Travelling with Lithium Batteries
Spare lithium batteries may not be carried checked in baggage. They may be installed in the rebreather and two spare lithium batteries may be hand carried.
- Preventing lithium batteries from short circuiting is very important to impeding the likelihood of overheating and fire. Always keep lithium batteries isolated from metal objects (e.g. jewelry, keys) or other conductive materials by enclosing each one separately and insulating terminals with a non-conductive material (e.g. electrical tape). Pack them so they cannot shift during transport. Physically damaged or dropped cells can become volatile. A lithium battery inside equipment is protected from short circuiting because it is secured in the actual device and cannot move around during transport.
- Make sure no switches or power buttons can be accidentally turned on during transport.
- Regulations are always fluctuating, so keep up with changes at the TSA website.
How much lithium can you take on an airplane?
Equivalent Lithium Content (ELC). ELC is a measure by which lithium ion batteries are classified.
8 grams of equivalent lithium content are equal to about 100 watt-hours.
25 grams of equivalent lithium content are equal to about 300 watt-hours.
Batteries greater than 25 grams not permitted.
Watt-hour (Wh) Rating for Lithium
The Wh indicates the amount of energy contained in a lithium battery. The UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations regulate Li-ion batteries based on their Wh rating.
How to calculate the Wh rating:
The Wh rating must appear on the battery case if it was made on or after January 1, 2009. If it is not there, you can calculate the Wh rating by using one of these formulas:
If you know the nominal voltage (V) and the capacity in ampere-hours (Ah), then Wh = (V) x (Ah); or
If you know the nominal voltage (V) and the capacity in milliampere-hours (mAh), then Wh = (V) x (mAh ÷ 1000).
If you are still not sure of your lithium battery’s Wh rating, contact its manufacturer.
How to calculate the lithium content:
You can calculate the lithium content, in grams (g), of a lithium metal cell:
If you know the battery’s capacity in ampere-hours (Ah), then Grams (g) lithium metal = (Ah) x 0.3; or
If you know the capacity in milliampere-hours (mAh), then Grams (g) lithium metal = (mAh ÷ 1000) x 0.3.
To calculate the lithium content of the battery, simply multiply the grams (g) of lithium metal by the number of cells in the battery.
