Who makes a good and affordable IR illuminator? One that won't break the bank? Hell lets throw in a IR laser as well?

IBTNVC

Like an AN/PEQ, or just a flashlight that's an illuminator (IR flashlight)?

BIG difference in price.

TNVC Torch is a damn good unit for the price. It will light up a steel target at 800m through a PVS27 on a cloudy night with no problem.

The Streamlight Super Tac IR is well liked as an Illuminator only.

looks like it can be weapon mounted as well..

and at a avg price of 90 ish bucks. hmmm

I have a surefire 951 with a eBay 15$ ir drop in I'm not sure how much brighter I'd want it

t-20 IR.

its a chinese flashlight host, with a focusable head, availble doublers, using a osram olsen black IR led. you can buy one from a site sponsor for several hundred, ebay for 40-100, Facebook for $60, or make your own for about $25-30 if you can solder.

i made my own using the osram olsen led already soldered to a berquist board, and a nanjg ak-47 3 mode driver running 2x cr123. it can flood the entire pvs14 field of view, or focus down to a narrow spot.

the build is outlined on the nightvisionuk forum, those guys over seas are using mostly homebrew digital nv systems, so they need all the IR they can get.

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You need their proprietary  mount though.  $137.07 for the light and mount shipped with Prime

for affordable laser, the lasermax uni-ir, or crimson trace railmaster ir, are both as affordable as it gets for under $200 each.

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this is for a D NV system I will be using it with..

then this setup is your ticket. the focus allows you to focus onto the narrow beam angle led and throw all the light right where you need it. its a high powered setup for sure.

the next step up they use are laser diode based illuminators.

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ill go over to the link tonight and reg and read through it.. I didn't want to drop crazy cash, since I got the optic cheap on Burns crazy cheap NV deal. I figure its better than nothing, If its needed.. And the last NV i used was back in the late 80's. so the Gen 1+ is on par. it just needed a bit more light.

digital is entirely dependant on supplimental ir, moonlight, ambient, starlight, or an illuminator.

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I vote you go full retard and pick up a Dbal D2! Hell, there is a lightly used one for sale right now on the EE

Why not just put a filter over your flashlight?

A silicon wafer will absorb all the visible light and transmit everything over 1.1 um.

I have this one on my helmet, IR is very bright but does not throw as far as my Torch Pro that I mounted on the gun.

Nitecore Chameleon

Uses 123 or 1860 batts. I'm not sure that I would trust the Nitecore mounted on the rifle.


Gringop

Good advice.  I assume you would have to use in incandescent bulb?

because filtered incan flashlights dont put out nearly enough IR for digital NV.

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here's my shopping list from this thread
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_18/424012_Anyone_use_a_Light_Technology_Labs_LLTL_001_illuminator_.html

Also, mtn electronics sometimes stocks the olsens already mounted to a berquist star, makes the build much easier. make sure you get the one that doesnt use the star as an electrical path, they have several types.
there may be better/cheaper suppliers now, even better hosts and led's, the diy crowd is always bleeding edge. there's a whole range of lights, t-20, 30, 50, 66 ect, using larger and larger aspherics. the 20 works great for IIT nv without being huge.


here's the shopping list

osram olson black 850nm IR led $10
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Osram-Opto-Semiconductor/SFH-4715S/?qs=%2fha2pyFadujmoH79HyJP6Op4Lt%252bVugXnvmBw9UbBrngOvtE7Gg1lyA%3d%3d

star with the proper pad to "reflow solder" olson black led $1
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=804087virtualkey57460000virtualkey951-804087

single mode driver $1
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1127406

alternatively you can opt for a 3 mode driver with mode memory. the famous ak47 driver with 4 optional mode groups $2.50
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1122400

uniquefire uf-t20 zoom flashlight host $20
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1659400

just a little bit of soldering and you can assemble this in no time. the host and drivers are designed for rechargeable 18650 batteries, but two cr123 (3.0 v) should work with slightly less efficiency and shorter runtime.

the olson black led is also available in 940 nm if you want no visable signature, but it wont appear as bright to nv. http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/OSRAM-Opto-Semiconductors/SFH-4725S/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtjb30GAx%2fDTysazVSbpD%252beM%252bx6sQnjBl0%3d

reflow soldering a led to a star, one method, many different methods, you can even use your stove.
http://youtu.be/skXGlWxnT4I

I just ordered all the parts to build one. its a project ive put off for too long, and this thread has motivated me to finally do it. ill post another diy when I get the parts in 2 weeks.

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link to a picture to show the size mounted, along with a magpul front flip and lasermax uni ir for reference.

http://i.imgur.com/LU5Tf1A.jpg

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No, no, no, it cannot be that.  

Depending upon the filament temperature, an incandescent bulb puts out from 90 to 99% of its energy in the form of IR radiation (wavelengths greater than 0.7 um).

If you assume a silicon window is used to cut off the visible and near IR (<1.1 um), the IR fraction is still in the range of 70 to 90% of the lamp's output.

I know the long wave IR imagers (the thermal imagers) work out to about 10 um, so the above percentage apply directly.

One piece of info I do not have is the minimum wavelength which can be detected by the night vision device (photomultiplier tube type).  If I had to guess, I'd say it's good out to 0.5 eV (2.5um wavelength).  

So, between 1.1 um and 2.5 um, an incandescent lamp puts out 40% of its energy and that fraction is not particularly sensitive to filament temperature.

Well, that's what I think.

hey, were down here in the nanometers, you're way up there in the micrometers. his digital nv will work best in the near ir range, 800-900nm and there abouts.

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That's and awesome pumpkin smasher.........er, Jack - o- lantern , er uh, great for reading porn in the dark set up?

Yep, got one on sale for $67, it throws a hell of a lot of IR a loonnnngggg ways and has very only a faint reddish/purple in the visible spectrum.

Oh,....

never mind.  


When you 900 nanometer guys grow up a little,... we can talk 1 um (also known as 1,000 nm).  

Is that the LED emission wavelengths or the NVD cut-on wavelength?

Sill, a simple filter on a window will do the job.  Lowering the wavelength to 800 to 900 nm makes incandescent lamps even more viable.

800-900 is where its going to work best across all devices, where the power output of his light to spectral response of his viewer will be the best. over 900nm he may need two or three times as much output for the same effect.

incans do put out alot of light in all wavelengths, but compared to led, run time is less and power consumption is higher. and most available pass filters have draw backs. For example, a 780 pass filter is blocking 100 percent at 780, 50 percent at 850, and 10 percent at 900. so in order to have a light that isnt naked eye visible, you're cutting 50 percent of your output right at your peak sensitivity of 850. while his digital may have sensitivity up around 1.05 um (it will vary from sensor to sensor)  the light output required will need to be exponentially higher to be useful, and that wavelength is nearly useless for intensifier based nv, which most digital users will eventually move to.

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Damn Xj, nice outlining it for me.. Ill try to get the parts ordered this weekend. Had to order new print heads for the 3d printer last night since the Ceramic ones that I got are jamming something fierce. So that set this project back a few days..

xjronx- found one on amazon built for 35 bucks.. got it tonight and DAMN! that makes a difference! Than you very much!

excellent! mind sharing the link? i can save it for when the topic comes up again.

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Is this for picture taking?