Short answer: LP-E6+ packs charge only in a dock and have no USB-C port of their own. A Canon LC-E6 or LC-E6E works as-is, and a third-party charger has to meet three conditions — 8.4V constant-voltage output, at least 0.5A per bay, and independent per-bay control with temperature protection. Anything below that standard is not worth buying.
This belongs at the very top because it is where misunderstandings cluster. Plenty of people see a third-party pack advertised with “fast charging” and assume a Type-C cable will work, when in fact the LP-E6+ has no port on the shell at all and every charge has to go through a dock. The camera body’s USB-C input is a body-side capability, not a charging port built into the battery.
1. How charging works in the LP-E6 series
The LP-E6 family — LP-E6, LP-E6N, LP-E6NH, LP-E6P, and third-party LP-E6+ — are all nominally 7.2V two-cell lithium-ion packs. Two cells in series give a full-charge voltage of 8.4V, so a charger must output a strict 8.4V constant voltage and follow a constant-current to constant-voltage (CC-CV) profile: current is held steady while voltage rises, then the charger switches to constant voltage near 8.4V and current tapers until cutoff.
Two details matter in that process: voltage accuracy and cutoff judgment. Too high and the cells sit at the edge of overcharge, which accelerates fade; too low and the pack never fills, so usable capacity is discounted. Poor cutoff judgment produces either “shows full but is not” or repeated trickle top-ups, and both shorten life.
The value of a Canon LC-E6 or LC-E6E lies exactly there: fixed output specifications, cutoff logic validated against the pack’s protection board, and a stop when full. It does not chase speed — filling an LP-E6N usually takes more than two hours, and that pace is deliberate.
2. Three hard numbers to check on a third-party charger
| Specification | Passing standard | Consequence of failing |
|---|---|---|
| Output voltage | 8.4V constant, within about 1% | Higher accelerates fade, lower leaves the pack short of full |
| Per-bay current | 0.5A or more; around 1A is common | Too low is painfully slow, too high runs hot |
| Bay management | Independent cutoff per bay | Shared cutoff easily overcharges one pack and undercharges the other |
| Temperature protection | NTC or equivalent thermal cutoff | Nothing intervenes when something goes wrong |
| Input | Standard adapter input, no modification | Old non-constant-voltage designs carry uncontrolled risk |
Common two-bay and four-bay third-party chargers range from a few dozen yuan up to the budget bracket. A compliant design is not expensive; the problem is that cheap models cut corners on exactly the two things a spec sheet cannot show — independent per-bay management and temperature protection.
Another common misconception is that faster is better. For a small pack like the LP-E6, around 1A is already fairly aggressive; pushing current higher trades heat and fade for convenience at a poor exchange rate. Canon’s conservative current is a choice, not a technical limit.
3. Four steps to verify a charger is a match
- Read the label. The output must state 8.4V, not a range like 8.4V-9V and not 12V. A wide-range output usually means there is no precise constant-voltage stage inside.
- Time a charge. Using the same pack, charge from the camera’s low-battery warning until the indicator goes out. A clearly short time — an hour and a bit, say — points to a high cutoff; clearly longer than three hours points to low current or an incomplete charge.
- Feel the temperature. A pack that is warm during charging is normal; one that is hot to the touch is not. Heat means excessive current or inadequate dissipation, and sustained use shortens life noticeably.
- Check it in the camera. Put the freshly charged pack back in the body and read the level. If it repeatedly shows just over 90% right after a full charge, the cutoff or the pack’s gauge is off.
None of these steps needs instruments, and one pass filters out most non-compliant chargers.
4. How the combinations compare
Canon LC-E6 plus LP-E6+: the steadiest combination. The charger works to Canon’s logic, and as long as the pack’s protection board is properly designed, the CC-CV sequence completes normally. The downside is one pack at a time, so multi-battery users queue up.
A compliant third-party multi-bay charger plus LP-E6+: efficient, and a good fit for anyone heading out with four or five packs. The precondition is confirmed independent per-bay management and thermal control — not the models that cost a few dozen yuan.
An old non-constant-voltage charger plus LP-E6+: not advisable. These are mostly early products that judge cutoff by simple voltage comparison and adapt poorly to newer cells.
One aside worth stating: LP-E6+ is not a Canon designation — it is how some third parties (YO included) label an enhanced version. Canon offers only LP-E6, LP-E6N, LP-E6NH and LP-E6P. That also means the protection-board design is set by each maker, so charger compatibility has to be judged by observed behavior rather than by the rating on the box.
To see how the models in this series differ in positioning, compare the LP-E6 series category; for how enhanced packs behave in the camera, the LP-E6+ category covers more.
FAQ
Can I charge an LP-E6+ with a USB-C cable directly?
No. The LP-E6+ has no USB-C charging port and has to go into a dock. The camera body supports USB-C input, but that powers the body or charges a pack sitting inside it — a different thing from a port on the battery itself. Check the body manual for specifics.
Can a Canon LC-E6 charge a third-party LP-E6+?
Yes. The LC-E6 and LC-E6E output a constant 8.4V and the LP-E6 series interface is identical, so a third-party pack charges normally as long as its protection board is properly designed. Actual charge time may differ slightly with the pack’s real capacity.
Does a faster third-party charger damage the pack?
It depends on current and thermal control. Around 1A is a normal range with limited impact; clearly above that, with a pack that gets hot while charging, accelerates capacity fade. The test is not “how fast” but “how hot.”
When the charger indicator goes out, is the pack full?
Usually yes, but it can also mean an early cutoff or poor contact. The reliable approach is to put the pack back in the body and read the level; if it comes up clearly short several times in a row, inspect the charger or the pack.