Something to never do with pvs14's

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Something to never do with pvs14's

Posted: 2/18/2020 11:02:09 PM EDT

Okay, I received my 2 pvs 14's today. Well I found out what not to do. First I bought 2, one for me, one as a spare/loaner.

Tonight I went out with one mounted to my head, one in my pocket to play/test them. I was very happy with the "mine", then I flipped it up and put the second to my eye to check it out. It works very well, as well.

THEN I flipped the one back down, and put the other over my other eye..... Now I see why guys like the duals.

Now I am debating getting a bridge, and now longer have a spare/loaner.

If you only have 1 and can borrow a second, or have 2 DONT EVER PUT ONE IN FRONT OF BOTH EYES....... you will no longer have 2, you will have a set of duals.

Posted: 2/18/2020 11:28:09 PM EDT

[#1]

I plan on buying my 2nd soon, so my lady can join me and also provide support should the need arise.

I figure the rest of the time, it's just 2 for me

Posted: 2/18/2020 11:42:17 PM EDT

[#2]

Some of us started out the same way and went with a bridge and while running duals are a cheap way to binos with/without the ability to articulate up individually the biggest downside is the weight. A good bridge runs 350-950 and IMHO if you're looking to have both eyes aided on a budget a good used Gen3 PVS7 for 900-1,200 may be a better option and you still have 2 loaners. While I do have binos and choose them over 7s and a 14 for night shoots/training 7s are a poor man's binos. A PVS14 IMHO has the best utility do to its long battery life, light weight, common battery, being the most packable, etc and if placed over your dominant eye, slightly forward you may find moving and navigating as easy both eyes aided with practice. If you want to convert your 2 PVS14s to a true bino check out JRHEnterprises which is one of the few companies that offer a professional factory service to convert them into BNVDs the right way, then sell the left over body/parts to recoup some of the cost.
https://www.jrhenterprises.com/Night-Vision_c3.htm

Posted: 2/19/2020 1:53:50 AM EDT

[#3]

This is the saddest story I heard all day.
It's worse than being stuck in quicksand.
Good luck with the struggle and best wishes from Oregon.

Posted: 2/19/2020 9:55:13 AM EDT

[#4]

This is a story I hear all too often from folks.

I would go as far to say almost never buy 2 -14's with the intent on bridging them and running them as a dual system, unless there is some weird reason i can't fathom to do so.

If you some how already have found yourself in possession of 2 -14's then sure go ahead.

If you have one already and are thinking of buying a second along with a bridge, stop put down the crack pipe and find Jesus. Sell your existing unit to offset the cost and buy a dedicated dual tube system that will be lighter weight, less bulky, probably more rugged and potentially come with a warranty. But something purpose built for the mission is going to function better than some ad hoc southern engineered alternative.

I love the PVS-14, it is the best monocular on the planet and when run as God intended it to be run it can't be beat.

Posted: 2/19/2020 10:02:11 AM EDT

[#5]

I made the same mistake with two issued -14s.

I now have binos and a loaner -14.

I’d definitely recommend the dedicated goggle advice. Bridged -14s are entirely too heavy and bulky for comfortable prolonged head mounted use.

Posted: 2/19/2020 2:36:22 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is a story I hear all too often from folks.

I would go as far to say almost never buy 2 -14's with the intent on bridging them and running them as a dual system, unless there is some weird reason i can't fathom to do so.

If you some how already have found yourself in possession of 2 -14's then sure go ahead.

If you have one already and are thinking of buying a second along with a bridge, stop put down the crack pipe and find Jesus. Sell your existing unit to offset the cost and buy a dedicated dual tube system that will be lighter weight, less bulky, probably more rugged and potentially come with a warranty. But something purpose built for the mission is going to function better than some ad hoc southern engineered alternative.

I love the PVS-14, it is the best monocular on the planet and when run as God intended it to be run it can't be beat.

View Quote

I wish I would have talked to you at the start of my journey, because it would have saved me a LOT of cash

Posted: 2/19/2020 2:44:28 PM EDT

[#7]

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Quoted:

I wish I would have talked to you at the start of my journey, because it would have saved me a LOT of cash

View Quote

A big part of the Greenline Tactical Night Fighter classes is geared toward soon to be buyers and or people looking to upgrade into more capable NV systems, an investment of a few hundred dollars for a class has litterally saved people thousands and thousands of dollars.

Posted: 2/19/2020 3:18:53 PM EDT

[#8]

Call me crazy but I went with dual 14s but was purpose driven. When out running drills with friends I use a bino set up with an RQE bridge, now that my son is older, I want him to experience night vision as well. We spend a lot of time hiking, camping, working on bushcraft, etc. so when we are together, we both run a single 14. I get just as much happiness seeing the joy he has when we are together, land navigating in the dark, or laying at camp gazing at stars than I did at night shoots with the boys. I guess as we get older, priorities change.

Now, I’m hoping in the near future I can change my housings to the smaller hyper-14 or KAC m14.

Don’t get me wrong, if budget allowed, I would have a dedicated set of binos, and either the same for my son or at least his own 14.

Posted: 2/19/2020 3:26:08 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

A big part of the Greenline Tactical Night Fighter classes is geared toward soon to be buyers and or people looking to upgrade into more capable NV systems, an investment of a few hundred dollars for a class has litterally saved people thousands and thousands of dollars.

View Quote

NODs are rented out in those classes?

Also, yeah I got dual 14's and an extra crye nightcap so I can share w/ my gf and others (and try getting them addicted to it). But even now, even though I haven't used any dedicated duals, I can only imagine the weight savings and comfortability of them compared to when I bridge mines. I really want to get them BNVD-ULs...

Posted: 2/19/2020 3:27:57 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Call me crazy but I went with dual 14s but was purpose driven. When out running drills with friends I use a bino set up with an RQE bridge, now that my son is older, I want him to experience night vision as well. We spend a lot of time hiking, camping, working on bushcraft, etc. so when we are together, we both run a single 14. I get just as much happiness seeing the joy he has when we are together, land navigating in the dark, or laying at camp gazing at stars than I did at night shoots with the boys. I guess as we get older, priorities change.

Now, I’m hoping in the near future I can change my housings to the smaller hyper-14 or KAC m14.

Don’t get me wrong, if budget allowed, I would have a dedicated set of binos, and either the same for my son or at his own 14.

View Quote

100%. Only reason to go w/ dual 14s is when you know you will be sharing it. (Unless money is nothing to you then get dual binos lol)

Posted: 2/19/2020 4:00:40 PM EDT

[#11]

Just look at it like this... you're only a MOD3 housing away from having true Binos.

Posted: 2/19/2020 4:44:29 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Just look at it like this... you're only a MOD3 housing away from having true Binos.

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This

Posted: 2/19/2020 6:04:27 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
Just look at it like this... you're only a MOD3 housing away from having true Binos.

View Quote

As long as mooching off of you is an option, your friends will mooch off of you.

Buy dedicated binos and tell them if they want to play, they have to buy their own and never have to suffer "my cheapskate friends make me use a mono when I could be using binos" syndrome.

~Augee

Posted: 2/20/2020 3:18:53 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Call me crazy but I went with dual 14s but was purpose driven. When out running drills with friends I use a bino set up with an RQE bridge, now that my son is older, I want him to experience night vision as well. We spend a lot of time hiking, camping, working on bushcraft, etc. so when we are together, we both run a single 14. I get just as much happiness seeing the joy he has when we are together, land navigating in the dark, or laying at camp gazing at stars than I did at night shoots with the boys. I guess as we get older, priorities change.

Now, I’m hoping in the near future I can change my housings to the smaller hyper-14 or KAC m14.

Don’t get me wrong, if budget allowed, I would have a dedicated set of binos, and either the same for my son or at least his own 14.

View Quote

That's why I went with Mod-3Bs. Same capability but I save about 6 oz of weight.

Posted: 2/20/2020 3:28:43 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is a story I hear all too often from folks.

I would go as far to say almost never buy 2 -14's with the intent on bridging them and running them as a dual system, unless there is some weird reason i can't fathom to do so.

If you some how already have found yourself in possession of 2 -14's then sure go ahead.

If you have one already and are thinking of buying a second along with a bridge, stop put down the crack pipe and find Jesus. Sell your existing unit to offset the cost and buy a dedicated dual tube system that will be lighter weight, less bulky, probably more rugged and potentially come with a warranty. But something purpose built for the mission is going to function better than some ad hoc southern engineered alternative.

I love the PVS-14, it is the best monocular on the planet and when run as God intended it to be run it can't be beat.

View Quote

Like others have said, dual 14's allow you to loan out a monocular to a friend/spouse/child. That said, I would probably consider converting to a dedicated bino if housings weren't so expensive.

Posted: 2/20/2020 3:35:18 PM EDT

[#16]

Well, chalk me up a guy who likes only one. That way I can flip to the other eye to let my eye recover from the green burn. If you only run nods for a short time, then maybe, but run them for 8 hours at a time and you'll lose vision after a few hours.

Posted: 2/20/2020 4:01:42 PM EDT

[#17]

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That's why I went with Mod-3Bs. Same capability but I save about 6 oz of weight.

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I hear ya. If I can ever find a set within my price range, that’s what I’ll end up with.

Posted: 2/20/2020 4:10:40 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well, chalk me up a guy who likes only one. That way I can flip to the other eye to let my eye recover from the green burn. If you only run nods for a short time, then maybe, but run them for 8 hours at a time and you'll lose vision after a few hours.

View Quote

I also like monocular.

Posted: 2/20/2020 4:15:51 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
I also like monocular.

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I went back to a monocular too.

Posted: 2/20/2020 4:22:18 PM EDT

[#20]

To keep on the title of this thread, "Something to never do with pvs14's"...Just to add a safety bolo. Do not ever long term store batteries in a PVS, and then do not throw in a hot trunk of some sort. Also do not skimp on batts, use liths.

Now back to your normal programming.

Posted: 2/20/2020 4:40:56 PM EDT

[#21]

Dual PVS-14s on the RQE/Knight Vision bridge:

- quick detach mono pods for sharing, photographing stuff with your phone or camera, or changing out to thermal
- articulating feature WITH ip stops

Show me a dedicated bino system that can do that. There isn't one. The MOD3 is cool and all but for only 4oz (yes I weighed them both) more weight you get articulating pods and no having to add the intermediary power source pods just to be able to use one as a monocular when you need it.

Dual PVS14s on the RQE bridge are way underrated if you can handle the weight.

Posted: 2/20/2020 5:07:02 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well, chalk me up a guy who likes only one. That way I can flip to the other eye to let my eye recover from the green burn. If you only run nods for a short time, then maybe, but run them for 8 hours at a time and you'll lose vision after a few hours.

View Quote

If you're actually spending 8 hours at a time under NVDs with any kind of regularity, and I'm not being precious, you owe it to yourself to try out some WP tubes, they are much better for eye strain and prolonged use. I've spent a lot of time on LP/OPs and other operations with green eyes over the last decade plus, so I know what you're talking about when it comes to long duration use and vision fatigue.

If you're using issued goggles, it is what it is, however both the Army and Marine Corps infantry at least are both also transitioning to WP tubes in the ENVG-B and SBNVG programs respectively in the near future, though obviously it will likely take a while before they're fully fielded.

~Augee

Posted: 2/20/2020 5:44:23 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:

If you're actually spending 8 hours at a time under NVDs with any kind of regularity, and I'm not being precious, you owe it to yourself to try out some WP tubes, they are much better for eye strain and prolonged use. I've spent a lot of time on LP/OPs and other operations with green eyes over the last decade plus, so I know what you're talking about when it comes to long duration use and vision fatigue.

If you're using issued goggles, it is what it is, however both the Army and Marine Corps infantry at least are both also transitioning to WP tubes in the ENVG-B and SBNVG programs respectively in the near future, though obviously it will likely take a while before they're fully fielded.

~Augee

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It'll be sweet to see those get fielded in like 30 years. My AD (not infantry) unit still has PVS-7Ds on the MTOE

The infantry guys will probably get them much sooner. They have a mix of 14s and PSQ-20s right now.

Posted: 2/20/2020 5:45:15 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
To keep on the title of this thread, "Something to never do with pvs14's"...Just to add a safety bolo. Do not ever long term store batteries in a PVS, and then do not throw in a hot trunk of some sort. Also do not skimp on batts, use liths.

Now back to your normal programming.

View Quote

Not to stir the nest, but on a relatively known website it's stated you should not use Lithium batteries in PVS14.
I still do and always have at your and others advice, but what points could/do this website have?

I'm just curious.
@TNVC

Posted: 2/20/2020 6:57:58 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not to stir the nest, but on a relatively known website it's stated you should not use Lithium batteries in PVS14.
I still do and always have at your and others advice, but what points could/do this website have?

I'm just curious.
@TNVC

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
To keep on the title of this thread, "Something to never do with pvs14's"...Just to add a safety bolo. Do not ever long term store batteries in a PVS, and then do not throw in a hot trunk of some sort. Also do not skimp on batts, use liths.

Now back to your normal programming.

Not to stir the nest, but on a relatively known website it's stated you should not use Lithium batteries in PVS14.
I still do and always have at your and others advice, but what points could/do this website have?

I'm just curious.
@TNVC

Fake news maybe, just like with the so-called 20% drop in performance after 500 hrs with L3 unfilmed tubes. This from a company who cannot get L3 tubes any longer due to monies owed and from another dealer who tells the world this to pimp Elbit/Harris.

As for Liths, they are great in the cold the most stable voltage across the board. Been using Liths since 1994 and I've experienced not one issue ever. I've had more leaks with alks over time that I care to remember.

Posted: 2/20/2020 8:48:56 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:

Not to stir the nest, but on a relatively known website it's stated you should not use Lithium batteries in PVS14.
I still do and always have at your and others advice, but what points could/do this website have?

I'm just curious.
@TNVC

View Quote

Website or link?

Posted: 2/20/2020 9:34:06 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:

Website or link?

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No links, live and learn.

Posted: 2/20/2020 10:40:27 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
No links, live and learn.

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Were they possibly referring to Lithium re-chargeables?

Posted: 2/20/2020 11:03:12 PM EDT

[#29]

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Quoted:

Were they possibly referring to Lithium re-chargeables?

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Had to be, only thing that makes sense.

Posted: 2/20/2020 11:22:44 PM EDT

[#30]

Posted: 2/21/2020 6:12:32 AM EDT

[#31]

I’m sure that’s great and all, but you haven’t done Galaxy Brain night vision till you’ve got thermal on one eye and the good ol’ photomultiplier on the other eye simultaneously. You start feeling the need for a plasma cannon on your shoulder slaved to your helmet to complete the set.

Posted: 2/26/2020 4:58:20 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:

Fake news maybe, just like with the so-called 20% drop in performance after 500 hrs with L3 unfilmed tubes. This from a company who cannot get L3 tubes any longer due to monies owed and from another dealer who tells the world this to pimp Elbit/Harris.

As for Liths, they are great in the cold the most stable voltage across the board. Been using Liths since 1994 and I've experienced not one issue ever. I've had more leaks with alks over time that I care to remember.

View Quote

That's always been my assumption as well for that "recommendation".

@TNVC - are you saying you've never had a lithium leak, or simply that you've never had an issue caused by a lithium battery in general?

Just curious with the numbers yall handle and hours on the units if you've ever had a lithium leak.

Posted: 2/26/2020 5:09:47 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's always been my assumption as well for that "recommendation".

@TNVC - are you saying you've never had a lithium leak, or simply that you've never had an issue caused by a lithium battery in general?

Just curious with the numbers yall handle and hours on the units if you've ever had a lithium leak.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

Fake news maybe, just like with the so-called 20% drop in performance after 500 hrs with L3 unfilmed tubes. This from a company who cannot get L3 tubes any longer due to monies owed and from another dealer who tells the world this to pimp Elbit/Harris.

As for Liths, they are great in the cold the most stable voltage across the board. Been using Liths since 1994 and I've experienced not one issue ever. I've had more leaks with alks over time that I care to remember.

That's always been my assumption as well for that "recommendation".

@TNVC - are you saying you've never had a lithium leak, or simply that you've never had an issue caused by a lithium battery in general?

Just curious with the numbers yall handle and hours on the units if you've ever had a lithium leak.

ALL batteries can leak under the right circumstances. It takes a lot more adverse conditions for issues to rear their ugly heads with Liths in our opinion. This includes Liths doing much better in cold climates.

Posted: 2/26/2020 7:03:35 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:

ALL batteries can leak under the right circumstances. It takes a lot more adverse conditions for issues to rear their ugly heads with Liths in our opinion. This includes Liths doing much better in cold climates.

View Quote

Long story short...

Lithium died in my pvs14 in the middle of a hunt. Used a new spare regular battery that I run in my helmet light to get me through the night and the damn thing leaked on me on the way home.

Now I have a nice white film in my battery tube....

Run lithium and save yourself a headache.

Posted: 2/26/2020 7:06:55 PM EDT

[#35]

And OP

Whatever you do dont look through dtnvgs or rnvgs. You will hate life and wonder what body part you need to sell off to fund them.

Ask me how I know.

Posted: 3/2/2020 10:41:45 PM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
To keep on the title of this thread, "Something to never do with pvs14's"...Just to add a safety bolo. Do not ever long term store batteries in a PVS, and then do not throw in a hot trunk of some sort. Also do not skimp on batts, use liths.

Now back to your normal programming.

View Quote

You mean dont store it in a hot trunk with batteries installed in it, or just dont throw it in a hot trunk at all?

Posted: 3/5/2020 1:14:19 AM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:

You mean dont store it in a hot trunk with batteries installed in it, or just dont throw it in a hot trunk at all?

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Don't have the batts installed in the unit in a hot trunk.

Posted: 3/5/2020 8:14:13 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:

Don't have the batts installed in the unit in a hot trunk.

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Thanks man!

Posted: 3/5/2020 8:49:20 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Okay, I received my 2 pvs 14's today. Well I found out what not to do. First I bought 2, one for me, one as a spare/loaner.

Tonight I went out with one mounted to my head, one in my pocket to play/test them. I was very happy with the "mine", then I flipped it up and put the second to my eye to check it out. It works very well, as well.

THEN I flipped the one back down, and put the other over my other eye..... Now I see why guys like the duals.

Now I am debating getting a bridge, and now longer have a spare/loaner.

If you only have 1 and can borrow a second, or have 2 DONT EVER PUT ONE IN FRONT OF BOTH EYES....... you will no longer have 2, you will have a set of duals.

View Quote

I did that with two flir breaches one time and thought holy shit how do I make this work.

luckily I still just have the one. Haha

Posted: 3/5/2020 10:33:15 AM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
I made the same mistake with two issued -14s.

I now have binos and a loaner -14.

I’d definitely recommend the dedicated goggle advice. Bridged -14s are entirely too heavy and bulky for comfortable prolonged head mounted use.

View Quote

I'm gonna have to agree with you there Brother.

I picked up a very cheap WP tube that had an emission point and got it zapped by a member here. The resulting blem was a great deal larger than I would have liked. But for the price, totally worth it.

Then I lucked into a great pair of tubes and used them to build a pair of 14s because I wanted to keep the capability to split into two units. I still run those and am happy with them. The weight isn't a big issue with me since I'm coming from a PVS-5c and PVS-7 and am used to the weight. I run those on a high cut ballistic helmet too.

I love the ability to split them up but realistically I don't think I'll ever do that since I have the blem WP unit.

I am currently saving up my pennies and will be converting those over to an RNVG or Mod-3. I'll be selling off the leftover parts and bridge to recoup some of the costs.

Posted: 3/5/2020 10:41:26 AM EDT

[#41]

Quote History

Quoted:
And OP

Whatever you do dont look through dtnvgs or rnvgs. You will hate life and wonder what body part you need to sell off to fund them.

Ask me how I know.

View Quote

Everybody has two kidneys, and I recently read that some medical research group was offering $35,000 for a testicle. Just sayin.

Posted: 3/5/2020 3:19:01 PM EDT

[#42]

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Everybody has two kidneys, and I recently read that some medical research group was offering $35,000 for a testicle. Just sayin.

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I don't really need mine anymore so....

Posted: 3/5/2020 3:24:37 PM EDT

[#43]

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Everybody has two kidneys, and I recently read that some medical research group was offering $35,000 for a testicle. Just sayin.

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Panos bitches!!!!

Posted: 3/5/2020 3:45:53 PM EDT

[#44]

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Panos bitches!!!!

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Quoted:

Quoted:

Everybody has two kidneys, and I recently read that some medical research group was offering $35,000 for a testicle. Just sayin.

Panos bitches!!!!

Takes a full set of nuts to drive a set of GPNVG-18’s.

Posted: 3/5/2020 6:00:04 PM EDT

[#45]

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Takes a full set of nuts to drive a set of GPNVG-18’s.

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Thats what a government only gets the nice things dude would say.

Posted: 3/6/2020 12:30:08 PM EDT

[#46]

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Just look at it like this... you're only a MOD3 housing away from having true Binos.

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After having a PVS-14 and wanting duals that's why I had a MOD3 built with some Photonis Gen2+ tubes. Still have the -14 and dual capability plus I can split the MOD3 for others when needed. Now the only problem is I'm contemplating putting WP tubes in the MOD3.

Posted: 3/6/2020 7:57:36 PM EDT

[#47]

MOD 3s. But then you end up with another set of binos after a while anyway. Weird how that happens.

Posted: 3/14/2020 6:52:30 PM EDT

[#48]

Quote History

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ALL batteries can leak under the right circumstances. It takes a lot more adverse conditions for issues to rear their ugly heads with Liths in our opinion. This includes Liths doing much better in cold climates.

View Quote

To clear it up, use only Lithium batteries and rechargables are a no go?