Among all the discussion topics about mobile power supplies, there is one question that is raised every once in a while, and that is: "How much capacity of mobile power supplies can be taken on transportation?".
The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued relevant regulations as early as 2014, stating that carry-on luggage must not exceed 100Wh, and 100Wh-160Wh can still be boarded after declaration. In March 2019, Charging Head Network also personally experienced the maximum limitation of carrying power banks on civil aviation flights, and wrote the entire process as "Rumor buster, the editor personally tested carrying 30000mAh & 20000mAh mobile power banks on board". Interested friends can Go check it out.
Now that the restrictions on mobile power supplies that can be carried by airplanes are known, how big a mobile power supply can be carried by railways? This confused the editor. Because, before the National Railway Administration did not issue accurate regulations related to mobile power supplies.
There were no relevant regulations before.
The National Railway Administration released the " Catalog of Prohibited Items " for railways in 2015. Most of the items included in the list are dangerous goods, and categories such as power bank lithium batteries are not clearly marked. There is one item that can be regarded as marginal. The sixth item is corrosive items: batteries (containing potassium hydroxide solid, filled with acid or alkali), but currently used electronic and digital products all use lithium batteries. Also doesn't fit the description.
Different regions have different regulations.
Since there are no national regulations, all regions across the country can only establish relevant regulations themselves, so the following news appeared.
In July 2019, news reported that the Changsha subway banned the carrying of power banks with a single capacity exceeding 10,000mAh.
In July 2021, Shijiazhuang Metro prohibited the carriage of various types of rechargeable batteries with a single capacity exceeding 20,000mAh.
In October 2020, the Shenzhen subway banned the carrying of power banks with a single capacity exceeding 20,000mAh.
Correct power measurement method
As we all know, products with batteries cannot use "capacity units" such as mAh to measure the amount of power. Especially for battery packs in different Pack packages, you cannot simply look at the capacity. The correct approach is to use the "energy unit" Wh.
For example, 8 cells of 3350mAh battery cells. After parallel connection, the battery pack specifications are the same as the single cell, which is a 3.7V voltage platform, with a capacity of 26800mAh and an energy of 99Wh. If the eight 3350 mAh batteries are packaged in four series and two parallel, the battery pack specification will become a 14.8V voltage platform, with a capacity of 6700mAh and an energy of 99Wh.
So two power banks with the same battery capacity will have completely different effects if the mAh unit is used as the measurement standard.
New regulations have been introduced to clarify the restrictions on carrying mobile power supplies
As the times progress, relevant regulations are also progressing. The National Railway Administration released a new version of the "Catalogue of Prohibited, Restricted Carrying and Checked Items for Railway Passengers" on May 27, 2022. Effective from July 1st. This regulation is used to replace the railway's "Catalogue of Prohibited Items" issued in 2015. It greatly improves the project details based on today's people's living and travel habits, and provides clear instructions on the carrying of mobile power supplies.
The above is the new version of the catalog. Article (6) of the third category of restricted items to be carried with you: clearly marked power banks and lithium batteries, with a single rated energy not exceeding 100Wh, except for electric wheelchairs containing lithium batteries. This means that the restrictions on mobile power supplies carried by railways are consistent with those of civil aviation. Both use the "energy unit" Wh for power measurement, and both are less than 100W.
rated energy does not exceed 100Wh. How many mAh is that? If the power bank you have is packaged in parallel, then this limit does not exceed 27000mAh. If you are confused, you can check the nameplate parameters of your mobile power supply.
Charging Head Network Summary
I am very grateful to the National Railway Administration for updating regulations to meet the travel needs of modern people, adding detailed and accurate restrictions on carrying mobile power supplies, keeping pace with the times, and completing the previously vacant guidance. It is also hoped that local departments can follow up in a timely manner and update the implementation of relevant restrictions simultaneously to prevent people from being hindered from traveling with mobile power supplies.
At present, most high-capacity and high-performance mobile power supplies on the market will be stuck at the key point of 26800mAh, reaching a power reserve of 96-99Wh. It can maximize the power without exceeding travel restrictions. If you are traveling on business, If you need it, you can focus on the specifications of less than 100Wh when purchasing mobile power supplies in the future.
