How to use PackVolt
PackVolt helps estimate whether your battery is likely carry-on friendly, checked-bag friendly, or approval-sensitive before you travel.
What PackVolt does
- Converts mAh to Wh when you provide a voltage
- Maps the battery into the most common passenger guidance ranges
- Explains the difference between spare batteries, power banks, and installed-device batteries
- Adds caution notes when quantity or condition makes the result riskier
What you need to enter
- Battery type
- Capacity in mAh or Wh
- Voltage if you only know mAh
- Quantity
- Whether the battery is damaged, swollen, recalled, or overheating
Why Wh matters
Wh is the battery figure most commonly used in passenger air-travel guidance. A battery can sound small in mAh while still crossing a meaningful Wh threshold depending on voltage.
How to use it
- Choose the battery type that best matches what you are packing.
- Enter the capacity in Wh directly, or enter mAh plus voltage.
- Add the number of spare batteries or power banks you plan to carry.
- Flag the battery if it is damaged or recalled.
- Read the carry-on guidance, checked-bag guidance, and approval note together.
Common thresholds
- Up to 100 Wh usually sits in the most passenger-friendly range.
- 101–160 Wh is commonly the airline-approval range.
- Above 160 Wh is usually outside normal passenger baggage allowances.
What usually belongs in carry-on only
- Power banks
- Loose spare lithium-ion batteries
- Spare batteries removed from devices
What to do with borderline cases
- Check the airline’s dangerous goods or battery page.
- Trust a printed Wh label over an estimate when available.
- Carry manufacturer specs or the product page if the battery is close to a threshold.
- If your cabin bag might be gate-checked, keep spare batteries accessible so you can remove them.
What PackVolt cannot promise
- Boarding approval
- Airline-specific exceptions
- Country-specific enforcement on every route
- Safe carriage of damaged, swollen, leaking, or overheating batteries