Portable battery banks

[RedSMS]

Hi All!

I am considering to upgrade my 25,000 mAh battery bank to something with greater capacity.. I use 2 phones and a laptop, so such a device is super handy for me. I require access to charging wherever I am.

The question is, what is the limit that most Airlines will allow in your carry on? I assume it hasn't changed from 100Wh/ ~27,000mAh.

I'm mostly concerned about flying domestically within Australia.


On the Qantas website, it says that Lithium Ion batteries with a capacity between 100Wh-160Wh may be permitted, but you have to request approval before check in.

Has anybody had experience in carrying anything above 100Wh, but less than 160Wh?

I would be very interested to know your experiences, and if it has been a hassle.

Any purchase is highly dependent on this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[evaret]

My interest in this is that I use a pack to run my cpap machine. The cpap machine does not have an internal battery.
The articles I have read seem to be focussing on charging phones etc and I haven't seeen any reference to cpap machines.
Has anyone seen anything about cpap?
Cheers

 

[markis10]

It’s battery size not use that dictates how it’s handled. Qantas have gone further and listed models with their limitations

https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/qantas/pdfs/fly/dangerous-goods/cpaps-and-oxygen-concentrators-medical-equipment-list.pdf

 

[anat0l]

My interest in this is that I use a pack to run my cpap machine. The cpap machine does not have an internal battery.
The articles I have read seem to be focussing on charging phones etc and I haven't seeen any reference to cpap machines.
Has anyone seen anything about cpap?
Cheers

That's actually a good point. I travel with a CPAP and do use it on board (including recently on a SQ flight before these rules came about). Most airlines don't require any clearance at all to use a CPAP (they do warn that inflight power often can't support the operation of a CPAP); QF and JL are amongst some notable exceptions where clearance must be sought prior to the use in flight (specifically for the machine, not the battery).

Surely SQ et al would allow battery bank use for medical devices, perhaps needing to apply for paperwork in advance of flight. My CPAP battery can also be used to charge USB devices, but I suspect that would fall outside the scope of acceptable (excepted) use.


Something that also isn't all that clear is whether these rules are as a result of local laws (e.g. instituted by the host country of the airline) or merely a policy of the airline. If it is the former, surely all airlines flying to and from said jurisdiction would be subject to the same kinds of rules and restrictions.

 

[evaret]

Whether through good luck or good management, my Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite is 95Whr. So I am under the 100Whr threshhold.

Cheers

 

[jb747]

I can imagine this would be practically impossible to police. Perhaps more a liability / insurance play.

Or perhaps a step along the way to banning their carriage entirely…. I would not be surprised to see that step eventually taken, irrespective of the howls.

 

[elanshin]

Or perhaps a step along the way to banning their carriage entirely…. I would not be surprised to see that step eventually taken, irrespective of the howls.

The problem is what do you define as "lithium battery pack". Just about every device own these days have lithium batteries in them. We've had thermal runaway events with Samsung Note phones years ago. Nothing to say it can't happen in another device where a company is trying to push the edge of capabilities. Then what? We ban electronics?

What about battery packs for critical medical devices. Or other similarly critical sensitive gear. I can't see a point where they ban batteries until there's an alternative form of mass market battery to force a switch.

 

[serfty]

The problem is what do you define as "lithium battery pack". ...

Dunno, I was relived of two spare AAA Alkaline batteries departing NZ last month at security. I said "Alkaline"; they said "Batteries".

 

[Quickstatus]

What about battery packs for critical medical devices

Don't forget that heart pacemakers are mostly lithium battery as well, though non rechargeable currently.

Stricter regulation might include
Banning battery charging on board
Restricting the amount of charge a battery pack can hold when brought into the cabin - say 30% or less.

 

[elanshin]

Don't forget that heart pacemakers are mostly lithium battery as well, though non rechargeable currently.

Stricter regulation might include
Banning battery charging on board
Restricting the amount of charge a battery pack can hold when brought into the cabin - say 30% or less.

Charging the battery or discharging. As far as im concerned your battery is no additional danger when its just sitting there or discharging (aka charging a device). Its charging the battery that increases danger.

 

[Quickstatus]

your battery is no additional danger when its just sitting there or discharging

It can be especially if charged to a high SoC such as 100%. And if using poor quality BMS and chargers it can be more than 100%. Yes li batteries can be charged to more than 100% because the % just relates to the cell voltage and it can be exceeded when the measured voltage exceeds actual voltage.

That is why Tesla carbatteries when they are transported they are first discharged to less than 30% if going in an aircraft and there are also similarly strict regulations for Li battery transportation.

 

[mviy]

Dunno, I was relived of two spare AAA Alkaline batteries departing NZ last month at security. I said "Alkaline"; they said "Batteries".

Until I got wireless headphones recently with a rechargeable battery I would always take spare AAA batteries onboard for my wired headphones when flying long haul so I could change the battery over when needed during the flight.

 

[serfty]

Until I got wireless headphones recently with a rechargeable battery I would always take spare AAA batteries onboard for my wired headphones when flying long haul so I could change the battery over when needed during the flight.

These were spare batteries for a wireless mouse.

(I too use rechargeable NC headphones these days.)

 

[mviy]

Just out of curiosity, where are you folks all going that you need battery packs galore? Why not just plug into the wall/aircraft/hotel for power?

For good connections long haul flights can arrive in the UK/USA early in the morning. If you are not going on a connecting flight and don't want to pay for an extra night's accommodation you may be able to drop your bag at the hotel but then won't have access to your room for hours. So a power bank can be invaluable to stay outdoors as much as possible to try to get over jetlag and recharge the phone as needed.

Once I left my power bank at the hotel the day I arrived and my phone was down to 1% when I got in an Uber to head back to the hotel later that day.

 

[mviy]

Don't forget that heart pacemakers are mostly lithium battery as well, though non rechargeable currently.

Stricter regulation might include
Banning battery charging on board
Restricting the amount of charge a battery pack can hold when brought into the cabin - say 30% or less.

Restricting the amount of charge it holds would pose an additional problem. To get a device through security at some airports one may need to demonstrate the device turns on. But if one makes sure to discharge it to below 30%, it could then be in danger of going empty if needing to use it during the day after checking out from the hotel in the morning before an evening flight.