if you have followed the news - a reporter just smuggled guns, knives, bomb making kit... breezed right thru security... while they stop other people for cookies. scan 80 year old women in wheel chairs. the mechanism is broke. I would not worry about being stopped for 160W Anton Bauers... and carry the forms, just in case a TSA agent with a brain (1% seems against hiring policy), actually notices that its a camera battery - usually they just swab the bag
Click to expand...

I don't disagree that it's security theater but there is the potential of losing a $400 battery if you don't follow the rules. There is also good reason for not checking batteries in the hold. I know your post doesn't address this,Tim, but his is a valid concern and not to be taken lightly. I preder the 95Wh batteries on the epic anyway.
 
I regularly travel to shoots and TSA does occasionally ask me to remove caps from lenses to make sure they can "see through them". They have checked out my batteries before. They almost always ask to "see my bags" after my carry on luggage has been scanned.
 
enrique blein said:
BTW, the Redvolts are 30 Wh, I suppose six of them should not be a problem
Click to expand...

You can bring an unlimited number of batteries under 30 Wh, so there's no problem at all with the REDVOLTs.


Tim Whitcomb said:
I travel ALL THE TIME... TSA is a freaking joke if you have followed the news - a reporter just smuggled guns, knives, bomb making kit... breezed right thru security... while they stop other people for cookies. scan 80 year old women in wheel chairs. the mechanism is broke. I would not worry about being stopped for 160W Anton Bauers... and carry the forms, just in case a TSA agent with a brain (1% seems against hiring policy), actually notices that its a camera battery - usually they just swab the bag
Click to expand...

Heh heh heh... I must admit that the way you wrote "while they stop other people for cookies" was quite amusing. Now THAT was funny. LOL

I don't want people to underestimate how picky the TSA can be. Your first post in this thread would suggest that people shouldn't pay too much attention to TSA regulation and I want to make sure people understand that they should pay attention. There is always a possibility that the TSA might miss your bag and not notice anything. But, if you try bringing a 400 Wh battery with you onboard a plane and they do catch it, you're going to have a real problem. :-)

So, to sort of sum-up my research, 160 Wh is the maximum size battery that's currently allowed by all international airlines and government travel regulations.
 
Last edited:
Brian Iannone said:
I've been looking at some of the international battery regulations and 160 Wh seems to be the universal maximum.

- British Airways
- Lufthansa [PDF]
- Qantas
- Virgin Atlantic [PDF]

Also, it seems that some airlines suggest that passengers carrying batteries between 100-160 Wh (classified as "dangerous goods") review the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria [PDF] (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria: 4th Revised Edition - Lithium Battery Testing Requirements [PDF]). Seems a bit much, but I guess it can't hurt to read...
Click to expand...

I thank you too.
 
Bring as many as you want Revolts, bring as many as you want 90's and 100's, bring no more then 2 of any of the batteries which are over 100, I bring 140 and 210 for long shoots.

Lately traveling with 16 Redvolts, 4 Bebob Rouge 90, Beboub Rouge 140 and Bebob Rouge 210, never any issues, and that is lots of power... ;)
 
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