General > General Technical Chat

(discharged) Super capacitor in checked luggage on airplane?

(1/9) > >>

Zucca:
I would like to ask to a friend to bring me a board with six Maxwell BCAP0310 on a airplane from EU to US.
Big wires, strange electronic products... large components... guess what could happen....

Google suggest to not place the item in the carry on, but in the checked bag.

Beside the discussion with some X-Ray/security guy that it is not a bomb, is there any regulation that prevent air travel with discharged super cap in a checked in baggage?

Thanks!

tggzzz:

--- Quote from: Zucca on January 15, 2023, 04:00:46 am ---I would like to ask to a friend to bring me a board with six Maxwell BCAP0310 on a airplane from EU to US.
Big wires, strange electronic products... large components... guess what could happen....

Google suggest to not place the item in the carry on, but in the checked bag.

Beside the discussion with some X-Ray/security guy that it is not a bomb, is there any regulation that prevent air travel with discharged super cap in a checked in baggage?

Thanks!

--- End quote ---

I suspect a lot will depend on their appearance, their demeanour, the airport, the alert level, and the alertness of the staff. Taking anything across any border for "a friend" is likely to raise suspicions; just watch the various "Border Patrol" type programmes on TV :)

It would be sensible to take data sheets, purchase documentation, packaging, and anything else that might help to satisfy their inquisitiveness as to whether it is or isn't a homebrew device.

I have taken a transportable 10V voltage reference containing two 7Ah SLA cells on a flight as hand baggage (UK<->Germany), without trouble. At the check-in scanner I was smiling, and before and after it went through the X-ray machine I asked them whether they wanted to see what was in the bag.

In the past I have taken a camera through, and they asked me to switch it on. I couldn't, since it was a 1950 mechanical camera. They shrugged and waved me through :)

Robert763:
Hi,
No specfic restrictions on carrying capacitors on passenger aircraft. However it is an unusual case and supercapacitors did not exist when most regulations were written. The energy limit for batteries is 100 Wh or 360 kJ. A 310 F 2.7 V capacitor is 1.1kJ so well under.
I suggest carrying them with the terminals securely shorted, each capacitor in a separate plastic bag and then packed with padding / bubblewrap. Ideally mark "NOT BATTERIES" and put a printout of the datasheet with them. Put them in CHECKED baggage. The marking is in case they open the bag during security checks. Don't put anything with cables near them in the bag.  Devices with energy stored in them are normally limited to cabin baggage so that any overheating can be detected and action taken. Carrying supercapacitors in checked baggage is not a good idea because screening staff will not know what they are. If shorted there is no energy so OK to put into checked baggage.

Robert G8RPI
CEng FRAeS

(edit for typos)

mendip_discovery:
I would he honest with the security staff and talk to them. From the programs I have seen if you declare they really take that as a sign you are not there for naughty reasons and work with you.

http://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions

Ask your travel agent if they could put you in contact with the security and you can speak to them direct and sort this out if its concerning you.

I suspect you will just say you have some stuff the security shrug and let you go on your way.

Robert763:
Asking in advance is a waste of time becuase you won't be talking to the person who checks on the day. Looking at UK restrictions is of limited use because the items are not departing from the UK.
For carry-on, no matter what the guidance says, the decision rests with the checker at the gate. You risk loosing anything you take as carry-on. I have had an item specifically designed to be carry-on compliant and "approved" by the TSA taken from me at the gate. Some airports will let you put items in the post, for a charge, but most just take them.
As long as they are discharged and the terminals are shorted the capacitors are perfectly OK to go in checked baggage. They might be misidentified during screening hence the need to mark as not batteries and ideally attach data sheet. Keeping any cables that might be in the bag well away from them wil reduce the risk of misidentification. I'm an aerospace professional with training in this stuff. I know what they look for but for reasons that should be obvious I'm not going to go into any details.

Robert.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod