Packing dive light

[mona]

Going on my first dive trip...flying.
I'll be taking my AOW course and borrowed a dive light which I require for my night dive. I'll carry on my regs, mask and computer and check my suitcase in which I should be able to fit rest of my gear (wetsuit, fins, boots, BC) and cloths required for the trip south. Can I just wrap the light up in my wetsuit to protect it? Do you take the batteries out of the light and pack separately in your luggage for travel?
The person I borrowed the light from suggested I might even want to consider leaving the batteries home (takes 8 size D batteries)...the light+batteries weighs just under 5lbs.

[dannybot]

My light came with a cardboard insulator to keep the batteries in the light during storage/transport. If that is an option, do that. Do not count on being able to get batteries where you are going, if out of the country, unless you know for sure that they have them. I would definately wrap the light in something like the wetsuit, I saw seven suitcases fall from the front cargo hold to the ground (completely missing the conveyor belt as they were unloading our plane on my last trip.

[johnyringo]

I pack my light in my checked baggage, wrapped in...anything that will protect it. And just enough batteries for one load (which is good for a couple of night dives), in their original packaging. I carry on my reg. mask and computer. If my check in luggage is late I at least have the basics.
Have fun!

[whse56]

I'd leave the batteries in the light and either put in a seperater of plastic or cardboard between the contacts of the battery and the bulb and since I tend to the OCD of things I would tape the switch if possible. If you wrap your wetsuit around it, you shouldn't have a problem even with the luggage gorillas most airports have.

[stranger]

I've been told that the TSA will pull the light out of your bag if it sees the batteries in the light while x-raying. I pulled the batteries out and put them in a zip lock bag which i also put in my checked bag

[terrillja]

I just put some clothes around my lights, I have never had any issues with the TSA. My lights are also all LED, so if they are knocked around they will be ok, incandescent is not as tolerant of vibration. If you are looking to travel a lot, look to buy LED lights.

[No Misses]

Here is a post from a thread on the new TSA rules for lithium batteries. You may find it helpfull. As a side note; if you pack the light with the batteries installed (as I would). please make sure to put a piece of paper between the batteries and the contacts. This way if the light gets accidently activated, it will not burn up your suitcase. I friend of mine had a UK D8 light in his dive bag. He did not have the switch in the lock position. The light got turned on and melted from the heat. Luckily no other gear was damaged.

Originally Posted by CompuDude

I could have posted this in a number of places, including Photography, but here should be as good as any, I suppose!

SEE: SafeTravel.dot.gov

Important updates to what is allowed when flying with Lithium-Ion batteries. Important for photographers and those with high-powered Lithium-based light batteries. Read up!

[Damselfish]

I check my lights, smaller lights go in booties and larger one gets wrapped in my hoodie, and they just get tucked towards the middle of things not to the outside of the bag.

I take the batteries out. Putting a cardboard insulator may prevent them from going on, but only you know that and TSA doesn't - all they will see is a light with batteries and I don't want to give them more reasons to open my bag. I have these little plastic cases for batteries I bought at the Container Store that work great.

I take along the batteries I think I will need as they're they're often very expensive and I've been some places where it was hard to even find decent batteries, they'd have mystery (to me) brands that expired years ago. If I was going from the airport to a liveaboard, I might not have time. Buying batteries someplace is certainly a way to cut down on weight, just think about whether it might be a problem where you're going. I'm moving to LED lights, and 4C instead of 8C for my main light, partly to cut down on battery needs.

[RoyN]

Does anybody have experiences with flying with canister light? Do they check that?

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by RoyN

Does anybody have experiences with flying with canister light? Do they check that?

I carry mine on. I'm always careful to tell the x-ray crew that I have photography lighting equipment (and scuba gear) in the bag before it goes through, ever since a buddy had the bomb squad called after the x-ray took a look at the battery pack in the x-ray.

Be sure to print up the airspeed press battery labels and put them on your battery to avoid any confusion, also.

I've had my bags searched a couple of times coming out the x-ray, but since they already expect to see lighting equipment going in, there are a lot less surprises for them when they open it up and things go pretty routinely.