La Crosse BC900 or similar

Hi all,

I want to buy a good battery charger and I saw the La Crosse BC900 and the RS900 that seems identical (there is any difference?).


I read somewhere that these chargers doesnt support batteries with a capacity bigger than 3000 mAh.

Because I bought these batteries on eBay that are 4300 mAh (probably is a fake?) and I want to use this chareger with them...
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260019877706




So I want to know:

1. Is true that the BC900 doesnt support these high capacity batteries?

2. If no there is any other charger that have the characteristichs of the BC900 but can support these batteries?




Thanks a lot,
EdT

its a fake... these no way... but yea.. the la crosse can only charge up to 3200 or something like that..

According to the official Sony rechargeable batteries website , the max available capacity for AA batteries manufactured by Sony is 2500mAh.

It is a fake, and those batteries are a fraud from an unknown manufacturer.

Ok that is not a problem... i didnt pay them too much (however )
(the best batteries NiMh are the Sanyo's 2700 mAh?)



So the La Crosse is OK for all NiMh batteries? Other models that offers single cells charge?



Again Thanks

The BC900 shows a maximum of 3000mAh on its case but that might be the maximum for the readout but that's just a guess. One could connect a big capacity C/D cell outside the unit with wires to try it out! The connection is the problem.

Anyone considering buying the La Crosse BC-900 should read what I just posted at this link.....http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129250

Finally I bouhgt the La Crosse... Only a question... I charged some batteries and "full" appeared on the lcd. Then I removed the batteries and I reinsert them, I pressed the "current" button for set the currente charge and then the chareger rebegan another charge on these charged batteries... Normal? :huh2:


The batteries especially at high current became very hot... This is bad for the batteries? A cooling system wuold be better?


Thanks

wptski said:

The BC900 shows a maximum of 3000mAh on its case but that might be the maximum for the readout but that's just a guess. One could connect a big capacity C/D cell outside the unit with wires to try it out! The connection is the problem.

Click to expand...

The LCD display is able to show e.g. 3.21Ah. Put in some Sanyo's 2700 and make a discharge. You should see the display going above 3.0Ah after the end of discharge/charge cycle.

I tried charging some 3600mAh sub-C cells. The LaCrosse didn't like them. I was unable to obtain more than 1500-2000mAh on test mode.

EdT said:

Finally I bouhgt the La Crosse... Only a question... I charged some batteries and "full" appeared on the lcd. Then I removed the batteries and I reinsert them, I pressed the "current" button for set the currente charge and then the chareger rebegan another charge on these charged batteries... Normal? :huh2:

Click to expand...

Chargers are dumb. You shouldn't be: don't do that if your cells are hot.

EdT said:

The batteries especially at high current became very hot... This is bad for the batteries? A cooling system wuold be better?
Thanks

Click to expand...

Indeed it would... May LaCrosse be listenning.

I emailed La Crosse some time ago asking for clarification about the 3A limit ... I was told that yes, the charger will shut off or stop charging when it hits the 3A limit per session. But you can unplug it and then it will reset the internal timer and you can charge away again.

FWIW, that's what I got back via email.

bill_n_opus said:

I emailed La Crosse some time ago asking for clarification about the 3A limit ... I was told that yes, the charger will shut off or stop charging when it hits the 3A limit per session. But you can unplug it and then it will reset the internal timer and you can charge away again.

FWIW, that's what I got back via email.

Click to expand...

thanks for that post... I was wondering about that ...

---

personally... I don't run my BC900 w/o a fan blowing on it.... until i get a Triton/ICE etc.... that setup will have to do

bill_n_opus said:

I emailed La Crosse some time ago asking for clarification about the 3A limit ... I was told that yes, the charger will shut off or stop charging when it hits the 3A limit per session. But you can unplug it and then it will reset the internal timer and you can charge away again.

FWIW, that's what I got back via email.

Click to expand...

I'm really curious to know how they do the maths to calc 3Ah. If you select a charge current of 500mA, does the charger stop after 6 hours ? My experience is not.

Whatever the limit is, it doesn't realy matter. For my 2500s I start charging them with another fast charger for the initial 1-2Amps, until they start to heat up. Then I finish them in BC900 at a lower current, 0.5A, for less heat and precise end-of-charge detection. That way the combined limit is 2 x 3A = 6A, more than enough for any AA capacity.