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Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
Reduce the amount of batteries purchased and discarded in the waste bin with this multitasking battery charger from La Crosse. Designed for use exclusively with rechargeable NiCad and NiMH batteries, the 100 to 240-volt charger accommodates up to four AA or AAA batteries. Each battery charges in its own compartment, so the user can charge an AA NiCad battery and three AAA NiMH batteries, or any other combination, at once.
For each compartment, the user selects one of the charger’s four modes: charge; discharge; refresh; and test. Different modes can be engaged concurrently in each battery compartment for flexibility. In the discharge mode, the charger removes all charge from the battery to reduce the memory effect and then recharges the battery to reach a more advantageous capacity. The refresh mode is ideal for older rechargeable batteries, cycling between discharging and charging the battery until obtaining optimal capacity. To measure a battery’s capacity in the test mode, the battery is fully charged and then discharged. The charger offers three charging rates: 200 mA, 500 mA, and 700 mA. While the 700 mA rate charges an AA battery in approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes, charging the battery at the 200 mA rate, with its estimated 13-hour charge time, is recommended for prolonging the battery’s life. Each compartment features its own LCD display indicating the selected mode and rate, elapsed charging time, the battery’s full capacity and voltage, and when charging is complete. To ensure safety, the charger stops charging when it senses an overheated battery, and it won’t charge defective batteries. Unplug when not in use and remove any batteries. A limited one-year warranty covers this item. The charger measures 3 inches wide by 5 inches long by 3 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches high.
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
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
914 of 938 people found the following review helpful
[Update on April 4, 2012]
My original review was written back in August 2007. Now, nearly 5 years later, most of its content is no longer current. So I will use this spot for publishing my "Frequently Asked Questions" relating to BC-700/900/1000 family of chargers. This list is work in progress and will grow with time. Let me know if you have new questions to be added. Here goes...
[Q1] There are four operation modes on the BC-700 (Charge, Discharge, Test and Refresh). Which mode should I use and when?
[A] Most of the time you just need CHARGE mode. That means put in the batteries and select the charging current desired (500/700mA, etc)
If you want to know how much capacity your batteries actually hold, use the CHARGE/TEST function. Be careful not to run this operation if the batteries are freshly charged.
If you suspect your batteries suffer from reduced capacity, run the DISCHARGE/REFRESH operation. Or you can use this mode to refresh your batteries once every 6 months or so. Don't over do it!
[Q2] Why won't the MODE button response when I press it?
[A] Press and hold the MODE button for 3 seconds, then toggle it to change mode.
[Q3] What is the difference between TEST and REFRESH?
[A] TEST starts with a full recharge, then it discharges the cell once to determine its capacity. Next it recharges the cell to full again.
REFRESH starts with a discharge to determine the cell's remaining charge capacity, then it charges the cells back up and drain it down again to determine its new capacity. It wil repeat this Charge/Discharge cycle multiple times until the capacity stops improving. Finally it charges the cell in the end.
[Q4] My BC-700 has been discharging and refreshing for 3 days!! When does it stop?
[A] The REFRESH operation takes at least three Discharge/Recharge cycles to complete. If you use the default 100mA discharging (200mA charging) current for a 2000mAh AA cell, each Discharge/Recharge cycle takes about 30 hours! Terminate the Refresh operation and restart it using 350mA discharging (700mA charging) instead.
[Q5] What is the best charging current for recharging AA or AAA batteries?
[A] For AAA cells the default 200mA is just right. If you're in a hurry, increase the current to 500mA.
For AA cells you should increase the charging current to either 500mA or 700mA. This reduces the charge time and, more importantly, ensure that the charger will not miss charge termination signal and ends up over-charging your cells.
[Q6] How does the BC-700 know when to stop charging?
[A] The primary termination mechanism is "negative delta-voltage detection" (-dV/dt). If this signal is missed, backup mechanism include: high voltage termination, over-temperature shutdown, and safety timer (stops when total charge > 3700mAh)
[Q7] I ran a Charge/Test operation but in the end it shows a capacity reading of "0 mAh". Are my batteries dead?
[A] Most likely the charger missed the -dV/dt termination signal, and subsequently tripped over-temperature shutdown.
[Q8] I used the BC-700 to recharge my Duracell 2650mAh batteries, and the capacity readings are over 3000mAh. Are those batteries great or my charger is bad?
[A] When you use CHARGE, the 'mAh' reading is for amount of charge going INTO the battery, not what is actually STORED by the batteries. Because the energy conversion is not 100%, you always need to put in more charge, especially if your batteries are old or leaky. To find out the charge stored, use either Charge/Test, or Discharge/Refresh
[Q9] I put in a set of exhausted batteries and one of them shows 'null'. Is the battery dead?
[A] If a battery has been over-discharged, its terminal voltage may fall below 0.5V and the BC-700 cannot detect it. You can kick-start it by using my "Paper Clip trick" (see customer image section for details), or by charging the dead cell in a dumb charger for a few minutes. Then the BC-700 will recognize it.
[Q10] Why can't I tell how much charge is left in my battery instantly?
[A] No battery testers in this world can do that. The only reliable way is to run Discharge/Refresh. However, you can estimate the `fullness' of your battery by looking at its voltage. When you first insert in a battery, its voltage is displayed for 8 seconds. If the voltage is higher than 1.30V, the battery is mostly full and you don't need to recharge it. If it is below 1.20V, it is nearly exhausted.
[Q11] How do I power the BC-700/1000 from my car battery?
[A] You need a CLA (cigarette lighter adapter) with 3V output at a 2.1/5.0mm barrel jack; current rating of 3A for the BC-700, 4A for the BC-1000. An easier solution is to get the La Crosse BC500 which runs off 12V directly.
[Q12] What is the REAL advantage of having an advanced charger like the BC-700?
[A] It allows you to determine the true capacity of all your batteries, and to revive those under-performing cells. Then you can group cells with similar capacities together for best result. Plus it looks cool and is a chick-magnet... just kidding!
===============
Original Review titled "Handicapped version of BC900" follows:
===============
Just in case you were looking for the La Crosse Technology BC-900 AlphaPower Battery Charger: please be advised that ths is NOT the same charger.
Except for the color, the BC700 looks exactly the same as the better-known BC900. However, it is actually a "handicapped" version of the old charger. Its charging current can only go up to 700mA in three steps (200/500/700). The BC900, on the other hand, can go up to 1000mA for 4 cells, or 1800mA for 2 cells. Also the BC900 package includes eight NiMH rechargeable cells (4 AA and 4 AAA), eight C/D cell adaptors, and a carrying case. The BC700 does not come with any bonus items.
This is not to say that the BC700 is a bad product. Quite the contrary, it is better than any other NiMH AA chargers in the market except for BC900 and Maha MH-C9000. If you can find it at a substantial saving (like maybe 30% off from the price of BC900), it is still a good buy. But as it is right now, I recommend getting its older brother instead.
[update on June 13, 2008]
Recently the price of BC700 has settled to a level much lower than that of BC900 (partially because the price of BC900 has gone up), so it is now an excellent buy - especially if you intend to buy some low-self-discharge NiMH cells separately. In light of this, the criticism in my original review now seems unnecessarily harsh.
My original review was written back in August 2007. Now, nearly 5 years later, most of its content is no longer current. So I will use this spot for publishing my "Frequently Asked Questions" relating to BC-700/900/1000 family of chargers. This list is work in progress and will grow with time. Let me know if you have new questions to be added. Here goes...
[Q1] There are four operation modes on the BC-700 (Charge, Discharge, Test and Refresh). Which mode should I use and when?
[A] Most of the time you just need CHARGE mode. That means put in the batteries and select the charging current desired (500/700mA, etc)
If you want to know how much capacity your batteries actually hold, use the CHARGE/TEST function. Be careful not to run this operation if the batteries are freshly charged.
If you suspect your batteries suffer from reduced capacity, run the DISCHARGE/REFRESH operation. Or you can use this mode to refresh your batteries once every 6 months or so. Don't over do it!
[Q2] Why won't the MODE button response when I press it?
[A] Press and hold the MODE button for 3 seconds, then toggle it to change mode.
[Q3] What is the difference between TEST and REFRESH?
[A] TEST starts with a full recharge, then it discharges the cell once to determine its capacity. Next it recharges the cell to full again.
REFRESH starts with a discharge to determine the cell's remaining charge capacity, then it charges the cells back up and drain it down again to determine its new capacity. It wil repeat this Charge/Discharge cycle multiple times until the capacity stops improving. Finally it charges the cell in the end.
[Q4] My BC-700 has been discharging and refreshing for 3 days!! When does it stop?
[A] The REFRESH operation takes at least three Discharge/Recharge cycles to complete. If you use the default 100mA discharging (200mA charging) current for a 2000mAh AA cell, each Discharge/Recharge cycle takes about 30 hours! Terminate the Refresh operation and restart it using 350mA discharging (700mA charging) instead.
[Q5] What is the best charging current for recharging AA or AAA batteries?
[A] For AAA cells the default 200mA is just right. If you're in a hurry, increase the current to 500mA.
For AA cells you should increase the charging current to either 500mA or 700mA. This reduces the charge time and, more importantly, ensure that the charger will not miss charge termination signal and ends up over-charging your cells.
[Q6] How does the BC-700 know when to stop charging?
[A] The primary termination mechanism is "negative delta-voltage detection" (-dV/dt). If this signal is missed, backup mechanism include: high voltage termination, over-temperature shutdown, and safety timer (stops when total charge > 3700mAh)
[Q7] I ran a Charge/Test operation but in the end it shows a capacity reading of "0 mAh". Are my batteries dead?
[A] Most likely the charger missed the -dV/dt termination signal, and subsequently tripped over-temperature shutdown.
[Q8] I used the BC-700 to recharge my Duracell 2650mAh batteries, and the capacity readings are over 3000mAh. Are those batteries great or my charger is bad?
[A] When you use CHARGE, the 'mAh' reading is for amount of charge going INTO the battery, not what is actually STORED by the batteries. Because the energy conversion is not 100%, you always need to put in more charge, especially if your batteries are old or leaky. To find out the charge stored, use either Charge/Test, or Discharge/Refresh
[Q9] I put in a set of exhausted batteries and one of them shows 'null'. Is the battery dead?
[A] If a battery has been over-discharged, its terminal voltage may fall below 0.5V and the BC-700 cannot detect it. You can kick-start it by using my "Paper Clip trick" (see customer image section for details), or by charging the dead cell in a dumb charger for a few minutes. Then the BC-700 will recognize it.
[Q10] Why can't I tell how much charge is left in my battery instantly?
[A] No battery testers in this world can do that. The only reliable way is to run Discharge/Refresh. However, you can estimate the `fullness' of your battery by looking at its voltage. When you first insert in a battery, its voltage is displayed for 8 seconds. If the voltage is higher than 1.30V, the battery is mostly full and you don't need to recharge it. If it is below 1.20V, it is nearly exhausted.
[Q11] How do I power the BC-700/1000 from my car battery?
[A] You need a CLA (cigarette lighter adapter) with 3V output at a 2.1/5.0mm barrel jack; current rating of 3A for the BC-700, 4A for the BC-1000. An easier solution is to get the La Crosse BC500 which runs off 12V directly.
[Q12] What is the REAL advantage of having an advanced charger like the BC-700?
[A] It allows you to determine the true capacity of all your batteries, and to revive those under-performing cells. Then you can group cells with similar capacities together for best result. Plus it looks cool and is a chick-magnet... just kidding!
===============
Original Review titled "Handicapped version of BC900" follows:
===============
Just in case you were looking for the La Crosse Technology BC-900 AlphaPower Battery Charger: please be advised that ths is NOT the same charger.
Except for the color, the BC700 looks exactly the same as the better-known BC900. However, it is actually a "handicapped" version of the old charger. Its charging current can only go up to 700mA in three steps (200/500/700). The BC900, on the other hand, can go up to 1000mA for 4 cells, or 1800mA for 2 cells. Also the BC900 package includes eight NiMH rechargeable cells (4 AA and 4 AAA), eight C/D cell adaptors, and a carrying case. The BC700 does not come with any bonus items.
This is not to say that the BC700 is a bad product. Quite the contrary, it is better than any other NiMH AA chargers in the market except for BC900 and Maha MH-C9000. If you can find it at a substantial saving (like maybe 30% off from the price of BC900), it is still a good buy. But as it is right now, I recommend getting its older brother instead.
[update on June 13, 2008]
Recently the price of BC700 has settled to a level much lower than that of BC900 (partially because the price of BC900 has gone up), so it is now an excellent buy - especially if you intend to buy some low-self-discharge NiMH cells separately. In light of this, the criticism in my original review now seems unnecessarily harsh.
322 of 327 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
UPDATE: (01-12-2012) It has been almost 4 years since I wrote this review. This charger is still working great!
I have owned at least 8 chargers in the past, Maha's, Panasonic, etc. It is nice to see that this charger shows you the mAh on the LCD panel as the battery charges up. Most chargers you only see an LED indicator to signal when charging is done.
Compared to the specs of BC-900, the BC700 can only go up to 700mA (the max) which means it is somewhat slower than the BC900. But the faster the battery charges, the hotter it gets. And one of the worst enemy of rechargeable batteries is heat. Less heat means longer life for the batteries.
Pros:
- 3 adjustable charging speeds
- Will show you the actual capacity in mAh. This is good so you know which battery needs to be refreshed. You always want to use batteries with the same capacities in pair or in a group.
- 4 independent charging stations with individual LED readouts. "AA's" and "AAA's" can be charged in different combinations. Don't you hate those gadgets that only use 3 batteries like portable radios? (walkie-talkies). You end up with 1 un-used battery if you bought a 4-pack. How will you charge it if your charger only charges in pairs?
- Reasonable price for an excellent charger
- Small and light. Better portability
- Multi-volt up to 240v. Very useful if you travel a lot to other countries.
Cons:
Now I have to stop myself doing impulse buying on NiMh's because I enjoy using this charger too much.
I have owned at least 8 chargers in the past, Maha's, Panasonic, etc. It is nice to see that this charger shows you the mAh on the LCD panel as the battery charges up. Most chargers you only see an LED indicator to signal when charging is done.
Compared to the specs of BC-900, the BC700 can only go up to 700mA (the max) which means it is somewhat slower than the BC900. But the faster the battery charges, the hotter it gets. And one of the worst enemy of rechargeable batteries is heat. Less heat means longer life for the batteries.
Pros:
- 3 adjustable charging speeds
- Will show you the actual capacity in mAh. This is good so you know which battery needs to be refreshed. You always want to use batteries with the same capacities in pair or in a group.
- 4 independent charging stations with individual LED readouts. "AA's" and "AAA's" can be charged in different combinations. Don't you hate those gadgets that only use 3 batteries like portable radios? (walkie-talkies). You end up with 1 un-used battery if you bought a 4-pack. How will you charge it if your charger only charges in pairs?
- Reasonable price for an excellent charger
- Small and light. Better portability
- Multi-volt up to 240v. Very useful if you travel a lot to other countries.
Cons:
Now I have to stop myself doing impulse buying on NiMh's because I enjoy using this charger too much.
116 of 127 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great charger and when I bought it it was about $15 less than the BC-900. Now the BC-900 is less than this charger. The difference between this charger and the BC-900 is the lack of the faster charging speeds and the accessories. Definitley buy the BC-900 and the accessory package for less money. It seems they are constantly playing games with the pricing on these two chargers. The BC-700 charger does a great job of reconditioning batteries and the charging speed is usually between 2-3 hours for the different capacity batteries that I have. (1800mh - 2650mh). Time is not an issue for me as I have about 10 sets of AA's and can just keep swapping them out. From what i've read the slower charging speed is better for the life span of your battery any way.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
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