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Equinox, Lithium Batteries, & Air Travel


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Thanks Steve! Just wondering how that would work for a carry on on an airplane, I don't trust check in with anything electronic plus from what I've read, lithium battery items aren't allowed in check in so want to make sure it's travel worthy.

I figured there would be headphones as well since bluetooth isn't an option for submersion. 

Thanks!

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I built a CTX travel case about 6 months ago out of a Plano Bow case. I checked it on a flight to Minnesota and it worked flawless for my CTX. I had everything in it, pointer, digger, 2 coils, chargers and knee pads. I ended up selling the CTX because I kept getting lemons from Minelab and I couldn't see having that much money tied up into a fragile machine. Now i have this great Plano case...... 

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6 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Batteries as component part of devices are allowed on aircraft - all those laptops and iPads, you know.

That's for carry-on only, right?  (No Lithium batteries allowed in cargo hold, I'm pretty sure.)

Speaking of airline-worthy cases, Sam's Club has a decent looking one for $40.  I think it's larger than the Pelican (9" X 14" X 22" outside dim's) I bought for $150 from Amazon which holds both my GB-Pro and TDI (except TDI bottom rod section) simultaneously.  The Pelican size is approved for carry-on; not sure about the Sam's Club one, though.

 

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If detectors with Li-Ion batteries cannot travel by air then lots of Minelab GPX, CTX, and GPZ owners are all breaking the law. Luckily that is not the case. There appears to be confusion here about batteries installed in equipment versus spare batteries. Almost all limits apply to spare batteries. From https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/passenger_info/media/Airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf

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There is lots of confusion on the subject of air travel and batteries.  The TSA/FFA chart above is a good start for one to research before travel.  So many TSA agents and airline employees are confused.  I travel with a group of shallow water treasure hunters and for years  we have never had problems taking batteries.  But things seem different today... throw in the confusion and one could run into problems traveling with any batteries.  

I have always packed my detectors and spare batteries in checked luggage.  Since I travel with 2 or 3 machines, carry on has not been an option and fortunately for the most part my equipment has survived- other than some TSA/Customs agents go through your bag like a thief in the night!  The mess they make of my stuff makes me angry, as there is no excuse for not caring for the property of others!  

When our group has come into problems traveling is with spare detector batteries in carry on and specifically upon return flights.  Foreign security has gotten bent out of shape when they discover these odd batteries several times and to the point where some in my group almost missed their flights!  Yet on my last Caribbean trip, I had no choice but to place all my batteries in my carry on.  I did my research and wanted to follow battery rules and did not want to discover my batteries were confiscated from checked baggage upon my Island arrival.

Besides the FFA chart Steve posted, there are airline rules too.  Which brings more confusion because each airline has their own battery rules!  A few months back I flew Air Canada and was told "No batteries whatsoever were allowed in checked bags" on the first leg of my first flight out of Seattle ... but the size of my carry on bag was restricted and had to be checked at the gate, which meant I had to remove all batteries from my carry on and hand carry them onto the flight!  What a pain and when I went through Security in Seattle, they wanted to know why I was bringing so many batteries in my carry on?  I explained Air Canada rules/showed an email I received from the airline and was delayed as TSA actually tested all my detector batteries on some sort of device.  Not sure what it tested for but I was concerned for my batteries.

Seriously, I placed everything with batteries in my carry on, including flashlights, scales, loupe, diamond tester... all because Air Canada told me over the phone and email no batteries in checked luggage.  I used electrical tape to seal battery ends and packaged all batteries individually in bubble wrap bags.  I also secured a sign on my checked luggage: NO BATTERIES IN THIS BAG, in hopes TSA would not fish around much seeing my detectors.

At some point the FAA/TSA and airlines will get together on this battery stuff.  All we need are a few more batteries bursting in The Mile High Club and there will be more restrictions.  Regarding the Equinox with built in battery... for now TSA and airline staff will most likely not even have a clue a battery is in the machine.   But if at some point all batteries are restricted in checked bags, which I believe will happen, one will have to pack the Equinox as carry on.  Fortunately that looks possible with the Equinox design.  In my mind traveling with an Equinox should be easier all the way around.  Just remember to check with your airline for their battery rules.  This is long because I became frustrated spending hours on the phone with TSA and airline, trying to learn how to do the right and safe thing and thus relating here.  Funny...  On this last trip a few in my group just packed their batteries wherever with no problems whatsoever!  But at some point being clueless could result in confiscated batteries?    

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