La Crosse Technology BC500 Alpha Power Battery Charger Review

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(More customer reviews)I have very mixed feelings about the new La Crosse Technology BC500 Alpha Power Battery Charger. On one hand, I see it as a severely 'dumbed down' version of the La Crosse BC-700 (which itself is one step below the original BC-900). But on the other hand, I can also see it as a simpler, more portable charger for people who don't appreciate the complexity of its older brothers. With that in mind... The Game is Afoot! (whatever that means)
[Size]
The BC500 is a lot smaller and thinner than the BC-900/700 (See my Customer Images for size comparison). Smaller size makes the BC500 more suitable as a travel charger, but also makes removing cells in the middle even more difficult than before. The base is also very flimsy. Just by slightly twisting the unit, I can make the charger shut off.
[AC Adapter]
The BC500's AC adapter accepts universal voltage of 100-240V, and outputs 12V DC. This is an important improvement from previous design of 3V, because it allows the charger to operate from 12V car battery through the included cigarette lighter adapter.
[Display]
The BC500 has a 4-column display which is smaller than that found on BC-700. The good news is that the new display has much better contrast, making it easier to read in dim light. The bad news is that it shows less information than before:
- The resolution is only 2.5 digits instead of 3.5 digits. For example, it can only display '1.23 Ah' instead of '1234 mAh'.
- The 'elapse time' of the present operation is not displayed.
- During charging, it only shows 'Voltage' and "% charged' (which is a rough estimate based on voltage and time).
[Control]
The BC500 has only one mode-control button. If you insert one cell, it automatically starts charging after 8 seconds. To change operation mode, you just have to press and hold the control button for 3 to 6 seconds.
Note that the BC-700's 'CURRENT' and 'DISPLAY' buttons are not available. That's because the BC500 has only one fixed charging current (manual says 500mA approximately, but I have seen it vary between 0.46 and 0.55A), and its display toggles automatically every 5 seconds.
The 'slot-selection' buttons in BC-700 are gone as well. That means you cannot apply different operation to different cells.
[Operations]
Three operations are available to the BC500:
1. CHARGE: Starts charging at a fixed current until the cell is full.
2. DISCHARGE: Starts by discharging the cell completely at 300mA approximately, then recharge it to full again.
3. TEST: Start by fully charging the cell, then discharge it completely to measure the capacity, finally recharge it to full again.
The BC-700's Refresh/Discharge operation is not available on the BC500. That means it is impossible to use BC500 to measure the remaining charge in a cell.Bottom Line:
- If you love all the functions and flexibility offered by BC-700, then the BC500 is most likely a let-down to you.
- If you love your BC-700 but wish you can use it in the car, then the BC500 makes a good travel charger.
- If you feel that you need something more powerful than the typical charger, but was intimated by the complexity of BC-700, then it is Elementary: the BC500 is a perfect match for you!
[Update on May 26, 2010]
The price of BC500 has dropped significantly during the past 2 months (from over $38 to around $30). I consider it an excellent value at the present price point.

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Tossing batteries can become a thing of the past, thanks to the versatile and portable Alpha Power battery charger from La Crosse Technology. A smart design enables the charger to power up AA and AAA batteries simultaneously, and it works with all NiCd and NiMH rechargeables. Separate cell display allows for easy monitoring, and the LCD screen indicates voltage, current, charge percentage, and cumulative capacity in a clear readout. The rate charge is 500mA, an overheat detector prevents over-charging, and the unit can detect defective batteries. For instant use, it comes with two AA batteries, an AC/DC adapter, and a car adapter. The charger measures 2 by 3 by 5 inches, and La Crosse Technology includes a one-year warranty.

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