AW IMR Batts & Domestic Air Travel

[rachelcoffe]

Hi everyone.

I have a question.

I'll be flying fairly soon, within Canada. I'll have my ProVari & two new AW IMR 18490s (the red, safe-chemistry ones) in my carry-on baggage. I'll have some Boge cartos, drip tips & probably about 2 x 30mL of juice too. All my vape stuff will be disassembled & packaged appropriately & separately, in ziploc bags (in accordance with the tips in this video: VapeTV - BasilRay's Tips & Tricks for Travel). I don't expect to have any checked baggage.

Now here's the thing: the various airlines here do mention Li-Ion batts. But AW IMR batts are not Li-Ion...rather, they are Li-Mn (lithium manganese). And I can't find any mention of Li-Mn batts in the lists. So I'm scratching my head here over the flight-allowability of my particular batts.

Below is what Air Canada had to say about Li-Ion:

Lithium ion cells and batteries up to 100 Watt Hours (Wh) each
The following are permitted in carry-on baggage only:

- Consumer electronic devices containing accepted lithium ion cells or batteries with a rating of not more than 100 Wh each;

- Spare lithium ion cells or batteries with a rating of not more than 100 Wh each

As already mentioned, I primarily use AW IMR 18490 batts (1100 mAh)...which have 4.07 watt hours. An AW IMR 18650 (1600 mAh) has 5.92 watt hours. I know the above requirement refers to Li-Ion batts...but regardless, all of the batteries we vapers use will at least fit easily into the 100 watt hours or less category. By the way, if you want to calculate the watt hours of your battery...take the voltage (3.7v in the two examples above) and multiply it by the ampere hours. 1000 mAh = 1 ampere hour. So with my AW IMR's:

3.7 x 1.1 = 4.07
3.7 x 1.6 = 5.92

Anyway, getting sidetracked. The only other battery-related reference in Air Canada's list that I could find (apart from a section on batts for medical contraptions & wheelchairs etc, which has nothing to do with us) was as follows:

Alkali-manganese (alkaline), Zinc-carbon (dry cell), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCd) and silver oxide batteries (Non lithium)

- Batteries may be carried in checked or carry-on baggage.

- Batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuits, e.g. exposed terminals can be taped over, each individual battery can be in a protective pouch or separate plastic bag, or batteries can be in their original retail packaging.

Yeah. None of those are Li-Mn, lol.

So my question is: has anyone here flown domestically in Canada with the red AW IMR batts in their carry-on baggage?? Given the lack of Li-Mn mention in the various lists, I figure real-world experience is gonna be the primary informer here. If you know what the deal is, it would really help me out...as I'd rather not take a trip all the way down to the airport, just to conspicuously ask someone who may not really know the answer. Neither do I want to find myself dolled up & ready to board, only to have my AW IMR's denied...leaving me unable to vape on my ProVari when I land. Any extra tips you may have about packing them appropriately would also be helpful.

I'm probably concerned over nothing with this thread...but I like to have my bases covered. AW IMR's are the safest battery there is, so it'd be extra-stupid if there was any guff over them.

Thanks in advance for your replies, and happy vaping!

 

[Semiretired]

While it was not in Canada I traveled recently using Delta and Korean airlines. Delta told me there was a limit of 4 loose batteries and Korean airlines told me the limit was 8batts no matter the type - including Nimh... Think about it this way - every cell phone, ipod, laptop, etc. being brought on board uses some form of lithium. So for your PV you would have to have a larger battery than any PV that exists to exceed their limits. Laptop batts are normally 6 cell for example.

 

[Switched]

IAW a Steeljan vid I watched...

Li Ion or ICR = Ion, cobalt, round
Li Mn or IMR = Ion, manganese, round.

Therefore AFAIC use he same formula as one will have more w/H than the other. At the end of the day they are concerned with w/H more than the chemistry, since they state their policy in w/H

 

[wreimer]

I worked in the Canadian aviation industry for nearly 40 years...I guarantee you that the pre-board screening personnel at Canadian airports would not know the difference between different types of lithium batteries if it jump out and bit them on the nose.
They will make a determination based on numbers and ml...that's it, that's all. They have neither the time nor the inclination to look at anything like this more closely. Pack it properly, don't make an issue or draw attention to the vaping equipment when going through screening, and you will not have an issue.
If you have a guard who is more highly motivated than is the norm, you may be asked "what" it is, but that's about it

 

[Concat]

I've flown with them in my Reo Grand.

I've been asked about the device, probably just because it looks odd, but I've never had them even look at the batteries. I don't think they are trained to know the different chemistries. They probably just flag any large batteries (as in bigger than a laptop battery). A comparatively little thing like an 18650 won't even get a second look.

I probably even got red in the face explaining what it was for the same reason I hold my breath going through the metal detector. I swear it's not a remote detonator!

 

[Semiretired]

They would probably think it was just an oddly colored D cell...

 

[Song]

LiColbalt and LiMn batteries are both a type of li-ion batt anyways it just that usually ppl refer LiColbalt batts and li-ion batts and LiMn as IMR

 

[farmer_bric]

Just returned from an International Air Canada flight, and nobody cared about my PV, or what batteries I had in it. Their rules state that you can carry in onboard, but can't use it in flight. BTW, I found the nicorette lozenges perfect for the long flight. I only had to use 2 of them (4 mg ), and was as happy as a clam.

 

[Ms. Creant]

If there is lithium in it there are lithium ions in it.