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  1. #1
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    naptownmike's Avatar
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    Flying with battery powered tools

    I know this isn't exactly about living in Thailand.

    I wanted to bring over some battery powered tools from the States a few at a time as their much less expensive and better quality.

    Has anyone flown with these in there checked baggage or are the batteries a no go?

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    I think you'd be good to go as long as the batteries were disconnected which most all of them will do anyways.

    Haven't done it myself but.

  3. #3
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    I have a few times. No worries in checked luggage. Pull battery out the tool. I wrap in plastic ziploc bags.

    I am going to bring over a cordless house vacuum cleaner with two batteries in a few weeks.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    When I read the thread title, I thought you meant these ...


  5. #5
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    The rules are changing regarding batteries. If they are in an enclosure, they are more likely to be ok. This means that they are less likely to be damaged or broken if a bag is dropped etc.

    Right now, some Airlines are refusing to let battery packs in your luggage. (The type that recharges your phone)

    All I know , is that a few months ago, Air NZ refused to take an airfreight consignment of elec motor mowers from AKL to BNE, unless the batteries were removed.

    As airfreight, batteries were not classified as Haz Cargo, but had to be accompanied by an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) As Sea Freight, batteries (Lithium) are classified as Class 9 DG.

    Check with your airline.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by naptownmike View Post
    battery powered tools from the States
    There is a pretty good choice available here in Thailand. Is it worth of the hassle if something goes wrong at the airport?

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    There is a pretty good choice available here in Thailand. Is it worth of the hassle if something goes wrong at the airport?
    They are expensive here.

    I brought my Makita drill and impact driver set with me when I moved back out in July, no issue with it in my luggage.

  8. #8
    I'm in Jail

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    I checked the specifics with each Airline we flew with on our last run out to Laos. I could not check bag the Lithium-ion batteries for the mavic Pro. Instead I had to have each battery in a special "fire proof" pouch and none in the unit. They all were carry-ons and the way I understood was that no battery is allowed in checked luggage.

    The thought behind is that if one of these (as in the case of some cell phones a while back ) bursts into flames in checked bags regardless of altitude, ie; oxegen level, it could bring down the plane.

    So my take on that was as long as the battery was in the people space as it spontaneously combusts the special pouch it's in would contain most toxins and allow the staff time to contain the battery safely.

    Now I'm not sure what that entails but surely Shirley must be trained on that.

  9. #9
    I'm in Jail

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    Batteries aside i brought over a Mattock which was the fibreglass handle and then the heavy metal head and was stopped and they x-ray'd the case it was in. The lady did not ask me to unpack it but asked what it was. I explained and said it was for my wifes father to make his gardening easier which was not entirely a lie and she seemed happy and waved me on.

    Just a thought in case you get stopped as maybe a story of you thinking of the family with a present smooths the path though

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fondles View Post
    They are expensive here.

    I brought my Makita drill and impact driver set with me when I moved back out in July, no issue with it in my luggage.
    didn't you have dogs you left in Thailand? did you take them back?

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    didn't you have dogs you left in Thailand? did you take them back?
    They stayed at the inlaws joint up in bumfuck knowhere... they are here back with in Pattaya now.

  12. #12
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    There is a pretty good choice available here in Thailand. Is it worth of the hassle if something goes wrong at the airport?
    I agree that a selection is available in Thailand but here is what I have found. 1) They are expensive being imported. 2) The quality is subpar and doesn't last. It's clear items made to be sold to a US consumer base is generally built to a stricter requirement. Quality is important and when its crap the store hears about it. In Thailand you buy it, it's yours and good luck returning it. I bought a Bosch cordless stick style house vacuum cleaner from Powerbuy. About 2 weeks later it had some intermittent issue. My wife took it back and they said Sorry. It was expensive as hell for what it was and now I had a piece of junk. I ripped it all apart to fix it and I could not find spare parts. As long as I am traveling back and forth to the states I will not buy in Thailand. I will buy and bring back. Far less expensive and way better quality. The only thing I recommend is check the charger. Make sure it is 120 - 240V switching. I had a few that weren't but I have a converter box so no biggie.

    Quote Originally Posted by fishlocker View Post
    They all were carry-ons and the way I understood was that no battery is allowed in checked luggage.
    Carry on is best way to bring your batteries. It's how I bring them back. I just wrap up and put in my carry on. In fact in many cases I have just left them in the original box.

    I guess there could be a risk of one of those Xray techs knowing what they are looking at but the odds are they wont.

  13. #13
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    Thanks for all the responses.

    Like JPPR2 said the quality of power tools in Thailand just isn't the same as back home and the price is much less also. The stuff for sale in Thailand would be at the very bottom and generally sold to housewives and homeowners for very light use here in the U.S.

    I'm pretty sure these types of batteries are nowhere near as volatile as the ones found in smartphones I have never seen any problems over the years with overheating or fires.

    thanks, mike

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat
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    Ha, That could be fun too. Fly over the leaves and blow them into the neighbor's yard.


    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    When I read the thread title, I thought you meant these ...


  15. #15
    I'm in Jail

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    Can you even find Milwaukee power tools in Thailand? I never found them in Laos. Makita was as good as it gets there.
    Don't know the rules on those types of batteries. I did manage a Coleman gas lamp last round in checked bags. It runs on white gas or gasoline. I know it's banned from shipment via U.S. parcel post. However this was new in the box. I wrote that it had never been used and was new on the box. They let it fly in checked bags.

    I love coleman lamps. They work. Just a sip of gas out of the scooter and you're golden for a nights fishing.

    Good luck and let us know what you find out.

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fishlocker View Post
    Can you even find Milwaukee power tools in Thailand?
    Yeah no problem.

    https://www.hardwarehouse.co.th/bran...waukee-75.html

  17. #17
    Thailand Expat
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    ^ That's a pretty good selection but the prices are a bit salty.

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