Description
This is Panasonic's Eneloop SmartPlus charger, model BQ-CC55, supplied with four AA Eneloop cells rated at 2000mAh and charged at the factory ready for use. It has four bays and works with Ni-MH rechargeable cells, one to four AA or one to four AAA. Each bay is watched separately, so a cell that is nearly full finishes and stops on its own rather than waiting for the others. The pack states a charge ready in one and a half hours for two AA cells.
Four AA cells is the working number for most homes: a games controller, a wireless mouse, a camera flash, a child's toy, a doorbell push or a string of fairy lights. Keep the charger on a shelf in a study, a hallway cupboard or a kitchen, and run the same four cells round in rotation rather than buying disposables. The cells arrive pre-charged and are marked on the pack as ready to use, so they can go straight into a device on the day the box is opened. The pack states the cells can be recharged up to 2100 times.
The mains plug is a UK three pin fitted to the charger body, so there is no separate lead to mislay. The four indicators also work as a battery life checker, as printed on the pack, which helps when sorting a tired cell out of a set of four. One box holds the charger and four AA cells, and the minimum order is one box. We also stock the Eneloop Pro version of the BQ-CC55, supplied with 4x AA 2500mAh cells, and the BQ-CC63U, which takes eight AA or AAA cells at once.
Specification
| Charges |
Ni-MH rechargeable cells, 1 to 4 x AA or 1 to 4 x AAA |
| Bays and indicators |
4 bays, 4 LED indicators with battery life checker (as printed on the pack) |
| Included cells |
4x AA Eneloop 2000mAh, supplied pre-charged |
| Plug |
UK plug, fitted to the charger body |
| Sold as |
1 box containing 1 charger and 4x AA cells |
| Minimum order |
1, sold in multiples of 1 |
Frequently Asked
Which battery sizes does this charger take?
It charges Ni-MH rechargeable cells in AA or AAA size, from one cell up to four at a time.
How long does a charge take?
The pack states two AA cells are ready in one and a half hours; a full set of four takes longer.
Do I have to charge all four bays at once?
No. Each bay is monitored on its own, so one, two, three or four cells can be charged together.
Are the included batteries ready to use out of the box?
Yes. The four AA cells are supplied pre-charged, so they can go straight into a device before the charger is ever plugged in.
What are the four lights for?
Each light reports the bay beneath it, and the pack notes they also serve as a battery life checker for tired cells.
Can I charge ordinary alkaline batteries in it?
No. The charger is marked for Ni-MH rechargeable cells only; never put single use alkaline or lithium cells into it.