07-22-2016, 03:27 PM | #1 |
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Flying with the Minipro
This question is what it sounds like. We're going on vacation and would like to take a Minipro along to facilitate my partners mobility limitations. I have to think it's too big for carry-on.
Has anyone travelled with one of these? Can I just check it as-is; or should I pack it in a box? (I still have the original.) |
07-23-2016, 06:13 PM | #2 |
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I'll say up front that I don't know. However, airlines comply with federal and international rules regarding lithium ion batteries. The Segway I2 and X2 can't fly on passenger planes, although there has been some disagreement about that on this forum recently.
Before I booked a flight, I would be very sure the machine is legal to fly, and carry irrefutable documentation to prove it. It would take only one gate agent to throw a serious wrench in your plans. |
07-23-2016, 08:39 PM | #3 | |
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07-23-2016, 08:52 PM | #4 |
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And the answer is...
No. The Southwest Airlines Customer Service page directed me to the TSA regulations on lithium batteries.
phmsa.dot.gov/safetravel/batteries According to that site, lithium batteries with a capacity of 160 watt-hours or more are NOT permitted in either carry-on or checked baggage. According to the miniPro specifications, that battery has a nominal capacity of 310 watt-hours. So no; I can't take it as is. Still, I may see if I can ship the battery ahead and just take the unit. Maybe. Probably not. |
07-23-2016, 09:06 PM | #5 | |
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On the other hand, with the ridiculous charges for checked baggage these days, it might be cheaper to just ship the whole thing Don |
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07-23-2016, 09:50 PM | #6 |
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07-24-2016, 06:03 AM | #7 | |
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https://www.ups.com/media/news/en/us...egulations.pdf Does anyone know if the lithium-by-ground-shipping limits were increased to a maximum of 310 Wh this year? I wonder how is Amazon shipping miniPROs (and accepting returns) if the batteries are considered Hazmat. Perhaps they can ship them that way because the batteries are attached to the unit, and everything is in the original packaging? I hazard to guess. Perhaps this is a good reason to split the batteries in two (~155 Wh each) and have redundant batteries in a future miniPRO model Of course that would also drive up cost... As Don alluded, some types of smaller Lithium batteries can be shipped by air. Some not-quite-so-small ones can be shipped by ground. If batteries are only partially (<~30%) charged and/or attached to the original equipment that can also matter. But beyond a few hundred watt-hours, you start needing a hazmat-certified shipper and packaging for air OR ground carrier transport of Lithium batteries. There are good reasons for that (safety, mostly...Lithium fires are apparently really nasty). Chris |
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07-25-2016, 06:10 PM | #8 | |
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This may explain why Mini Pros can be shipped by standard ground. Note that the last time I shipped a Seg was years ago and things may have changed. |
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07-26-2016, 02:49 PM | #9 |
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My understanding was that the 310 watt hour rating was for loose batteries, not those mounted to the device they power.
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