Batteries taken from my carry on bag when leaving Coz

[Mike]

They also took a small set of allen wrenches and a small cresent wrench that I use to put my camera together with..

What is with that?

Flying home from Cancun, they picked me for a random search at boarding and he opened my camera case and was fingering the two small allen wrenches in my kit. Kept fingering them and then finally asked me what they were for. Finally said okay and had me close the case.

What's with the infatuation with an allen wrench?

 

[Graeme Tolton]

One biatch in security at coz airport took my pregnant wife's bottle of juice away from her. She bought it past security for a rediculous price but was not permitted to bring it on the plane. Flight crew said it should not have been an issue. I think that a lot of confusion as to what the rules actually are goes on in that airport.

 

[DandyDon]

I have adapters that make the AAs work as Cs and Ds.

https://www.depoteco.com/SPD/eneloop-c-size-adapters---spacers--2-aa---800001C4-1219878465.jsp

I figure that my dive light takes 4 batteries. I feel like putting fresh batteries in before a night dive is necessary. With these adapters I put fresh batteries in before every night dive. I turned the light on and left it on for 3 hours with the light not fading or getting dimmer. I 4 have the C adapters and 2 of the D's.

I bought one of these.

https://www.depoteco.com/SPD/eneloo...ase---2nd-generation--800002C4-1311184111.jsp

It holds all kinds of batteries and is in a case complete with a charger. We shall see how it works next week. (Roatan not Cozumel)

You have adapters that will make AAs work in C lights, but certainly not as well. Batteries vary greatly, alkaline batteries are seldom rated for mAh as they want to compete on hype rather than facts, and rechargeable batteries lose their capacities in time - so it is difficult to compare objectively. In some general calculations, tho - using 2 AAs in place of each C, in a 4C light: 8 AAs x 2500 mAh = 20,000 mAh; whereas each alkaline C battery can have 8,000 mAh x 4 = 32,000, - and the resistance of the adapters is going to reduce efficiency some. You bought all that stuff so go ahead and give it a try, but I've accidentally left my 4C LED light on for over 24 hours with no noticeable decrease in power. If I get lost on a night dive, I want all the power I can have in my lights.

Rechargeable C batteries will only carry 4500 to 6000 mAh, and my chargers won't fit so I'd have to buy new chargers to go that route. I just haven't yet. I just don't use all that many batteries year to year, and even top quality rechargeable batteries like sold at Thomas Distributing sometimes don't last but a couple of years. Good luck with your new battery kit tho, and do hide them in your checked bags well as Honduras is notorious for stealing batteries out of carry-ons.

When we left Coz the last week in June, they also took my loose batteries. They were all rechargeable AA's. They also took a small set of allen wrenches and a small cresent wrench that I use to put my camera together with. I have been flying with the same setup since 2008 when I purchased my camera gear in my carry on bag, but this was the first time that I had them take them.

That just really sucks, doesn't it. It's probably a case of having to abide by simplified rules and not really thievery, but you still hate to lose costly batteries and tools that are legal in the US. Again, pack them safely and hide them well in checked. This has been going on in the Caribbean & Latin America for years.

I made the mistake of leaving a set in my wife's Ikelite PCm light on a trip back and it accidently turned on in her gear and the lens was fried when I unpacked after arriving home. Got lucky there....

I never leave batteries in lights. Cozumel exit security used to hand inspect checked luggage more and they were notorious for confiscating lights containing batteries. I'm also afraid over overheating and starting a fire in the luggage hold. Planes have fire fighting equipment to deal with such, but still.

What really surprised us was, they had a group checking in with us that had a young women in a motorized wheel chair. They would not allow her to take the battery for her chair on the plane. It was a sealed jel-cell and they are expensive. They made them remove it and as far as I know they never did give it back.

Major sucks!

The biggest problem with simply putting batteries in check-through luggage, of course, is that some people travel with carry-on only.

Fortunately, I don't need to carry batteries from Cozumel to the US since I can just leave them at the house. If I had my usual bunch of spendy rechargeables with me in carry-on and they were confiscated, I'd be very cranky indeed.

If I were worried about having batteries confiscated, I'd pack them in the smallest, cheapest flashlights I could find.

People who don't check bags seldome carry batteries, but if you do - that's a risk. Putting them in lights sounds dangerous to me.

 

[Sue Sue]

Found this on the UNITED website:

Spare lithium batteries banned in checked luggage

The United States Department of Transportation has implemented the following guidance on packing lithium batteries in checked and carry-on baggage. Customers are advised not to pack loose lithium batteries in checked baggage for any United Airlines flight that operates in, from or within the United States. Larger lithium batteries (more than 100 watt hours, but not exceeding 300 watt hours) are limited to two (2) in carry-on baggage.
To learn more about the most updated information regarding lithium batteries, visit SafeTravel.dot.gov.

BUT, this is TSA, and not the same rules that are in place in Cozumel.

---------- Post Merged at 10:39 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:30 PM ----------

What is with that?

Flying home from Cancun, they picked me for a random search at boarding and he opened my camera case and was fingering the two small allen wrenches in my kit. Kept fingering them and then finally asked me what they were for. Finally said okay and had me close the case.

What's with the infatuation with an allen wrench?

Since DH and I have backplates, we need to pack a small screwdriver to put everything together (We have a McGyver setup which enables us to use the backplate for a backpack as well, some assembly/dis assembly required). Anyway, we used to pack a 2 inch screwdriver. Sure enough, on time, on the way back, "THEY" wanted to confiscate it. They also wanted to take away the teenie, tiny little screwdriver kit to repair glasses. My oh my, I really don't understand this. Anyway, now, we take a cheap Harbour Freight screwdriver to Cozumel, and just leave it behind to come home.

BTW, per the United website :

Tools (> than seven inches in length) No for carry on OK checked
Tools (7 inches or < in length) unless otherwise prohibited OK carry & checked
Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length) OK carry and checked
Wrenches and Pliers (seven inches or less in length) OK carry and checked

NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.

But, again, this is TSA, Not Mexico... Oh well, go with the flow, and Enjoy your Trip !!!

 

[dmoore19]

The batteries are supposed to last longer than the alkaline of the same size. I'll let ya know what I find out.

 

[DandyDon]

Sue, the key word there in your quote is "loose lithium batteries." Now Lithium is a separate subject really, but generally - never have loose batteries. And really, you can take info from airline sites as suggestions, but it's what TSA says leaving, and whatever is happening in Mexico returning.

I was in Honduras on 9-11-01 when all this started and we couldn't even carry nail clippers then. The Caribbean and Latin America airport agents have been having fun since with changing rules, and TSA changes theirs enough. I am still amazed that they allow screwdrivers in carry-on leaving, but don't even think about it returning. But then returning, I will check all I can up to 2 x 50# bags to avoid carrying it anyway. Going, I want more in carry-on just in case.

I miss the days I could wear a folding knife with up to a 5" blade, at least boarding in Texas airports. Some other states got nervous. But then knives of any kind are illegal in Mexico mostly. Glad I finally learned that, without getting arrested. I hate going a week without a pocket knife, but it can be done.

While we're at it, it amazes me that anyone would want to carry weights in carry-on, but those are prohibited too.

View attachment 130965

The batteries are supposed to last longer than the alkaline of the same size. I'll let ya know what I find out.

That's voltage - totally different! Rechargeable AAs are lower voltage than alkaline, but close enough to not cause problems - but that graph seems wrong really, as alkalines don't lose voltage like that?

Capacity is measured in mAh: milliampere-hour as described in my previous post. I was off a decimal point ( :laughing: 10 times as much!) tho so I corrected that. Your 8 AAs might have 20,000 mAh vs 4 Cs having 32,000 mAh, not counting adapter resistance.

 

[dmoore19]

I have never had my batteries on my dive light with c cells burn down on a night dive. If I do 2 night dives I end up putting a fresh set in for the second dive anyway. I always carry a backup light. I am convinced that these will work just fine. I am minimizing what I take and 8 c cells isn't on the list.

 

[Prop Joe]

Loose batteries in airplanes can be a problem. I always carry them in special cases inside my carry on roller bag with all of my other UW photo gear. I've been using these for years:

Before that I used these tight fitting zip locks:

YMMV

They have had some airplane issues with loose batteries as they make a shyt load of heat when shorted:
A quick Google search...

USPS to halt all shipments of iPads, Kindles to overseas troops, consumers | Digital Trends

Battery-Fire Crashes Seen Every Other Year as U.S. Rules Fought - Bloomberg

USPS lithium battery overseas mailing ban begins May 16 | Electronista

Search continues for crashed Asiana 747-400F

Seems to be a Lithium battery issue but I think they will try to minimize the risk.

 

[Fish-R-Man]

What is with that?

Flying home from Cancun, they picked me for a random search at boarding and he opened my camera case and was fingering the two small allen wrenches in my kit. Kept fingering them and then finally asked me what they were for. Finally said okay and had me close the case.

What's with the infatuation with an allen wrench?

The classed them as "tools" ( which I guess that they are) and the gal pointed to a sign that I believe had a screw driver, hammer and possibly a pipe wrench with a red line through it. I figured it was cheap compared to the alternative. She probably could have taken my Ikelite strobe batteries as well. That would have sucked!

I have to wonder if the batteries were cased instead of loose in a bag if they would have allowed it.

 

[DandyDon]

Loose batteries in airplanes can be a problem. I always carry them in special cases inside my carry on roller bag with all of my other UW photo gear. I've been using these for years.

You'll get away with it at times, not at other times. Batteries in carry-ons are often lost to foreign security, including Coz.