Customer Reviews

La Crosse Technology Alpha Power Battery Charger, BC1000

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased the La Crosse Technology BC1000 Alpha Power Battery Charger, not because I needed another advanced battery charger/analyzer (I already own the La Crosse BC-900, BC-700, BC-500 and the Maha MH-C9000), but because people kept asking me: "Is there any difference between BC-900/9009 and BC-1000?" So here it is, to put the issue to rest...

[Exterior]
Except for the color, the BC-1000 looks and feels EXACTLY the same as my old (circa 2006) BC-900. Even the boxes they came in have identical illustrations on them. Check out the customer images I uploaded to 'Customer Images' section and you'll see what I mean.

[Electrical Spec]
The specifications are EXACTLY the same for both chargers, namely:

- Operations: Charge, Discharge, Charge/Test, Discharge/Refresh
- Charging Current steps for 4 cells: 200mA (default), 500mA, 700mA, 1000mA
- Extra Current steps for 1-2 cells: 1500mA, 1800mA
- Acceptable battery capacity: 300-3000mAh (my previous testing showed the BC-900 can actually charge up to 3700mAh)

[AC Adapter]
Again, the two AC adapters looked identical except for the colors. Both are rated for 100-240V AC input, and 3V 4A output. There is, however, a small difference in their open-circuit output voltages. The BC-900's adapter measures 3.0V, while the one for BC-1000 measures 3.17V
Date code on the back of BC-1000 adapter says '4710', which means 47th week, or November of 2010,

[Firmware Version]
My old BC-900 has firmware version '33'. The new BC-1000 shows '37', which is the same version for BC-9009 sold since middle of 2010.
Note: firmware version is the number briefly displayed in the rightmost column, after you plug in your BC-900 or BC-1000.

[Quirks]
Sadly, the same limitations for BC-900/9009 are carried over to the BC-1000:

- If you put in a completely depleted cell (battery terminal voltage under 0.5V), the charger cannot recognize it and the display says 'null'
- If you were previously charging at 500mA, for example, you cannot subsequently increase the charging current for a new cell to higher than 500mA. You need to remove all cells in order to reset the maximum limit.

If I stopped my comparison right here, I would have concluded that the BC-1000 is nothing more than the BC-900/9009 with a cosmetic update. But wait, there's more to the story...

[Interior]
After I removed the base from my BC-1000 (by the way, don't do this unless you know what you're doing), I was surprised to find a very different printed circuit board inside. There are significantly more components on the BC-1000 board compared to that on the BC-900 (refer to my uploaded picture in 'Customer Images' section):

- The BC-900 has just one 'glop' covering the controller IC
- The BC-1000 has two 'glops' on its PCB, suggesting that there is an extra controller. Given the past history of 'meltdown' problem with BC-9009, the most likely function for this controller is to monitor temperature during charging.
- The BC-1000 also added four bulky thru-hole diodes ('B220' 2A 20V Schottky diode) on the PCB. Again, the most logical explanation is to burn off excessive power during charging, to prevent other surface mount components from over-heating and suffer a thermal runaway.


[Conclusion]
The BC-1000 may look exactly like the older BC-900 and BC-9009 from outside, but there is significant design overhaul that took place inside. Note that I cannot testify that BC-1000 has solved all thermal-related problems, because I have never witnessed any over-heating problem before. But as an engineer, I know that no company will accept a design change that ADDS cost to an existing product - unless it is absolutely required to fix a problem.

Assuming the alleged 'meltdown' problem is really solved, one question still remains: is the BC-1000 a better value than the Maha MH-C9000 (currently available in the same price range)? Personally, I think the user interface of BC-1000 is much better, but other people may disagree. So it comes down to whether you can make use of the bonus items (4xAA + 4xAAA cells, 4xC + 4xD-cell spacers) in this package. If you can use some of them and feel that they are worth paying $10 for, then go for the BC-1000. Otherwise, you may want to consider the BC-700 at half the cost.

I received this BC1000 a couple of days ago. I purchased it along with the 16 AA and 8 AAA eneloop batteries, so I guess this review can be used for both the charger and the batteries. The BC1000 arrived with all advertised accessories present. I purchased the BC1000 instead of the predecessor because of the new auto shutoff mechanism when the batteries get too hot while charging. I think I saw pictures on Amazon of a "fried" 9000 model. Being new to rechargeable batteries, I decided to charge the first 4 AA eneloops on the lowest setting (200ma). BC1000 showed a total charge input of 707 mah, 734 mah, 909 mah and 790 mah. I then decided to test each of these four batteries for total capacity. In test mode, the BC1000 charges the batteries to full capacity, discharges them and then fully charges them to get a total charge reading. These four batteries showed a total charge of 1841, 1867, 1932 and 1918 mah. This process of charging to full capacity and then running the test took about 24 hours. The batteries never got hot.

I decided to just run the test cycle of the BC1000 for the next four batteries, since this would fully charge them. I used the setting of 1000ma to charge and the BC1000 automatically defaults to 500ma to discharge the batteries before charging them again. These for batteries showed a charge capacity of 1986, 1977, 1993 and 1998 mah. Slightly higher than when using the lower setting. It should be noted the BC1000 did what it was supposed to do during this test cycle. Right before these 4 batteries reached total capacity, the charger shut off because the temperature was above 127.4 degrees F. My temp gun read 128, so this was verified. I left the batteries in the charger, and it automatically resumed charging once the batteries had cooled.

Charging and testing at 200 ma took forever. Something like 24 hours. A big chunk of time was spent discharging at the default 100 ma. That alone was over 10 hours. Using just the test cycle at 1000/500 ma, it took less than 10 hours. I wish the BC1000 gave a total test time, but it doesn't. It only shows the total time for each function (charge, discharge, charge). As of right now, I'm using a the setting of 700/350 hoping that is a good compromise between time and heat. When I go to just charging and not testing all of these batteries I might even go to 500 ma or 200 ma overnight.

The BC1000 also displays volts. The eneloops came pre-charged with at least 1.30 volts. They are labeled 1.2 volts. I was able to charge them up to between 1.47 and 1.51 volts. I have not used the eneloops in any device other than the charger as of yet.

Note: I'm on my third set of testing 4 AA eneloops. Right out of the package it took 53-60 minutes to charge each one to full capacity. They got hot as well at 700ma. My temp gun read 126 degrees. The charger did not shut off as the limit is 127.4. I'll try the 500ma setting on the next 4 AA's.

I just got this a few months ago, and it's been serving me quite well. It's main advantages are the amount of manual control it gives you and of course its ability to report data on the status of the batteries being charged. It also comes in a travel bag and is paired with plenty of accessories like 4 2600 mAh AA batteries, 4 1000 mAh AAA batteries, and 4 C/D-size spacers to allow you to use AA batteries in places that take C or D-size batteries. The manual that comes with it is very brief and uninformative; you can get a better one at www [dot] lacrossetechnology [dot] com [slash] bc1000 [slash] manual [dot] pdf.

An overview of the modes:

Charge Mode: Charges 1-4 AA or AAA batteries individually at user-selectable currents: 200 mAh, 500 mAh, 700 mAh, and 1000 mAh. If you are only charging 1 or 2 batteries (for 2, they must be placed in slots 1 and 4), you can also do 1500 mAh and 1800 mAh. For some reason, it lets you charge AAA batteries at 1000, 1500, and even 1800 mAh. My advice: just don't. Let's keep it safe at 700 mAh. Display can be configured to report mAh accumulated, time spent charging, and current.

Discharge Mode: Discharges the batteries until empty, and then charges until full. During discharging phase, reports mAh discharged, time spent discharging, and discharging current. Once a battery begins charging, the display resets into charging mode. Otherwise the same as Charge Mode. Use this option if you have NiCd batteries and need to deep cycle them to remove the "memory effect," or just want to find out the current mAh capacity of a battery.

Refresh Mode: Performs multiple charge/discharge cycles. Good for old batteries that need to be reprimed. I haven't used this mode before.

Test Mode: Charges to full capacity, then discharges fully, and then recharges back to full. Reports capacity of battery based on discharged mAh at the end. I've had some troubles with this mode on new batteries. AA Eneloops, which are supposed to give 1800 mAh on their first charge out of the pack, only showed up as values ranging from 200-500 mAh when I did Test Mode. After a charge/discharge cycle, the reported capacity went up to 2050 as expected.

There are four buttons, one in front of each battery compartment, allowing you to individually configure each battery. At the bottom are the three important buttons: Current, Display, and Mode. Current cycles between 200, 500, 700, 1000, 1500, and 1800. Display cycles between (dis-)charging current (mA), time elapsed (HH:MM), and capacity (mAh). Note that capacity switches to Ah with 3 significant figures at values of 2.00 Ah and above due to lack of space for digits. Mode cycles between Charge, Discharge, Refresh, and Test. A potential con is that the bottom three buttons feel rather cheap and loose. I have a friend with a BC-9009 whose buttons have fallen off, and must be manually pressed with a pencil.

Here are my ratings:
Performance 5
Features 5
Reliability 3
Usefulness 5
Ease of use 4
Value 4
Overall 4.5

I'll round it up to a 5 for the actual Amazon star rating because I really, really like this product.

Plain and to the point: If a knucklehead like myself now finds this battery charger a 'how did I live without this until now' thought, so will you after your purchase. It's like I had a Home Simpson 'V8' moment (where you slap yourself on the forehead and moan 'Doh'!).

It is simple to use and such a convenience. I was tossing away exhausted alkaline batteries from my digital cameras and similar electronics. I decided to buy this charger when I purchased a Uniden mobile scanner a couple weeks ago. I have since then used the charger about 15 times. Having the digital display is EVERYTHING to a charger. It tells me how slow (or quickly) I can charge my NiMH batteries (charging times are easily programmable by the user). I can charge 1, 2, 3 or 4 AA batteries at once. Once the batteries are charged, the system shuts itself down to a slow trickle. When charging, the unit does get hot (but not hot enough that you can't pick up the unit). But as I said, once charging is complete, it cools down significantly and just supplies a trickle charge to each battery to keep them alive until ready for use.

You can find more details and specs on this charger reading other (more knowledgeable) reviews. I was just looking for a unit that gets the job done and allows my non-electronic/engineering mind to monitor and/or simplify the process. This charger does just that (and makes my life easier and colors me a slight shade of recyclable green).

This is an excellent, though pricey, charger. Simply put, its does the job reliably for me, every single time, and with the confidence I have in La Cross' reputation -- my family has used their products for probably 20 years -- the decision to purchase it was easy.

I considered cheaper, less capable chargers (such as BC700, a good, basic charger), but after thorough research, decided that the old but annoying adage, "you get what you pay for," which doesn't always hold true of course -- is applicable here. I was tempted by the lower price of the BC700, for example, but decided I wanted the extra features, and upgraded internal electronics, of the BC1000 in lieu of the junior BC700. I was also swayed by the weight of NLee The Engineer's review of the BC700, where he implies that the BC700 is handicapped vis-a-vis the BC900/BC9009/BC1000. And since the BC1000 has more charging-rate headroom, the internal electronics are probably superior overall.

For a moment, I was also tempted by the Maha-brand charger. I use Maha's low self-discharge batteries(IMEDION/Power Ex), which greatly outperform Sanyo newer eneloops for my applications, so I'm partial to their brand), but felt the quirks in the Maha battery charger's interface would be palpable for my uses, and any potential quality difference wouldn't be palpable.

All in all, if you want the best of the best, my advice is to go with the BC1000. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this well conceived and engineered battery charger.

I've owned this charger for less than a week so I may not be completely accurate on the reliability of this charger. This review is based on the initial look and use. Since I also own a MAHA C9000, I am also going to compare it.

Pros:
-Compact: Compared to the C9000, this charger was smaller than I anticipated, even after looking at comparison photos of the BC-900/9009 and the C9000. This is great for frequent travelers.

-Programming: All cells can be programmed at once, which is great compared to the individual programming (if not charging at 1A) on the C9000.

-Freebies: The package comes with a bag, 4 C adapters (inside D adapters), 4 D adapters, 4 2600mAh AA batteries, and 4 1000mAh AAA batteries in addition to the charger.

-Reading for All Cells: This is one advantage over the C9000 that I like. Being able to see the info on all the batteries at the same time is great. Also, pressing the Display button to see the voltage, time, capacity, etc. and it staying on the selected display is also a plus instead of waiting for the info to toggle like the C9000.

-Batteries are Full After Charging: Unlike the C9000 with the low voltage cutoff of about 1.47-1.48V, this charger (according to NLee) has a cutoff of 1.52V, which fully charges the batteries. This is the sole reason I bought this, in addition to freeing up my C9000 for the Break-In charge mode (it lasts about 2 full days).

-Independent Slots: This is one of the more important features as it charges each battery independent from another so each battery will get the proper charge without over or undercharging.

Cons:
-Programming: It's somewhat different to the C9000 in that it isn't straightforward. If I press the Mode button at the wrong time after plugging it in, the charger won't select the different modes and would start the default charge.

-Build Quality: To be blunt, it is cheap. When I first picked up the charger, the two halves of the charger, when squeezed hard enough, separated slightly. The buttons also feel pretty cheap. According to one reviewer that reviewed the BC-700, pressing the buttons cause damage to the board, which is somewhat freaking me out as he stated that every press damages the board. The C9000 is more rugged and hefty. Also the buttons feel solid and still working after a couple of years of use.

-Close Proximity of Cells: This is a major con as heat can reduce the lifetime of the batteries. I've noticed, when charging at 700mA and 1000 mA, the AA batteries heated up to the point of triggering the temperature safety cutoff (around 53-54 degrees Celsius). This is also outside of the recommended charging temperature of 45 degrees C (according to the Sanyo Eneloop tech specs).

-Battery Freebies: When I tested the free batteries, the AA's had a capacity of about 2000mAh, far from the rated 2600mAh. The AAA cells were also low at around 850mAh. I am currently running a Break-In charge on the AA batteries with my C9000 so I will update this review with the ratings.

-Temperature Sensors: These are the only ones that are paired. Meaning that each pair of cells share one temperature sensor.

-Old Adapter: Mine seems to have shipped with the old BC-900/9009 adapter. While the unit itself is black, the adapter resembles the same blue coloring of the BC-900. If anyone with a BC-1000 is reading this, can you guys tell me what adapter your's shipped with?

Conclusion:
For a starter pack, this charger and the freebies that come with it are great. For those on the fence between the BC-1000/700 and the C9000, I would recommend the C9000 due to the excellent build quality. For those that have no batteries, then the BC-1000 is a great package to start with. No offense to the reviewers that claimed that programming the C9000 is tedious, but to put in perspective, I literally pressed more buttons texting, typing this review, and surfing the net than programming the C9000. When charging Eneloops, there is virtually 0 button presses as the C9000 defaults at 1A (0.5C charge rate), which is in line with the recommended charge rate stated by Sanyo. I would also like to credit the users of Candlepowerforums and NLee for valuable information on battery related things.

*Update 1 - 01/03/2012*
I just wanted to update that the Break-In of the AA batteries that came with it resulted in capacities of 2177mAh, 2119mAh, 2057mAh, and 2155mAh. This is lower than the advertised 2600mAh. Maybe the capacities will rise after a few more cycles, but I have no confidence in the quality of the included batteries.

*Update 2 - 01/05/2012*
Another update. The AAA batteries just finished a Break-In cycle and had capacities of 885mAh, 911mAh, 899mAh, and 908mAh. These numbers are much closer to the advertised 1000mAh so this set of batteries are a pretty ok deal.

Had a bc 700 for maybe a year or so, one battery site became intermittent so I junked it and got a bc 1000.

I actually don't have that many uses for batteries lately but I had accumulated quite a few, some energizers I got at the store, the La Crosse ones, and some Eneloops I got with a Sennheiser digital headphone I bought recently. (RS 160, pretty happy with it, I think it is probably the least expensive digital headphone on the market)

Anyway, I recharged a bunch of batteries- my AAAs all showed a capacity of about 1000 mAh but a lot of my AA's showed capacities only about 1300-1400 mAh (based on running in test mode).

So I have been running my AAs in refresh mode to see if I could get more capacity out of them. All but one have come out in the range of 1900-2500 mAh, the one that was lower was one I think I had for some time and it clocked in at only about 1300 mAh so I junked it.

I originally was doing these refreshes at 200 mA but it took several days to do a set of AAs. I cranked it up to 700 mA and you can refresh a set of AAs in about a day at that setting. It didn't warm up enough to appear to be of much concern so 700 mA may be a good choice for refreshing AAs. I use 500 mA on the AAAs.

While you can use different settings on each battery to avoid the extra setup and to make it simple to keep track of what I'm doing I just run all the batteries at the same current and in the same mode. Setting the current and mode are extremely simple. The sheet that comes with the charger is extremely cursory but you can look up the manual online on LaCrosse's web site if you want more detail.

What sets this charger most apart from cheapo chargers is the ability to rejuvenate old batteries using refresh mode and being able to see what the battery capacity is.

To keep track, after refreshing the AAs I put a strip of scotch tape around it and stick the ends together to form a little label tab that I write the capacity the charger showed the battery having after running on refresh mode. The tape is thin enough the battery should still fit nearly anything they go into. That way I should be able to better keep track of the battery capacity and to know when one has degraded to the point it should be discarded.

This is a great charger, but for the pricing I'd have assumed it would be a bit friendlier to use. I have no issues using it, but the wife does.

Pros: Charges batteries very quickly when needed
Can set the charge rate to effectively match how quickly you need the batteries, I'd set them at the lowest setting for the time you need them by.
Good refreshing capability for some of my older batteries
Ability to indicate the capacity of the battery.

Cons: The 2600mAH batteries that shipped with it can only get to about 2000-2100mAH charge.
To test it performs a Full Charge/Full Discharge/Full Charge cycle which takes forever (well ~1 day on 200mA)
It still get's hot but at least it shuts down to avoid damage. A 1000mA charge rate spends a lot of time cooling down.

It's a great smart charger for those who want to be able to revive and test, but be prepared to be a little annoyed as it's still going to take a lot of time.

This is probably not for anyone looking for a simple plug-and-forget recharger. It does what it advertises and I'm sure that my old rechargers will gather dust. However, its more advanced features and operation are not intuitive. A small print font on an included directions sheet makes for a difficult read. A more thorough instruction manual is available online in pdf format. Download the online manual and print the pages for the functions you need.

I just got this thing plus I picked up 8 each of the enloop AAA and AA batteries. One thing I must say is that while the screen is great to have, the UI is just ridiculous. Having to mix holding a button with clicking that same button to do simple tasks (such as changing the charging power for each battery) is just dumbfoundingly bad industrial design.

The instructions don't help. Once I've used it for a little while longer, I'll update the review with my long-term opinion plus some basics in case anyone actually reads my review.

Last thing, I immediately did a "test" charge on the 4 pre-charged AAAs that come with the unit (*not* the enloops I purchased at the same time). This charges the batteries, then completely drains them then recharges them to full. Took overnight at the lowest (safest/best) setting of 200 each. Annoyingly, the batteries charged to a total of:

804, 789, 784(!), and 858

out of a supposed 1000 those numbers seem *way* low. I guess they aren't that high quality, so just be warned that if you are spending a significant amount extra for the free-bees, the batteries may not meet your expectations.

Anyways, I didn't have super-high hopes for this thing, so far it's met my tempered expectations. It's "good enough"!