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La Crosse Technology BC-700 (AA & AAA) Battery Charger US $28.99 + Delivery (~ AU $45 Delivered)

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  • Smart battery charger for NiCad and NiMH AA and AAA rechargeable batteries
  • Features 4 modes: charge, discharge, refresh, and test
  • Charges both AA & AAA rechargeable batteries simultaneously
  • 4 separate LCD displays for simultaneous readouts
  • Overheat-detection to prevent over-charging

The price has dropped below US$30 after a long time!

3xcamel link: http://camelcamelcamel.com/La-Crosse-Technology-Battery-Char…

I just purchased one, so deliver to Aus is available.

Price History at C CamelCamelCamel.

Related Stores

Amazon US
Amazon US

closed Comments

  • +8

    It has been below US$30.00 since November 2013
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/122023

    • Well actually it hasn't. I purchased this 4 days ago for US$30.26 from Amazon.
      So this IS a price drop.

      • Well I got mine almost a year ago for under US$30, whilst our dollar was strong…

        He was merely pointing out that it has been under US$30 quite recently, contrary to the OP.

    • I based my assertion on a camelcamel alert I setup, get the alert email this morning.

  • +2

    I guess it would go well with those Eneloop Batteries from DSE

    • very much so. i have a "maha powerex mh-c9000" which is very similar and even after several years of recharging my LSD's (hobbykings not eneloops) my batteries still analyse at above advertised mah

      • Do people recommend the Maha or the La-Crosse then?

        • +4

          generally the maha's are slightly more expensive with slightly better features (which was why i bought one) but both charge as well as each other (i cant actually remember the differences now but before i bought mine i researched)

          its really a case of "toss a coin and see which one you want" they are that similar. you really cant go wrong with either.

          personally, for most people, id probably recommend this over the maha. but im 110% happy with my maha as well

        • +1

          I bought this a couple of years ago; the La-Crosse - it is excellent.

          Only fault with it is that sometimes if batteries are REALLY flat it wont recognise them (sometimes leaving them in there for a day or so seems to get the device to wake them up - but other times the batteries need a jolt from a "dumb" charger before the La-Crosse will charge them if they have been left flat for some time (ie. Child leaves a toy ON and battery runs out - circuit stays open for weeks).

        • +2

          Think the La-Crosse had meltdown issues a couple of years back but it might have been fixed. I was looking at the previous La Crosse deal and ended up buying the Maha due to the meltdown issue. The Maha's an excellent charger. Nkon.ru sells a rebranded Maha (Memorex) for the Belgian market, at slightly less (EU 29.95) than the Maha - http://ru.nkon.nl/maha-powerex-sanyo-eneloop-chargers/memore…

        • +6

          You can recharge null or no cell completely discharged batteries with your lacrosse. I use this trick on my BC-700 to charge it a little so that the charger would recognise the cell.

          from: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/03/adventures-in-recha…

          BC-900 will not charge a completely drained cell (display says 'null' after you insert the cell). Follow the instructions here to 'jump-start' the dead cell, so that its terminal voltage is restored to about 0.5-1 volt. Then the BC-900 will charge it:

          1. UNPLUG the BC-900!
          2. Place a good cell and a 'dead' cell next to each other
          3. Short the (+) terminals of the two cells together with a paper clip for a few seconds
          4. Remove short, plug in the BC-900

          I had the same problem (inserted cell, no response) tried this trick and it totally worked!

        • Whoooa… A much better, and potentially safer, idea is to use a dumb charger for the initial charge (10-20 minutes), then back into the smart one.

        • +3

          A much better, and potentially safer,

          i completely disagree with both of these. its not better or safer. "shorting" (actually your not shorting anything simply connecting in parallel) the 2 batteries simply shows the charger enough volts to detect the battery and simply kickstart the charging process. it is in no way unsafe.

          yes you could also use a dumb charger to force charge in but for people like me with only one charger its not possible

        • +2

          The lacrosse is easier to program multiple batteries as you can do all 4 at once.

          The maha has a couple of extra functions (number of changes etc) but can only program one battery at a time.

          May have changed over last year since I bought my lacrosse

        • I failed to read the "unplug" parts of the other comment. So yes, it is not as bad as first thought. But in saying that, you're just using the charger as an extra paper clip anyway… So why not just use 2 paper clips? :)

        • +2

          Doing it with one paper clip is a whole lot easier

        • Lol….. When my charger didn't pick up the batteries, I charged them for 10min on a Official Eneloop Smart Charger, then thrown them in the BC-700 and worked perfectly.

          Yea a paper clip maybe faster, however you never know what kind of voltages and short circuits you maybe doing. Play safe around electricity.

          Its like when I see people use a paper clip in their fuse boxes because they don't have or too stingy to buy fuse wire.

        • +4

          wow, way to not understand electricity…..

          Yea a paper clip maybe faster, however you never know what kind of voltages and short circuits you maybe doing. Play safe around electricity.

          actually you do, its rather simple. your not "short circuiting" at all you are simply connecting the batteries in parallel. there can only ever be around 1.2-1.5v created. heres some light reading on the subject http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_and_parallel_circuits

          Its like when I see people use a paper clip in their fuse boxes because they don't have or too stingy to buy fuse wire.

          actually its not even close to being like that. not even remotely. not even just a tiny little bit.

          this really is what i hate about the internet, anyone can have and voice an opinion even when they know nothing about the subject…

  • +1

    $1.26 better than what I got it for 1 week ago.

    • true ozbargainer will ask for refund (the difference). you can get hungry jack slushy with it.

      • With change!

  • +2

    I got one of these.. They are great charges and excellent service from Amazon.

  • A word of advice - use the charger as recommended and handle with care. It's died on me after quick use. I'm not sure if I dropped it, used an aussie charger or something but these things are fragile.

    I have a DS charger and it's a lot more robust, of course it's not as good in terms of charging though.

  • -1

    Bend the wire from "||" to "/\"

    • +1

      you mean the power socket to convert it from a us plug to an au plug, yup i do this to all my gear. just make sure that what ever your doing this to can accept 240v and not just the 110v america uses (which goes for using a plug in adapter anyway…

      • It comes standard with international voltage adapter 100-240V. No need to worry. Just a simple $1 socket converter from the 2 dollar stores will do.

        • It comes standard with international voltage adapter

          this i realise. i was just pointing out that not all devices bought for a US market is designed to run on 240v and so simply bending pins to make the socket fit our 240v plugs could be dangerous in some instances

    • +6

      Bend the wire from "||" to "/\"

      NO DONT

      Thats exactly what I tried. But because the pins are in a hard moulded plastic shell the pin just snapped.

      My father managed to connect a cord and its still usable. Just dont want anyone else doing same mistake as me.. If its a hard rubber plug you can bend but not a hard plastic shell like this.

      • lmao. that is so dangerous

        • No he put a hole in the casing and soldered the cord to the transformer.. he didn't just sticky tape a wire to a broken exposed power socked pin!

      • worked for me - the pin was thinner at the base and rotated without much effort

        got it from amazon a year ago for 38 AUD delivered

      • That's because you did it wrong. You bent it too deep into the pins. If you bend it just a bit past half way, only the pins will get bent, and not the plastic casing.

        I would still recommend paying $1 for a travel charger, but bending the pins does work as I did it 20 years ago with a range of appliances purchased from HK.

        • So you will have the pins not inserted fully into the power socket. Perhaps even not inserted enough to make any power contact… Dangerous especially as they dont have the black protective coating at the base of the pins like we do here in Australia.. ..
          Like I said if its just a 2 pin power plug they bend fine, but this is actually a hard plastic transformer. I have also bent a lot of things on the moulded plugs before also.

        • So you will have the pins not inserted fully into the power socket.

          Correct.

          Perhaps even not inserted enough to make any power contact…

          Incorrect. They don't need to go all the way in to make contact. The closer to the plastic you twist it, the better. You were going too far and breaking the socket itself though.

          Dangerous especially as they dont have the black protective coating at the base of the pins like we do here in Australia.. ..

          What are you doing touching the pins when it's plugged in anyway? It's not like you can accidentally touch it. You'd have to go out of your way inserting your fingers underneath the adapter.

          I recommend you buy a travel adapter. They're not expensive.

        • You'd have to go out of your way inserting your fingers underneath the adapter.

          This is actually the reason why all plugs now have the nylon coating. People would accidentally put a finger under whilst unplugging. Quite easy to do in some situations.

        • Actually, if memory serves, the standard was changed because an electrician with a dangling neckchain got electrocuted.
          Regardless, the partially insulated plug pins are a good idea - even for non chain wearers.

        • +2

          great! from now on every foreign plug will not only get mutilated but two short bits of heatshrink have to be added to insulate half the pin length, all because you couldn't/wouldn't get a 99c adapter!
          i used to bend the pins like this ages ago, but i don't anymore, it's not just safety, but everytime i order some cheap item from HK/China it seems the plastic is getting thinner and more fragile, less metal is used(and the metal that is used is lower quality) and those clever dicks are finding yet one more way to cut corners, something, anything to shave 2 cents off the production cost of one item that literally translates into thousands of dollars saved overall, giving the factory an edge over their competitors.
          So what i'm saying is, if the item is a battery powered toy or a novelty item etc sure mod all you want, but not with mains plugs, it's not worth it, there's very little separating you/loved ones and live mains voltages in these items.
          \end rant

          ps i'm not an electrician by trade, but a few years ago i almost bit the dust, how you ask? my father had an old lamp he wanted to throw away, he said did you want the cable/mains plug, i said sure, after checking to see it worked, i asked him if the outlet was switched off, he said yes, out come my pliers, i go to cut the cable(with live mains!) ZAP! yes, i had shorted the two conductors with the all metal pliers, what saved me? the plastic insulating shealth on the handles, cut two nice notches right through! and back then his house didn't have an earth leakage detector, to this day i keep those pliers to remind me, never play with mains, the old saying goes "there are bold electricians, and there are old electricians, but there are no old bold electricians"

        • Actually, if memory serves, the standard was changed because an electrician with a dangling neckchain got electrocuted.

          HAHA! WOW! If that's true … Just wow. I couldn't even begin to imagine why wearing a neckchain would be a good idea as an electrician. Kind of like why superheroes shouldn't wear capes!

        • I don't know - doesn't seem right for Dracula to have all the fun.

  • +1

    I've been hearing good things about these for a while, but, to be honest, still struggling to understand the benefit, especially in comparison with the Eneloop AA/AAA charger I'm using that came with the batteries.

    I mean, you can buy a lot of Eneloop batteries for $45!

    • +3

      smart peak charging versus dumb charging, battery analysing (tells you how much actual storage the battery is capable of) and battery refreshing for when your dodgy cheap charger causes your 2000mah eneloops to only be able to hold 1000mah of capacity :)

      thats pretty basic summary but i hope you get the idea. as i said above 3 years on and my hobbykings are still analising at over stated mah (rather than the 2200mah they are closer to 2300mah, my old eneloop dropped about 1/4 of its capacity from using my old dumb charger)

      • Is it really worth wearing your batteries all the time just to rate them?

        • nope

          i have 30-40 odd AAA and AA's all up and once a year roughly ive stick a couple on an analyse cycle just to see how things are looking.

          when they charge they also tell you how many mah they have put into the battery so you always have a fairly good idea how your cells are going.

  • +6

    http://ru.nkon.nl/technoline-bc-700.html

    ~$40 delivered to Australia.

  • is this the same as the Maha C9000?
    http://ru.nkon.nl/maha-powerex-sanyo-eneloop-chargers/r-maha…

    I can see there is a fairly big price difference of about AU$15

    • +1

      Yes, and as indicated on the page, the Memorex unit is identical - just a rebadged Maha.
      Very good choice, and Nkon are great to buy from.
      C9000 is a larger, better built, more accurate (capacity readings), charger than the La Crosse charger.
      For those reasons and for others, the one to go for if you can afford to spend a little more.

      • I too have the Memorex and bought it from Nkon directly.

        After researching both models (and reading the pages and pages of info on Whirlpool amougst other places), the Memorex with 3yr warranty is definitely the one to go for.

        There IS a difference in build quality, and just a little bit of researching will lead you towards the Memorex unit over the other.

  • This is a great price for a very good charger unit….I have a Maha C9000 myself but this would be a good alternative for a better price

  • +1

    Yep, goes with the Eneloops I bought last week.

  • What do people think about this "Maha" available on ebay for $34-35 delivered? They've sold quite a few units..

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Maha-LCD-Fast-Charger-for-Sanyo-E…

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-4ch-Maha-LCDs-Quick-Rechargea…

    I'm guessing not as many features as the LaCrosse BC700 or the Maha C9000, but a smart charger nonetheless right? Only potential drwaback I could see was it did the charging quite quickly (couple of hours) whereas the BC700 and C9000 usually trickle it. Feedback from those in the know would be awesome - wouldn't mind saving a tenner. Thanks!

    • +1

      From my understanding fast chargers are bad, they degrade batteries much faster

    • +1

      I couldn't find it on the Maha website….not too sure about that one I would pass. We have no idea if it is a smart charger or a cooker

      • Yeah I don't think it's a legit Maha…

        Might order the http://ru.nkon.nl/technoline-bc-700.html pointed out above, same thing as Original post just rebranded and $5 cheaper. Though I have heard nkon take their time with delivery.

    • What do people think about this "Maha" available on ebay for $34-35 delivered?

      looks like its a "Danae" brand going by the pics. seem to be trying to cash in on the good name of the legit ones. definitely keep away from it.

      From my understanding fast chargers are bad

      that is because you dont have an understanding of peak chargers. you are only thinking about non smart "fast chargers". peak detection chargers are perfectly fine as my ~3 year old batterys can attest to (still test as the same capacity as when i first bought them)

      they degrade batteries much faster

      not true in the slightest if you buy one of these type fast chargers.

  • This is an awesome price.

    Although I just got myself a new Opus C2000 (on eBay) - no heating issues it seems.

    • When I first saw the Opus, I did a little research on the company that makes them and reckon that you might have a nice unit there.

      For anyone who has any actual C and D cell rechargeables as well as smaller, or - as I almost am - too lazy to take the AA batts out of the 2xAAtoD, and especially the 3xAAtoD spacers that I use, I know that I'm tempted to buy one!

      • Although I just got myself a new Opus C2000

        seems similar to this deal. http://budgetlightforum.com/node/25637

        maha is still slightly better tho (obviously depending on what your after)

        to be honest it looks like they are also trying to rip off the look of the maha's to try and sell a (slightly) inferior product which i find pretty dishonest and raises questions for me.

        the C/D to AA battery converters for these chargers seem to be available separately on ebay.

        • +1

          In the context of a basic design in keeping with logic - vent slots at top, charge channels, LCD display, mode buttons - I don't regard it as a ripoff design, and I don't think Maha are going to be doing any suing.

          I'm happy for another, very likely quality product, to be in the marketplace
          The company that makes them is smallish and I wish them well in getting some market share.

          For people who have some misgivings about the La Crosse brand generally (like me), and don't own a C9000, it's another option.

  • Mine is good but has a few little quirks. Occasionally it will not show "charged" on one chamber but no particular chamber and the mAh reading will keep on rising forever.

  • Can this charge NiZN batteries?

    • No.

  • Bought one for my Mother :) this is the only charger you should use!

  • Won't ship to Australia?

    • +1

      You need to select Amazon.com as the actual seller instead of one of the third party sellers.

      EDIT: It appears that some third party sellers allow shipping to Oz for the same cheap postage as Amazon.com. However, I would still prefer only to deal with Amazon.com.

  • Anyone have the LaCrosse BC-500 "Alpha Power Rechargeable Battery Charger with Car Adapter"? Is it as good?

  • i have a old ReZap Pro charger are they as good as this la Crosse chargers i dont no how to compare with other chargers.
    it even charges non rechargable batteries

    http://www.thebatterywizard.com/prod7.htm

  • +2

    had this charger for at least 2 years with regular use, top stuff!
    one handy tip i picked up along the way, sometimes when plugging in power the display goes all 'catty-wompas' or whatever, take a close look at adapter plug, mine had accumulated a thin layer of corrosion on the outside, get some fine sandpaper or emery paper and polish it clean, in my case, problem solved! same goes for batteries, if you have a flashlight and sometimes the light cuts out randomly, if the switch tests ok, remove the corrosion on battery contacts and voila!

  • +1

    Hi the US dealer will sell a transformer with an Australia plug - this gets around the issue of having adapter plugs. http://stores.ebay.com/DanaCo-Electronics-Kits

    • +1

      I found out he's happy to chat and deal direct — his website is http://www.danaco.net and he sells Maha, La Crosse, AccuPower and Opus brands (which legendary Amazon reviewer "NLee The Engineer" describes as potentially "The Ultimate" charger). He sells on eBay and Amazon it seems, but he offered me a discount if I wished to buy direct, presumably because he doesn't have to pay seller fees.

  • Thank you so much! Been waiting for this one to drop in price, just bought it now :)

  • +1

    I got one of these on special about 18 months ago. It is awesome for finding the bad cells that aren't charging to full capacity.

    I did not bend the pins, and tried with a cheap travel charger first. This did not last long as the plug pack always had a way of working lose after a few hours.

    Ended up changing housings with an old AUS plug pack of similar size.

    • Just to confirm, you replaced it with a power pack that had the same Input/Output ratings on it, right? I.e., 110-240VAC Input / 12VDC 1.0A Output? I'm looking to do the same, this one sells for $4.50 shipped http://is.gd/2RwkJg

  • +1

    Tip - Pay in USD and use your 28 degrees card, should come to $43 shipped :)

  • +1

    I've been waiting for this deal for a long time, I didn't even notice it was that cheap back in Nov 2013, otherwise I would've bought it then. I currently have two chargers that will gather dust soon, one is a slow charger but it can only charge in pairs which I hate because some of my devices use 3, and a fast charger which charges too quickly, which may be reducing the charge in my eneloops? my cree headlamp runs out of power very quickly.

    • +2

      If your fast charger is a "one hour" charger, that is definitely bad for your batteries.

      The main way a battery charger mistreats batteries is to let them get too hot. If they get too hot, the electrolyte builds up pressure and will "vent", usually through a small hole near the positive pip, often hidden under the cardboard disk around the positive pip. If the batteries vent even once, then their capacity will drop and continue to drop, from that point onwards.

      It is easy to see if your batteries are getting too hot. Towards the end of the charge cycle, and immediately after full chage is reached, see if you can hold your finger on each battery. A little bit of discomfort is okay, but if you feel you have to pull your finger away from the battery because it is too hot, then the battery is being mis-treated.

      You don't want too slow a battery charger either. Charging below 0.5C (1000mA for a 2000mAh battery) means the peak-detection algorithm will have difficulty deciding when the battery is full, and overcharging could result. Reference: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_nickel_m…

  • I got this for $41.11 back in November 2012, maybe the dollar was stronger or the price cheaper, unsure. I think it has dipped under $40 AUD a few times because I remember feeling like I paid too much at the time.

    Either way, it's a great charger and well worth $45. I'd buy a 2nd in a heart beat but my eneloops last so long I really don't need another one.

  • always intrigued by how many comments there are whenever an eneloops or charger deal comes along. thanks to ozbargain, i have bought way too many of these and never seem to finish them. apart from a couple of wireless mice, wireless keyboards, and wiimotes, who really needs so many rechargeable AAs and AAAs or a great charger? not negging, just curious.

    • +1

      Also put them in every remote control you have, use the low-self-discharge batteries and charge them every Christmas.

      Why? When NiMh batteries go flat, they don't melt down and damage the remote. Many appliances are all-but useless without the remote control, so keeping the remote control in good condition is important.

      I also like my cameras to use AA batteries, because I have a useless Sony camera - useless because the battery has died of old age, and nobody makes replacements to fit. I don't think AA batteries will go out of style!

      Don't forget torches either. With the 20 or so torches that everyone has bought through OzBargain, you've got to power them somehow! I think I now have a torch for every room of the house, one for each car, and one I carry on my keyring.

      Don't forget wall clocks too!

  • For the true tightarse: Cheap chinese knock off from DealExtreme USD 34 w/ free shipping

    • sorry this does not even come close to comparing on many levels a large part because it seems that you can only charge pairs of batteries at a time which is a REALLY bad thing to do. it also does not say what sort of peak detection it uses. this is no better than any other dumb charger

      • Whirlpool_guy, and nosdan (and, edit: lpau below) - that charger looks perfectly fine and could (easily) be of equal or better design and quality than the La Crosse.

        Nosdan, the charger clearly has independent charge channels - the blurb you have read on the page just refers (because of current demands) to slightly narrowed charge rate options at the upper end when charging more than two batteries at a time.

        Peak detection methods, beyond just a standard voltage cutoff (which almost all - even most el cheapo chargers now have) are all well and fine, but for most people the complete absence of peak detection in a charger is NOT - in a practical sense - going to significantly compromise the life of their Eneloops or any other NiMH batteries they may have. People just need to be mindful of avoiding chargers that just have a preset timer cutoff, or those which charge continuously.

        Indeed, as far as peak detection cutoff methods are concerned - can be unreliable and in the case of La Crosse chargers (hopefully it's been fixed in current models with basic voltage cutoff kicking in as it should), that failure has led to instances of complete battery destruction.

        While I'm at it - for most people on OzBargain - break-in and refresh charge cycling options on sophisticated chargers - like the one linked by whirlpool_guy (it's far from a dumb charger) are almost superfluous features.

        People using their Eneloops in any kind of normal way will find those features confer little benefit - again, for most people, in practical terms.

    • +1

      Lol for a saving of $10-15…. Most people would not sacrifice possibly lighting their house on fire.

      Would be a funny story though to tell at the dinner table:
      Reletive: "So …. what did the fire department tell you about what started the fire?"
      You: "Oh it was the KNOCK OFF battery charger I bought from china… was a saving of $10 so I thought it was a good idea"

      DOH

  • price has gone up a little…

  • Just ordered one. Do you guys know how long it normally takes to ship?

    • I ordered mine on 25/2/14, shipped out o 26/2/14, received on 5/3/14, exactly one week later, very quick shipping, it's first time order from amazon too.

  • Deal is available again, credit to tensai.

  • Looks like its crept up to USD 30.26 + 9.98 Delivery (~AUD 47)

    I'm not in any hurry and not too fussed about the plug. So, should I buy this La Crosse BC-700 from Amazon or the Technoline BC-700 for EUR 25.60 (~40) AUD from nkon.nl and save the $7?

    • +1

      I got the Technoline BC-700 from nkon.nl last year and have been very happy it. It's supposed to be the same charger - just different branding.

      • Cool! Thanks, moocher.

      • Received the Technoline BC-700 from nkon.nl yesterday.

        I had also ordered 12 AAA Eneloops. The charger was AUD 39 (delivery included) and the 12 AAAs were AUD 26 (delivery included). All-in-all costed me AUD 65 (28 Degrees MasterCard).

        Ordered: 7-Mar
        Dispatched: 8-Mar
        Delivered: 18-Mar

        That not bad at all. I am happy :)

        Thanks once again to all the ozbargainers for all the inputs.

  • What's the trick in purchasing this charger? I just get "Can't ship to your address". I'm purchasing from Amazon and shipping to Tasmania.

  • Mine has arrived :D

  • Quick question please for those who purchased: What specs are on the power adapter please? I expect it's 110-240VAC (Input) and 12VDC 1.0A (Output) as per http://is.gd/rrhInO.

    Instead of twisting prongs or using US-to-AU plug adapters, I am considering replacing the power adapter, e.g., http://is.gd/2RwkJg for $4.51 AUD shipped. Happy to be advised of the folly of this approach, if any.

    Just FYI, current price (19 March, 1:20 PM) for BC-700 delivered from Amazon is just under $42 AUD — that's 27.58 USD for the unit (they gave me a $1.95 discount at checkout - does everyone get that?) plus $9.98 shipping.

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