Carrying a vapor cooled GPU on an airplane

[Darmok88]

This is probably a dumb question but figure better safe than sorry. I'm moving from San Diego to New York in two weeks. I'm flying rather than driving. Not trusting ups or fedex as far as i can throw them to safely ship my computer, I've disassembled my computer and will be putting stuff like the case in checked luggage and carrying the vital components like the GPU and hard drive with me, by hand, as carry on luggage. Have done this before with other components and was fine.

Now that I have a GTX 980 which is vapor cooled, though, it occurred to me that that minuscule bit of liquid in the vapor cooler might make the TSA agents go nuts, you never know with them. On the other hand there's probably like a zillionth of an ounce of liquid in there so I'm probably worrying about nothing. Being sure that I'm not the only way who had worried about carrying a GPU on an airplane, I wanted to ask if anyone else had done this and if it was indeed OK. Again, specifically I am asking about vapor cooled GPUs like the 970 and 980 (not liquid cooling systems) and about carrying on vs checking. I know I can check it, but I've also seen how the baggage handlers treat luggage so that's a no go unless I really really really really have no other option.

[Guest]

Just show them the part on NewEgg & a few other retailers

then they'll realize a computer part isnt a bomb.

[DevilishBooster]

RIP night theme users.....

You're totally fine carrying the GPU in your carry-on. It's a completely closed system and the amount of liquid inside the vapor chamber/heat pipes is waaaaaaaaaaay below the 3oz limit.

[Alexzz_]

the question is: how will it look on the xray scans? because all the metal from the heatsink might block the xray and you might need to take it out and show it. just make sure you can grab it easily to show them and you should be fine

[Dzzope]

If your taking the case with you just use it like a delivery box and pack your parts in it with bubble-wrap... just jam lots in to make sure stuff can't bounce around..

[y_unit265]

3 minutes ago, Alexzz_ said:

make sure you can grab it easily to show them and you should be fine

Either do that, or just declare it beforehand. They will probably still ask you to show it, but it will most likely have the security guards at ease a bit more.

[imreloadin]

12 minutes ago, Ronnie76 said:

Just show them the part on NewEgg & a few other retailers

then they'll realize a computer part isnt a bomb.

This is the TSA we're talking about here...

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, imreloadin said:

This is the TSA we're talking about here...

Good point, But they still should understand "you put it in your PC to make it go faster"

[imreloadin]

1 minute ago, Ronnie76 said:

Good point, But they still should understand "you put it in your PC to make it go faster"

If only it were that easy lol.

 

Most of the TSA people I've interacted with think they're superheros or something. If I tried to direct them to a website to inform them they'd think I was part of some terrorist ring who is hoping to sneak a bomb past them with the help of a "fake" site.

[S w a t s o n]

TSA probably wont even be able to detect the minuscule amount of liquid inside the vapor chamber, it's really a non issue

[imreloadin]

1 hour ago, Swatson said:

TSA probably wont even be able to detect the minuscule amount of liquid inside the vapor chamber, it's really a non issue

I'd be more worried about them thinking it's a bomb versus being able to detect the trace amount of liquid in it

[RustyZombie]

It shouldn't be an issue, for the reasons others have posted.  But TSA agents have a lot of discretion, regardless of what it says in their guidelines or rules.  If one of them decides they have an issue with your GPU, you'll have little recourse.  You might want to decide ahead of time whether you'll want to part with the GPU or miss the flight, if it comes to that. 

[Garfieldus]

Just wrap GPU in between the clothes and check it in. If you have sturdy luggage case your GPU will survive the trip with ease.

[Guest]

Just say its a clock

[bgibbz]

22 minutes ago, PeloyGeek said:

Just say its a clock

Cool clock Ahmed.

[gamerking]

6 hours ago, Darmok88 said:

This is probably a dumb question but figure better safe than sorry. I'm moving from San Diego to New York in two weeks. I'm flying rather than driving. Not trusting ups or fedex as far as i can throw them to safely ship my computer, I've disassembled my computer and will be putting stuff like the case in checked luggage and carrying the vital components like the GPU and hard drive with me, by hand, as carry on luggage. Have done this before with other components and was fine.

Now that I have a GTX 980 which is vapor cooled, though, it occurred to me that that minuscule bit of liquid in the vapor cooler might make the TSA agents go nuts, you never know with them. On the other hand there's probably like a zillionth of an ounce of liquid in there so I'm probably worrying about nothing. Being sure that I'm not the only way who had worried about carrying a GPU on an airplane, I wanted to ask if anyone else had done this and if it was indeed OK. Again, specifically I am asking about vapor cooled GPUs like the 970 and 980 (not liquid cooling systems) and about carrying on vs checking. I know I can check it, but I've also seen how the baggage handlers treat luggage so that's a no go unless I really really really really have no other option.

 

 

first what airport  JFK,LGA,EWR if lga or EWR they will steal or break it if  you stick it in your luggage that goes under the plane . i give it a 90% it will not be in your luggage when you come to NY .all you will get is the tsa looked in your bag paper saying its been taken. if they dont keep your bag .

 

 

if you do carry it on with you .  have the box with the card in it , invoice slip from where you got it . also do not have the price on it anywhere listed  if its over 20$ they getting super sticky fingers . you probably know this dont take your eyes off of it when its going thru the xray machine . if they say it needs to be looked at , what i mean they want to take the bag with the gpu in it  to somewhere else say you want to be present (if not you will have a rock after ) .  the liquid should not matter unless the box says something about the liquid then you will be SOL .

 

if they want to know what it is tell them its what makes videos come on the screen nothing more if they ask what 980 mean tell them its the card name be as simple as you can . this i have heard works gift wrap the box for the gpu and tell them its a gift and wrap it well if you make it too hard they are too lazy .

 

 

.this is from personal experience  i bought a ton of xbox 360  games from some Caribbean country for nothing when i was on a cruise made it all the way back to NJ where the boat docked and had a nightmare keeping the games , this was before 9/11 and the tsa was dicks first they tried to keep all them was like 20-30 games  think i paid like 2-3 $ each , then it went to you didn't pay taxes on any of these , then they tried to give me all the empty boxes and they would keep the disks .

 

i dont blame ya for not trusting ups/fedex  i think they  pay the workers in the amount of packages they can damage  or destroy.

another option is  make a wooden crate like singularity computers  does to ships all of his pc builds and put all the parts in it . just follow what he does they wont steal or break it then . yes this most likely will cost more but i would see no hassle or problems with a wooden crate holding the pc . the more work you give the tsa the less they try to do .

 

[Guest]

I've flown through the states with every part in my pc and I've not had a single issue with the TSA. I just keep any fragile parts (including the GPU) in my carry on to make sure they aren't damaged.