Torch With an 18650 On A Plane???

Can you carry a torch with an 18650 battery on a plane does anyone know, they've obviously introduced restrictions for shipping them but how about if it's just one carried in a torch by someone.

The smart answer may be just to take a AA instead but just interested to know.

A single battery in a flashlight will be fine in the USA, and I'm fairly certain the UK as well.

Think about the far larger batteries people take on planes by the millions every day, in laptops, phones, tablets etc etc. It would be pretty crazy if a flashlight battery was forbidden.

The only things that have prevented some from taking flashlights on planes is when they have a pronounced strike bezel, or been some 2 foot long Maglite that you could club someone to death with.

But better than relying on our answers, google the regulations with whatever your aviation authority is. They will list what batteries are allowed. I did this and found the U.S. regulations instantly.

Perhaps if you don't say you have a torch in your carry on it might be fine. Also, don't say bomb. Bombbombbombbahbombabombomb

aginthelaw said:

Perhaps if you don't say you have a torch in your carry on it might be fine. Also, don't say bomb. Bombbombbombbahbombabombomb

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I was going to advise that as well. "Don't worry TSA officer, it's just a torch"

Nord said:

I was going to advise that as well. "Don't worry TSA officer, it's just a torch"

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That's funny. I didn't even think of this while reading. "Torch" would be OK in Heathrow because that's what they call flashlights across the pond.

What always struck this Yank as funny is the term "head torch". I picture someone pouring gasoline (petrol) on their hair & lighting up! 😱 LOL

I carry the double-barrel Fenix LD50(2 x 18650 installed), with 2 more spare unprotected 18650 in carry-on recently on international transit flights without problem.

I took this picture in an airport. Yes, that's a shotgun shell box. No, they didn't ask any questions (that time - sometimes they want to open the box to make sure they're batteries and not shotgun shells).

Yep no issues, has to be in carry-on, not in checked luggage. Security in Canada once had to bring over a supervisor to give the okay to the ~15 titanium lights I had in my carry-on. I had met with a few guys from CPF while in Toronto.

China has a posted policy limiting the amount of li-ion cells you can bring on board, when I saw that I probably had 4 or 5 times the number listed, didn't have any issues.

Any airline can decide what they will allow, but virtually all follow I.A.T.A. regulations. The newest 2017 revision continues to allow cells, and groupings of cells up to 100 WH.
Anker and other makers of common external packs do not exceed that size.
Power tool packs might be too powerful.
The regulations do state specifics as to their charge levels (no more than 30%), and the manner in which the terminals are protected.
They seem not to have a clue regarding the dangers of depleted cells discharged below a certain level.
If you want to be safe, insulate battery terminals if transported inside the tube, and avoid turbo, high, and medium modes if asked to activate the light.

Any airline can decide what they allow, but in practice, airlines do not inspect the contents of carry-on bags themselves and I haven't heard any of them say that small Li-ion batteries are prohibited. Galaxy Note 7s, yes, but never individual batteries other than very large packs.

Checking the contents of bags is up to security. I've gone through security checkpoints in the US, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Sweden with a significant number of 18650s (not always 30+ as in the picture above, but always more than 6) within the past two years. The security guy in Rome took the batteries out of my 4x18650 light and put them in my box, but not the two smaller lights I had with me. That's the closest thing to a problem I've ever had.

Zak said:

....The security guy in Rome took the batteries out of my 4x18650 light and put them in my box, but not the two smaller lights I had with me. That's the closest thing to a problem I've ever had.

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Yes,
you are more likely to have security screening problems if anything resembles a possible weapon.
Federal regulations prohibit the exportation of tactical flashlights; large lights raise suspicion, especially if heavy because of batteries they contain.
It is a good idea to carry printed copies of the latest I.A.T.A. guidelines, remove crenelated bezels, and even take the lights apart if possible.

FWIW, more than once I have had to completely empty and display the contents of my carry on with up to 30 lithium ions of various sizes, two large Anker power banks, chargers and up to ten flashlights, a couple of them Soup can lights.
The first time it happened, the inspector remarked, "Oh, you're a photographer?"
The following times, it was the explanation I offered.
There was never any instance when they made things difficult.

If you are carrying anything onto a plane you deem capable of raising suspicion, I have a suggestion:
Pretend you are Gomer Pyle or Forrest Gump, you be cool, it makes all the difference.

This is what I had in my carryon on a flight this past Friday from LGA to DCA.

Fenix FD41 with an 18650 inside


Fenix UC35 with an 18650 inside, this light I travel with a lot. This time I took it by accident. I did not need it.


A spare 18650


An Olight S1A with a lithium AA which I used throughout the flight to read. I have been doing this for years with an Olight S1.


A 14500


A spare lithium AA


And


A USB battery charger


No issues at all

Federal regulations prohibit the exportation of tactical flashlights

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I have to express a bit of skepticism on this one. "Tactical flashlight" is pretty ill-defined and not covered by any export regulations I'm aware of. ITAR deals with military equipment, especially items on the US Munitions List, which includes rifle scopes built to a military specification and laser target designators, but not lighting.

I suspect the guy in Rome was mainly concern the light could be activated by accident and start a fire. None of them has ever requested an explanation. A couple have offered an explanation for wanting to look inside the box, which is a lot nicer than I'm used to from airport security.

aginthelaw said:

Perhaps if you don't say you have a torch in your carry on it might be fine. Also, don't say bomb. Bombbombbombbahbombabombomb

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"Meet the Parents" reference noted!

18650 on a plane is fine. Snakes on a plane is a big no-no.

Zak said:

I have to express a bit of skepticism on this one. "Tactical flashlight" is pretty ill-defined and not covered by any export regulations I'm aware of. ITAR deals with military equipment, especially items on the US Munitions List, which includes rifle scopes built to a military specification and laser target designators, but not lighting.

I suspect the guy in Rome was mainly concern the light could be activated by accident and start a fire. None of them has ever requested an explanation. A couple have offered an explanation for wanting to look inside the box, which is a lot nicer than I'm used to from airport security.

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There are a multitude of dealers advising what is permitted to send overseas, and what requires a license, the information is available to anybody who spends time looking....here is a quote from the Optics Planet site.
You notice it does include hand held tactical lights as requiring a license.

"Several items on the website may require
an export license, including, but not limited to, the following:
Generation 2, 3, or 4 Night Vision Equipment and Night Vision Accessories
Thermal Imaging Equipment and Heat Seekers
Optical Sighting Equipment and Tactical Lights (both Hand-Held and Weapon-Mountable), Accessories".
-
FYI: This same subject, including what is prohibited, has been covered here, and on other forums countless times.
As to what classifies as being tactical, is left to the inspector/official involved.

Optics Planet has a notice on specific products it believes to be subject to ITAR. See a Trijicon ACOG for an example of this notice. It has a different notice on products that it believes may be subject to restrictions, which seems to include some dedicated weapon lights, but not others.

If you're actually aware of a person or dealer having issues exporting a flashlight due to ITAR, I'd be very interested to know about it.

Zak said:

Optics Planet has a notice on specific products it believes to be subject to ITAR. See a Trijicon ACOG for an example of this notice. It has a different notice on products that it believes may be subject to restrictions, which seems to include some dedicated weapon lights, but not others.

If you're actually aware of a person or dealer having issues exporting a flashlight due to ITAR, I'd be very interested to know about it.

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LOL….

Try to get in touch with reality, and the OP !
Have you ever heard of the 7-inch rule?

This post is not about arguing some indefensible alphabet soup gobbledygook with TSA security people regarding what one obtuse supposed reference MAY, or may not be saying while you miss your flight.

Two points are obvious. If you truly want to know about specific instances where people have had issues carrying, or trying to carry tactical flashlights, and also normal flashlights through TSA security in the USA, and abroad, Google is you friend: it is all there waiting for you. Nobody else is going to do the work to satisfy your thirst for knowledge. The same goes for finding dealers shipping tactical lights overseas without a license, because like you, they are confused.

The web is filled with such references, including the 7-inch rule used to decide what is permitted or not. Instead of trying to confuse the issue, thinking one set of rules 'might' include hand held or not when requiring a licensed export shipment, try to get in touch with the original post, and the reason the poster posed the question, then stop beating a dead horse.

You're the one who brought up export restrictions. I asked for some evidence because export restrictions on flashlights of all things seem implausible. After this discussion, I remain highly skeptical that any such regulations apply. That's not relevant to OP's question though.

Here's what is: I've flown with 18650s a lot. It isn't a problem. I've flown with small and mid-size flashlights that don't have spikes on them a lot too and those aren't a problem either. Large flashlights or those with spikes, glassbreakers and such could be refused at the checkpoint.

This information is easy to find, I'm not sure why there's so much discrepancy here. When I first got in to high-powered lights, first thing I did was hop on the TSA ans FAA websites. Google is easy, use it.

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...fo/media/Airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf

This past XMAS I flew from California to NH with 3x 18650 lights in my carry-on laptop bag, none of the screeners batted an eye. On the way home, I had more lights to bring back as sales/gifts were rather good hehe. 4x 18650, 2x 26650 and a few 14500's. Most in devices, a few in cases. They pulled me to the side, did a 30sec. sweep with that silly explosives detector wand, and I was on my way.

It's all up to the agent pulling you to the side or viewing the x-ray machine. If you give them flak or act stupid, you're going to get flak/stupid back. If they ask why you have so many lights, hiking, camping, etc.. Don't spout off stupid crap about I'm allowed to so whats the problem I know my rights. That's a flag. Good luck and fly safely.