Problem with my BC-700 and Eneloops; need advice

Batteries and Chargers Chargers
1

Although I’ve been into flashlights for a bunch of years, it’s only recently that I joined “Club Eneloop” (a few months ago).

I’m doing a Discharge/Charge cycle on my LaCrosse BC-700 and AAA Eneloops. They finish around 800ma, but Bay-3 stopped at about 1200.

Thinking it might be a fluke with a particular battery; I Discharge/Charge another set of AAAs. Same thing, Bays 1-2-4 finish around 800, but again Bay-3 is 1100+.

I’m wondering if I should scrap the charger and replace it? Was that enough to damage those particular batteries?

When I charge AAs, there’s some variance between the batteries, but nothing nearly as dramatic like I see with the AAA.

I’m Discharging/Charging the AAA at 100/200; and the AA at 250/500.

I’d certainly appreciate some wisdom/advice…

2

hmm .interesting .I also have bc700 for 2 years now and havent encountered these issues yet !

seems bay no 3 is having some circuitry issues . you could contact http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/bc700/index.php the manufature and see what they come up with!

3

Finish at 800 what? Charging or discharging? For first case (charging), check this thread.

Anyway, if you get same behavior with different cells, maybe something is wrong with your bay nº3 :expressionless: Maybe one of the resistors (or whatever) had been damaged/burned. Don’t use this bay.

PS: if you still have your warranty - try to replace your charger.

4

Charging

I agree… and if I have to, buying a replacement charger would definitely be cheaper (in the long term) than slowly destroying Eneloops.

5

I bought a new BC-700 and a pack of factory fresh AAA Eneloops, both from Thomas Distributing.

I Discharged/Charged the AAAs at the 100/200 setting (discharge at 100ma - charge at 200ma).
Bays 1-2-3 finished at about 800ma, Bay-4 finished around 1200!
Same situation as Bay-3 on the 1st charger. |(

OK, browse BLF/CPF/Amazon comments… maybe the current is too low to trigger the termination signal?

I do a new experiment; same batteries, with the 2nd charger (that overcharged Bay-4).
This time… I set the Discharge/Charge rate at 250/500.
All four bays finish in the 800s.

So what about the first charger (that overcharged Bay-3)?
Again, very same set of AAAs.
Discharge/Charge at 250/500.
All four bays finish in the 800s.

Lesson learned? Don’t charge Eneloops (AAA) in the BC-700 at 200ma.

6

it won’t damage it in the way your thinking, but its the same as using a dumb charger, it did shorten the life of the battery by a very small amount. Being a one off i wouldn’t worry about it, the reduction is infinitesimal, if you did this each time you charged that battery, you would shorten its life in the same way as someone who didn’t have a smart charger (and i bet 75% if not 90% of NiMH users don’t have a smart charger)

I would contact the manufacturer, esp if its under warranty, you did pay for properly working smart charging.

7

Good point… thanks!