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Posted: 2/4/2014 12:54:50 PM EDT
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I have a pair of early PVS-5 goggles that I bought as-is, not tested, because they only take the harder to find military type batteries.
After locating a couple of the special batteries I tried to power up the unit but (as I sort of expected) they did not work. I don't know if the batteries are too weak to power the goggles (as they are old manufacture) but they do have some power as the IR lamp works (I tested the IR lamp function with another, working NV device but as this is the first time I have played with the pvs-5 series, I don't know how bright the lamp should be. It's not anywhere close to the brightness of a pvs-14 IR lamp). When the goggles are turned on, the only thing I see looking through the tubes themselves is a very, very faint green glow. I can not see any image through them and there is no change in brightness regardless if it's in a dark or lit room. It is like looking into a very dead flashlight lens with a green filter on it. I have read the manuals and searched online for what problem this might indicate but haven't come up with any answers. Does anyone familiar with the pvs-5 series know if this is a symptom of low power supply, shot potting or loss of pressure/vacuum in the tubes? The tubes are MX9916 and as far as I can tell, are original to the goggles and have not been messed with. Any help would be appreciated. |
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So the battery power you need is 3V, check your battery for proper voltage using a voltmeter (cheap from Rat shack if you don't have one), or rig up power from a CR123 would be my suggestion for testing that end of it. It should be obvious where the wires from the 123 should go.
Dim green image is a sign that at least the power supply is somewhat working. Have you played with both the front AND rear focus? Bad potting would be more of a strobing issue. Take the front off and check what the photocathode looks like, blueish/purple/green = working PC. Brown/red = dead. |
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Thanks for the tips.
I just tested it with a CR123 and no change. I have adjusted both front and rear focus on each tube but still no change. I have taken both objective lenses off and both photocathodes look the same, light grey in color. Not blue like the PC on my pvs-4. I have never seen the PC on a MX9916 so I don't know if this is the normal good color. I will attach a picture. http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr145/barterlist/P1080255.jpg |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the tips. I just tested it with a CR123 and no change. I have adjusted both front and rear focus on each tube but still no change. I have taken both objective lenses off and both photocathodes look the same, light grey in color. Not blue like the PC on my pvs-4. I have never seen the PC on a MX9916 so I don't know if this is the normal good color. I will attach a picture. <a href="http://s478.photobucket.com/user/barterlist/media/P1080255.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr145/barterlist/P1080255.jpg</a> |
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Quoted:I would be interested in the white also, and wonder if it is a fiberglass input? If you hole the tube in the light just right you should see a geometric pattern on the entire photocathode?
Yes, when you look closely at it you can see the honeycomb pattern in it. Just like ones that are blue except it is a grayish white color. The white color is quite solid though, not like the blue ones where it changes as you look at it from different angles. |
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Yeah, PC looks gone.... Should be iridescent blue.. I've never seen one that looks like yours. It almost looks like there is a sticker or something covering it. Dead PC's look brown/redish, I've never seen white. From Davids site. http://aunv.blackice.com.au/userfiles/david-mtf-bothtubes.jpg Me neither. Could it be going to air ? I see some shading on the edge but maybe that is just camera angle. Looks odd though. Neither tube looks great and both seem to have much use to them. The white one is a first for me. |
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Quoted:
Yes, when you look closely at it you can see the honeycomb pattern in it. Just like ones that are blue except it is a grayish white color. The white color is quite solid though, not like the blue ones where it changes as you look at it from different angles. Quoted:
Quoted:I would be interested in the white also, and wonder if it is a fiberglass input? If you hole the tube in the light just right you should see a geometric pattern on the entire photocathode?
Yes, when you look closely at it you can see the honeycomb pattern in it. Just like ones that are blue except it is a grayish white color. The white color is quite solid though, not like the blue ones where it changes as you look at it from different angles. |
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Quoted:
Well that did not go anywhere, another question is what is the info on the tube housing? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:I would be interested in the white also, and wonder if it is a fiberglass input? If you hole the tube in the light just right you should see a geometric pattern on the entire photocathode?
Yes, when you look closely at it you can see the honeycomb pattern in it. Just like ones that are blue except it is a grayish white color. The white color is quite solid though, not like the blue ones where it changes as you look at it from different angles. I really don't know. I never seen a MX9916 with that white color.  Maybe CJ can add some light here.
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Not positive, but I believe I have an early PVS-5 with white objective end. No circle at the boundary region and no blue iridescence. As I recall, the central region is concave and looking into it the tube shows depth into the fiber optic structure. This is from memory.
Let me know if you would like me to investigate mine to confirm this and provide for tube numbers, etc. Whether this is true or not, one tube in that unit failed utterly and instantly many years ago, so I will have the remaining good tube and the bad tube to compare if that will help at all. |
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Quoted:
Well that did not go anywhere, another question is what is the info on the tube housing? If you are asking for the info on the tubes of the white colored ones, it is: Image Intensifier night vision MX-9916/UV NSN 5855-01-034-3845 Contract no. DAAB07-78-C-3806 Code Ident No. 13567 US 56592C 7837 and 56720C 7837 Both of them have white colored PC. |
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