La Crosse Technology BC700-CBP Alpha Power Battery Charger
Brand | La Crosse Technology |
Color | Black |
Product Dimensions | 1.5"D x 3"W x 5"H |
Input Voltage | 240 Volts |
Charging Time | 4 seconds |
About this item
- Battery charger for 4 rechargeable NiMH and NiCad AA and AAA batteries; with 4 modes: charge, discharge, refresh, and test
- With individual compartment for each battery with own LCD display and mode selection for multitasking
- Operates on 100-240-volt AC input for international use; 3 charging rate options of 200 mA, 500 mA, and 700 mA
- Detects overheating for safety; not for use with any other batteries other than those specified
- Measures 5 inches long by 3 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches high; limited 1-year warranty
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Top Brand: La Crosse Technology
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Price | Currently unavailable. | $33.48$33.48 | -6% $14.25$14.25 Typical: $15.11 | $18.59$18.59 | -9% $43.74$43.74 List: $47.99 | $59.95$59.95 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 13 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 13 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 13 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 13 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 13 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Battery life | 4.6 | — | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | — |
Value for money | 4.6 | 4.3 | — | 4.4 | 4.5 | — |
Quality of material | 4.2 | — | 4.3 | — | 5.0 | — |
Durability | 4.1 | — | 4.1 | — | 4.8 | — |
Easy to use | — | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.7 | — | — |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
input voltage | 240 volts | 240 volts | 240 volts | — | 240 volts | 120 volts |
battery charge time | 4 seconds | 3 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours | — | 1 hours |
weight | — | 0.26 pounds | 0.23 pounds | 0.25 pounds | 1.51 pounds | 0.66 pounds |
From the manufacturer
La Crosse Technology BC700 Battery Charger
Charge AA and AAA batteries simultaneously at the of rate of 200 mAh (default) when you need to. LCD displays voltage, charging current, charging percentage, and cumulative capacity for each cell, with a simple one button operation. It will detect a defective battery and works with all NiCd and NiMH, both AA and AAA rechargeable batteries. Auto detection that will not charge defective batteries.
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Simple Button Operation7 Easy to use function keys: 4 Bay number buttons and 3 Operational (Current, Display, Mode) buttons. Automatically defaults to 200 mAh charge (the optimal setting for prolonging battery life) . LCD shows capacity for each battery when charging has completed. Will not charge defective batteries. |
Multiple Charging Current CompartmentsCharge mode (charging current). Discharge mode (discharging current). Refresh mode (time elapsed). Test mode (accumulated capacity). Select different charging current for each channel. Automatic trickle charge when charging has completed to ensure maximum battery capacity. Overheat detection to protect over-charging. |
Works With All NiCd and NiMh Rechargeable AA/AAA BatteriesSpecifications: Input voltage for AC/DC adapter: 100-240 VAC. Charging current range: 200 mAh - 700 mAh. Max charging capacity: 3000 mAh. Charger: 3.00”L x 1.50”W x 5.10”H. Includes 12V 0.75A AC/DC adapter. |
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 2 x 3 x 5 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 9.6 ounces |
ASIN | B000RSOV50 |
Item model number | BC700-CBP |
Batteries | 4 AA batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | October 2, 2003 |
Manufacturer | La Crosse Technology |
Warranty & Support
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Product Description
The La Crosse Technology BC700 Alpha Power Battery Charger has four modes and charges all NiCd and NiMH AA and AAA rechargeable batteries. The four modes include charge, discharge (discharges the batteries and then recharges them), recharge (discharges and recharges up to 20 times to bring old batteries back to life) and test (displays the battery capacity). BC-700 Battery Charger " Features: • All modes automatically default to 200 mA charge on the BC-700 Battery charger • Charge both AA and AAA rechargeable batteries simultaneously and will charge all Low-Discharge batteries. Sanyo Eneloop, Uniross Hybrio, Nexcell EnergyOn, Accupower Acculoop and other future low discharge batteries. • Hhas Four independent channels - Charges 1, 2, 3 , or 4 rechargeable batteries at a time. • Overheat detection to protect over-charging and LCD shows capacity for each battery when charging is complete • Charge Mode - allows a range of user selectable milliamp settings from 200 to 700 for faster charging times. Within 4 seconds after rechargeable batteries are inserted charging automatically begins at 200mA, or you may select 500, or 700mA charge rates for faster charging times. • Discharge Mode - reduces memory effect by discharging rechargeable battery completely before recharging to full capacity. User selectable. • Refresh Mode - discharges and recharges up to 20 cycles or until rechargeable battery is refreshed to full capacity. User Selectable. • Test Mode- First charges the rechargeable battery to full capacity, then discharges completely to measure rechargeable battery capacity for display in mAh or Ah, and then recharges each rechargeable battery to full battery capacity. • UL approved, BC 700 charger also has safeguards that sense rechargeable battery polarity, rechargeable battery temperature and defective rechargeable batteries. • World Voltage capable - Operates on 100~240V AC Input.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the battery life, charging, and performance of the charger. They mention it's smart and adjusts the charging rate based on the input and output voltage. Some are also satisfied with features, and value. However, some customers are mixed on quality, ease of use, and display.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the charging of the battery charger. They say that it is smart and dials back the charging rate when it receives a signal from the battery. It has different settings for charging powers, with 200 mA, 500 mN, or 700 mn, depending on the battery's needs. Overall, customers find it to be an excellent charger, especially for the price of $30.
"...before getting this charger: it is "smart" and dials back the charging rate when it receives a signal from the battery that it is full...." Read more
"...The La Crosse BC 700 is great because it's more than a charger, its a smart charger...." Read more
"...However, faster & adjustable rate charging currents, battery reconditioning, testing etc. drew me to the BC700...." Read more
"...I might do it once a year, just for fun. It's also a great way to check voltage and see what your actual capacity is (mAh) vs the advertised..." Read more
Customers like the performance of the battery charger. They mention that it works well, is reliable, and is perfectly adequate for the task. Some customers also mention that the discharge function also works correctly, and that they can control each individual slot.
"...UPDATE JAN 2015***This charger is still fully functional and continues to get the job done. Very happy with this purchase.***..." Read more
"...my case I managed to put it all back together again and the charger works perfectly now...." Read more
"...Got 8 for roughly $12 back in 2009--It was a steal. They worked great, initially...." Read more
"...; memory the choice fell on him because I was completely satisfied with the set of functions, feedback on his work and of course the price...." Read more
Customers like the battery life of the charger. They mention that it has given new life to battery sets that were three, five, and even six years old. It not only keeps the lifetime of your batteries, it provides full discharge cycles and trickle charging, which is less degrading to the battery. It is fully automatic and takes good care of your battery. Customers are also impressed with the charging overnight and not worrying about overcharging.
"...This means you can leave batteries charging overnight and not worry about overcharging...." Read more
"...of only charging rechargeable batteries, it has the option of discharging them first, before charging. With my Sanyo charger, it only charges...." Read more
"...However, faster & adjustable rate charging currents, battery reconditioning, testing etc. drew me to the BC700...." Read more
"...The modes allow not only charging, but also special combinations of discharge/charge functionality...." Read more
Customers like the value of the battery charger. They say that it is great value and worth your hard-earned money.
"...The La Crosse Technology BC 700 is the best charger for under $30. I got this from Amazon and I am happy with the purchase...." Read more
"...And the LaCrosse has all the smart charger features you need, at a lower price than the hyped brand...." Read more
"...The overall construction isn't top notch, but i feel it's excellent at this price. At it's most simple, you plunk in your batteries and walk away...." Read more
"...Charger a better rating - poor manufacturing processes and very poor quality control!..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the features of the battery charger. They mention it has many advanced capabilities, high-end features, and easy to operate. Customers also appreciate the smart technology that enhances the life of the batteries. Overall, customers are happy with the product's features.
"Pros:+ versatile with high-end features at affordable price (at time of writing)+ capacity measurement a must-have feature..." Read more
"...OVERALL THE UNIT HAS GREAT FEATURES AND GIVES YOU A FAIRLY GOOD DISPLAY OF THE 4 MODES AND READINGS OF VOLTAGE, mA, mAh AND ELAPSED TIME FOR EACH..." Read more
"...This comes with many features and has held up so far.I have only used this on the low current charge mode...." Read more
"...+ Efficient switching power supply.+ Lots of features, too many to list here...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the battery charger. Some mention that it works, the controls are simple, and offers a better user interface, while others say that it can be a bit tedious initially if you have a lot of batteries to refresh. The charger has a high learning curve when using all of its features, and is non-intuitive at best and downright confusing at worst. It gets five stars, but some quirks with the user interface knocks one star off. Overall, the product has mixed reviews and opinions are mixed.
"...If you want to change the particular settings for it, the way to do so is easy once you know how, but may not be intuitive for non-technically..." Read more
"...electronics hobbyist - putting the BC700 back together is a very complex task - especially aligning the LCD panel contacts with the contacts on the..." Read more
"...The interface of the device is not hard to use, but it was tricky in the beginning...." Read more
"...It is very convenient to use and can charge and test single cells (important when you have mismatched batteries)...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the battery charger. Some mention that it has a decent enough build quality, they have not experienced any quality issues of any kind with this charger, and it has been on the market for a while. However, others say that the overall construction isn't top notch, and that it's impossible to maintain and repair. This degrades the battery, reduces its life, and in extreme cases can ruin it.
"...I have not experienced any quality issues of any kind with this charger...." Read more
"...in a decent factory because it feels and looks like it is of high quality. The big deal for most of us is reliability, however...." Read more
"...reason that I cannot give this Charger a better rating - poor manufacturing processes and very poor quality control!..." Read more
"...As of right now it appears to be more reliable than the current version of the BC-9009..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the display of the battery charger. Some mention that it is reliable over many years, clear display for each battery, and easy to read. However, others say that the display is not back-lit, the user interface/displays are not always clear about what information is being, and that the single display is very weak and hard to read, and the LCD would show garbled display occasionally.
"...Very flexible.The display is pretty easy to read and will show battery voltage and capacity...." Read more
"...with the contacts on the main PCB - if that gets spoilt, the LCD display will be dead and so will the charger!..." Read more
"...It can display the following information: the battery voltage, the battery capacity during the charge, the capacity given by the battery during the..." Read more
"...It happened again the other night to one battery, showing null after inserting it. This time, I just left it in for the day...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Just a quick note to say this charger is still going strong and I have since bought a second to let me charge more batteries at once. I use them regularly to keep all my Eneloop batteries topped off. The only challenge I've had -- which is not related to the charger itself -- is that sometimes a completely depleted battery will not be recognized by the charger and thus won't begin charging. You can circumvent this by putting a paperclip across the positive terminals of a full battery and the depleted one when they are both in the charger (with the charger turned OFF) for about 10 seconds, and then start charging.
***UPDATE JAN 2015***
This charger is still fully functional and continues to get the job done. Very happy with this purchase.
***ORIGINAL REVIEW***
Anyone on the internet who is thinking of buying a battery charger should consult the reviews of N.Lee on Amazon. He or she is clearly an electrical engineer or has equivalent knowledge and performs detailed takedowns and tests of a variety of chargers. Their guidance is what helped me decide to buy this item.
My personal use pattern of the charger is fairly mundane -- just charging up batteries for use in various toys, flashlights, etc. I expect is the case for many people looking to buy a charger, so I wanted to give a perspective on how this charger works for a limited, everyday task.
This is a great charger. Things I immediately liked about it are:
-Can charge odd numbers of batteries
-Can charge AA and AAA, including at the same time
-Can set independent charging rates for each battery, e.g. in case you really need two batteries quick but want to slow charge the others, which helps extend their life
The charger has a couple functions I never use, and that's OK with me. Most of my batteries are pretty new, but I expect that I will start using the battery cycle/testing function to help identify which batteries may be getting old and need replacing.
The best thing about this charger, especially for average users like me, is something I never knew about before getting this charger: it is "smart" and dials back the charging rate when it receives a signal from the battery that it is full. This means you can leave batteries charging overnight and not worry about overcharging. Or you can start charging half used batteries and know that the charger will top them off and then stop charging. The regular dumb chargers you get for $5.99 at your local grocery store along with a pack of batteries will keep pumping electricity into a battery until god knows what happens -- certainly shortening the life of the battery.
The peace of mind of being able to set this thing and come back after a few hours is great.
I have not experienced any quality issues of any kind with this charger. If you want to change the particular settings for it, the way to do so is easy once you know how, but may not be intuitive for non-technically oriented people (e.g., like my mother). However, the default settings for charging are complete adequate for such cases.
The BC 700 has all the features of the BC 900 with the exception of the charge rates. The BC 700 can charge at 200, 500, and 700 mAh. The BC 900 can charge at 200, 500, 700, 1000, 1500, and 1800 mAh. The BC 900 also comes in a kit with a bag and extra batteries and adapters. I did not need the extras because I bought the Sanyo Eneloop package with the adapters and charger.
The La Crosse BC 700 is great because it's more than a charger, its a smart charger. Instead of only charging rechargeable batteries, it has the option of discharging them first, before charging. With my Sanyo charger, it only charges. The 4 modes of the BC 700 are Charging, Discharging, Refresh, and Test.
In Charging mode, it charges the batteries.
In Discharging mode, it discharges the batteries, and then charges them. Which is what the batteries need. Charging the batteries when they only lose half a charge isn't good for rechargeable batteries in the long run.
In Refresh mode, it discharges and charges the batteries about a handful of times, and can take up to 5-6 days depending on the mAh that is selected on the BC 700 and the size of the batteries (ex. 2000 or 2500 mAh. Not physical size). This comes in handy to bring new life to old rechargeable batteries.
Test mode will discharge and charge the battery to the highest mAh of the batteries.
The interface of the device is not hard to use, but it was tricky in the beginning. When using the device, and wanting to charge all four batteries at the same time, its best to put all four batteries in before plugging in the AC power adapter. Once that is done and the BC 700 powers on, hold down the Mode button until CHARGE flashes, once it flashes, it allows the user to select one of the four different modes: charge, discharge, refresh, and test. Select a mode. Once that is done, press the current button to select one of the three different currents: 200, 500, and 700 mAh. Now remember, when the user does not press any buttons for 8 SECONDS, then the device will "lock" in with the selected settings.
The tricky part was discharging/refreshing mode. When discharging/refresh (and possibly test mode; I have not used this mode) is selected, and the user wants to change the current, only 100, 250, and 350 are available. This is because it discharges at half the rate it charges. For example, if the user wants the batteries to charge at 200 mAh, the current to select will be 100 mAh. The batteries will discharge at 100 mAh, then charge at 200 mAh. I didn't know this until I read the manual. I do not like reading manuals. I thought my BC 700 wasn't working properly. I haven't used the test mode because after the batteries are done charging, I would press the display button to see the charge level of the batteries. The display button will the display the current charge/discharge rate, volts, time, and mAh.
It works differently when charging batteries individually with different settings. Start by putting in the battery, for example in slot 3, then press the button above slot 3, once that slot starts blinking, hold the mode down and select mode and then select current. But slot 3's current can't go above the current selected if there is a battery in slot 1. Slot 1 has priority. For example, if Slot 1 is charging at 500 mAh, then slot 3 can't select to have it charge at 700 mAh.
This is a great charger. A good buy for folks with many rechargeable batteries with old chargers that will not bring life back to them. I definitely give this a must buy.
Top reviews from other countries
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Pros:
- Acepta de 1 a 4 baterias con carga independiente.
- Descarga completamente baterías.
- Selección de velocidad de carga/descarga.
- Función de "refrescar" y "prueba" de baterías.
Cons:
- No incluye estuche.
- Baterías no incluidas.
================================
Es dificil justificar pagar mas de 500 pesos por un cargador de baterías que venga sin baterías, pero cuando tienes en uso muchas baterías recargables entonces se vuelve una opción interesante.
En mi caso tenia varias baterías recargables con un cargador sencillo y con algunos años de uso. Este cargador me ayudó a identificar las baterías que ya retenian poca carga y a juntar baterías con una carga similar.
Tiene la función de "refrescar baterías" que consiste en cargar y descargar multiples veces las pilas para regresarlas al mejor estado posible.
El cargador tampoco va a hacer milagros, por ello necesitamos baterías de calidad; las mejores baterías del mercado que podemos conseguir en Mexico son las Eneloop de Panasonic que vienen de la planta de Japón y se pueden conseguir aqui en Amazon.
Si es la primera vez que vas a comprar baterias recargables y no quieres hacer una gran inversión, recomiendo este pack de Eneloop (B00JHKSLSW) que tiene un cargador decente y algunas baterías y adaptadores.
Un buen cargador tiene que tener como mínimo una carga independiente de baterías para evitar sobrecargas o pilas mal cargadas.
El BC-700 es mas que suficiente para un uso moderado/rudo, hay cargadores que pueden reducir el tiempo de carga de las baterías, pero esto puede reducir el tiempo de vida de las mismas, el mejor balance es 500mA de carga y 250 mA de descarga.
Pros:
- Has all the features you could want in a charger.
- Can recharge single batteries.
- The LCD display offers some great information.
- Can set different modes per battery.
- Accepts both AAA and AA batteries.
- Powered by an AC adapter and cord (you don't plug the charger directly into the wall).
- Fast charging is a nice option.
- The "refresh" feature is great if you have a lot of older batteries.
Cons:
- No indicator light telling you that batteries are charged at a distance (you have to look at the LCD display).
- I wish the power cord was longer.
- Not as fast to charge as the BC1000.
- Does not include batteries (unlike the BC1000)
***************************
This is my first "high-end" charger that I purchased after reading several positive reviews about it online.
What attracted me most was having a display which tells me exactly where the battery is at in a charging cycle - my older charges just have a light telling you whether the battery is charging or not.
The charger comes in a simple box with an AC adapter, quick start guide and a rather thick manual (which has been very useful!).
There are no included batteries, unlike the slightly more expensive BC1000 model (which I would have gone with had I known it included batteries ahead of time).
The charger has four battery slots that you can put either AAA and AA batteries in. The nice thing about this charger is that you can put a single battery in there and charge it up (not two, like my other chargers required).
Each slot has a button that allows you to make specific mode changes to an individual battery - this is extremely useful and I've found myself charging a battery while "refreshing" another all at the same time.
Below those buttons is an LCD display that gives you information about each battery:
- current voltage.
- current charge/discharge current.
- time spend charging/discharging.
- the amount of current it's put back into the battery
It'll also indicate "full" when it's full. There's no light or sound that beeps when the battery is full, which would have come in handy since you wouldn't have to keep looking at the display to see whether the battery can be removed or not.
There are three buttons below the display which help you select a current, change the display mode, and change the charging mode.
For charging modes you can:
- Charge normally.
- Discharge the battery.
- "Refresh" the battery, which discharges and charges until the battery capacity is maxed (great if you have older batteries that aren't holding a charge).
- Test mode, which charges to full then discharges to measure the true capacity of the battery. It'll charge it back up after that.
The "current" button allows you select currents ranging between 200mA, 500mA, and 700mA. Higher currents charge the batteries faster, but lower currents are better for the batteries longevity. By comparison, the BC1000 model allows for up to 1800mA, which is really fast, provided your batteries allow for that type of fast charge.
Charging speeds vary from a few hours to over 12 hours depending on the capacity of your battery and the current used. If you select the "refresh" mode, it can take days to complete at the lower current.
Overall, this is an excellent charger that I have no problems recommending. It's more expensive than basic chargers but offers so much more.
Personally, I would have gone with the BC1000 model since it supports much faster charging and includes batteries.
Reviewed in Canada on November 22, 2016
Pros:
- Has all the features you could want in a charger.
- Can recharge single batteries.
- The LCD display offers some great information.
- Can set different modes per battery.
- Accepts both AAA and AA batteries.
- Powered by an AC adapter and cord (you don't plug the charger directly into the wall).
- Fast charging is a nice option.
- The "refresh" feature is great if you have a lot of older batteries.
Cons:
- No indicator light telling you that batteries are charged at a distance (you have to look at the LCD display).
- I wish the power cord was longer.
- Not as fast to charge as the BC1000.
- Does not include batteries (unlike the BC1000)
***************************
This is my first "high-end" charger that I purchased after reading several positive reviews about it online.
What attracted me most was having a display which tells me exactly where the battery is at in a charging cycle - my older charges just have a light telling you whether the battery is charging or not.
The charger comes in a simple box with an AC adapter, quick start guide and a rather thick manual (which has been very useful!).
There are no included batteries, unlike the slightly more expensive BC1000 model (which I would have gone with had I known it included batteries ahead of time).
The charger has four battery slots that you can put either AAA and AA batteries in. The nice thing about this charger is that you can put a single battery in there and charge it up (not two, like my other chargers required).
Each slot has a button that allows you to make specific mode changes to an individual battery - this is extremely useful and I've found myself charging a battery while "refreshing" another all at the same time.
Below those buttons is an LCD display that gives you information about each battery:
- current voltage.
- current charge/discharge current.
- time spend charging/discharging.
- the amount of current it's put back into the battery
It'll also indicate "full" when it's full. There's no light or sound that beeps when the battery is full, which would have come in handy since you wouldn't have to keep looking at the display to see whether the battery can be removed or not.
There are three buttons below the display which help you select a current, change the display mode, and change the charging mode.
For charging modes you can:
- Charge normally.
- Discharge the battery.
- "Refresh" the battery, which discharges and charges until the battery capacity is maxed (great if you have older batteries that aren't holding a charge).
- Test mode, which charges to full then discharges to measure the true capacity of the battery. It'll charge it back up after that.
The "current" button allows you select currents ranging between 200mA, 500mA, and 700mA. Higher currents charge the batteries faster, but lower currents are better for the batteries longevity. By comparison, the BC1000 model allows for up to 1800mA, which is really fast, provided your batteries allow for that type of fast charge.
Charging speeds vary from a few hours to over 12 hours depending on the capacity of your battery and the current used. If you select the "refresh" mode, it can take days to complete at the lower current.
Overall, this is an excellent charger that I have no problems recommending. It's more expensive than basic chargers but offers so much more.
Personally, I would have gone with the BC1000 model since it supports much faster charging and includes batteries.