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Posted: 6/18/2016 10:49:15 AM EDT
| I've been looking for the last couple days on a step by step PVS14 DIY build procedure, and have come up with a few tidbits of info, but not enough to get me started. I've played with NV one time in the past (my wife was a flight nurse, and she had issued flight goggles, not sure which model) and the experience was awesome ! They also had a PVS14 unit they used as a handheld. Anyway, here I am wanting a PVS14 type setup. The big issue for me (like many others, I'd imagine), is cost. I'd love to be able to call up TNVC and order a new PVS14. However, I'm not willing to commit that much for what may just ultimately be a toy. My initial usage would be night driving around the pasture in a UTV, firearms use with an IR laser setup, some night time hog hunting, etc. It looks like I should be able to build up a PVS, or one of the aftermarket housings like the Pitbull for a reasonable cost, say $1500 or so. Some of my questions that I haven't been able to answer are, auto-gated tube or not ? Which model tube should I be looking for ?? Any particular tube I would want, in case I want to weapon mount the PVS behind my Aimpoint Comp M4 ? Where are some good places to buy tubes ? I don't mind buying a cheaper tube with blemishes to get started for now. My thought is that I could always buy a better tube down the road for another build, if I end up wanting to do another build. Looks like a purge is not necessary, but I do have dry nitrogen at work, and TIG welding gas at home. Thanks for any input ! |
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You can get a PVS-14 housing new for $650 or so. Being as you want to mount behind a RD sight I recommend a recoil resistant used tube such as a MX-10160A non gated Anvis tube. They can be found used for 6 to 8 hundred. They are non gated tubes but perform very well.
As far as building it many internet videos exist however they are not totally complete and give a overall estimation of the process. With that said many guys here can help you with the build. Many here have built scopes. Good thing about starting with a new milspec housing is the tube can be swapped or upgraded at any time. AB night vision also has many fine aftermarket housings for different types of builds. Best advice I have is to take your time and use this forum as a resource. First step is to get all your parts in order and the forum can help with the rest. Ideally you would want a autogated variable gain MX-11769 tube but they are a bit high in price for the budget build you are looking for. |
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Thanks for the info ! I'll be sure to go over this forum for the next couple of weeks, then start purchasing parts. Seems like I could just go ahead and get a pvs14 complete parts kit, and start from there. Thanks again, and I'm sure I'll have some more questions down the line.
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This video will give you a general idea of how the PVS 14 is assembled.
You are probably going to want to look for a mx10160 gen 3 tube. Autogated is great, but not necessary. Just be careful of how much light you expose it to. Do your research on tubes & figure out what you are looking for. This page is very helpful. |
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Quoted:
You can get a PVS-14 housing new for $650 or so. Being as you want to mount behind a RD sight I recommend a recoil resistant used tube such as a MX-10160A non gated Anvis tube. They can be found used for 6 to 8 hundred. They are non gated tubes but perform very well. As far as building it many internet videos exist however they are not totally complete and give a overall estimation of the process. With that said many guys here can help you with the build. Many here have built scopes. Good thing about starting with a new milspec housing is the tube can be swapped or upgraded at any time. AB night vision also has many fine aftermarket housings for different types of builds. Best advice I have is to take your time and use this forum as a resource. First step is to get all your parts in order and the forum can help with the rest. Ideally you would want a autogated variable gain MX-11769 tube but they are a bit high in price for the budget build you are looking for. Where? At one time they were everywhere for that price. I haven't been able to find one in ages. I need one more to complete a project thats been sitting on my bench for months. |
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Quoted:
Where? At one time they were everywhere for that price. I haven't been able to find one in ages. I need one more to complete a project thats been sitting on my bench for months. Quoted:
Quoted:
You can get a PVS-14 housing new for $650 or so. Being as you want to mount behind a RD sight I recommend a recoil resistant used tube such as a MX-10160A non gated Anvis tube. They can be found used for 6 to 8 hundred. They are non gated tubes but perform very well. As far as building it many internet videos exist however they are not totally complete and give a overall estimation of the process. With that said many guys here can help you with the build. Many here have built scopes. Good thing about starting with a new milspec housing is the tube can be swapped or upgraded at any time. AB night vision also has many fine aftermarket housings for different types of builds. Best advice I have is to take your time and use this forum as a resource. First step is to get all your parts in order and the forum can help with the rest. Ideally you would want a autogated variable gain MX-11769 tube but they are a bit high in price for the budget build you are looking for. Where? At one time they were everywhere for that price. I haven't been able to find one in ages. I need one more to complete a project thats been sitting on my bench for months. After BRIEFLY looking a dealer right here on ARF sells them for $699.00 with the discount code arfcom14. 
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_172/1544730_Milspec_PVS_14_Parts_Kits_with_ARFCOM_Discount_Code___UltimateNightVision_com.html I happen to know about what dealers pay for the kits and they are not making a ton. Pretty good deal. |
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After BRIEFLY looking a dealer right here on ARF sells them for $699.00 with the discount code arfcom14.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_172/1544730_Milspec_PVS_14_Parts_Kits_with_ARFCOM_Discount_Code___UltimateNightVision_com.html I happen to know about what dealers pay for the kits and they are not making a ton. Pretty good deal. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You can get a PVS-14 housing new for $650 or so. Being as you want to mount behind a RD sight I recommend a recoil resistant used tube such as a MX-10160A non gated Anvis tube. They can be found used for 6 to 8 hundred. They are non gated tubes but perform very well. As far as building it many internet videos exist however they are not totally complete and give a overall estimation of the process. With that said many guys here can help you with the build. Many here have built scopes. Good thing about starting with a new milspec housing is the tube can be swapped or upgraded at any time. AB night vision also has many fine aftermarket housings for different types of builds. Best advice I have is to take your time and use this forum as a resource. First step is to get all your parts in order and the forum can help with the rest. Ideally you would want a autogated variable gain MX-11769 tube but they are a bit high in price for the budget build you are looking for. Where? At one time they were everywhere for that price. I haven't been able to find one in ages. I need one more to complete a project thats been sitting on my bench for months. After BRIEFLY looking a dealer right here on ARF sells them for $699.00 with the discount code arfcom14.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_172/1544730_Milspec_PVS_14_Parts_Kits_with_ARFCOM_Discount_Code___UltimateNightVision_com.html I happen to know about what dealers pay for the kits and they are not making a ton. Pretty good deal. I thought your 6-800 used number is regarding the tubes, not the kit. I think caver101 was thinking the same thing and wanted to find a tube for that price.. why would I spend 6-800 used for a kit when as you mentioned you can get new for around $650. |
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I thought your 6-800 used number is regarding the tubes, not the kit. I think caver101 was thinking the same thing and wanted to find a tube for that price.. why would I spend 6-800 used for a kit when as you mentioned you can get new for around $650. Quoted:
Quoted:
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Quoted:
You can get a PVS-14 housing new for $650 or so. Being as you want to mount behind a RD sight I recommend a recoil resistant used tube such as a MX-10160A non gated Anvis tube. They can be found used for 6 to 8 hundred. They are non gated tubes but perform very well. As far as building it many internet videos exist however they are not totally complete and give a overall estimation of the process. With that said many guys here can help you with the build. Many here have built scopes. Good thing about starting with a new milspec housing is the tube can be swapped or upgraded at any time. AB night vision also has many fine aftermarket housings for different types of builds. Best advice I have is to take your time and use this forum as a resource. First step is to get all your parts in order and the forum can help with the rest. Ideally you would want a autogated variable gain MX-11769 tube but they are a bit high in price for the budget build you are looking for. Where? At one time they were everywhere for that price. I haven't been able to find one in ages. I need one more to complete a project thats been sitting on my bench for months. After BRIEFLY looking a dealer right here on ARF sells them for $699.00 with the discount code arfcom14.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_172/1544730_Milspec_PVS_14_Parts_Kits_with_ARFCOM_Discount_Code___UltimateNightVision_com.html I happen to know about what dealers pay for the kits and they are not making a ton. Pretty good deal. I thought your 6-800 used number is regarding the tubes, not the kit. I think caver101 was thinking the same thing and wanted to find a tube for that price.. why would I spend 6-800 used for a kit when as you mentioned you can get new for around $650. I thought he was wanting the kit and misread. The used tubes can be had for 6 to 800 as well. That is what a used MX-10160A sells for. I see them all the time on Ebay, EE. |
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I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it.
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Quoted:
We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. Quoted:
Quoted:
I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? |
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The military directives I've seen (believe it's in the TM?) indicate you are supposed to have the scopes re-purged every six months. Most of the time this only ends up happening before a deployment, if at all.
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About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? |
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Quoted:
About every 2 weeks, or so right?
Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right?
Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? They say every two years but I bet it is all gone before 1. I believe the military issue is done every two years. For home use ? I don't purge my own stuff and never have an issue. I do assemble in a low humidity controlled environment. |
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Quoted:
The military directives I've seen (believe it's in the TM?) indicate you are supposed to have the scopes re-purged every six months. Most of the time this only ends up happening before a deployment, if at all. Quoted:
The military directives I've seen (believe it's in the TM?) indicate you are supposed to have the scopes re-purged every six months. Most of the time this only ends up happening before a deployment, if at all. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? Would like to see some links to your advice. |
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Dino-
I pulled it up, in the -23&P purging is part of the 180 day service. It is supposed to be done upon receipt of the monocular and, presumably every 180 days. In my experience because purging is a higher echelon of repair the purge kits aren't held at unit level and the optics techs tend to be held at Division, it's rarely done. The conventional military doesn't track PMCS for most optics so its hard to tell someone isn't doing it (although we do for the Medium Range Thermal Binoculars... very odd). Quoted:
Would like to see some links to your advice. Quoted:
Quoted:
The military directives I've seen (believe it's in the TM?) indicate you are supposed to have the scopes re-purged every six months. Most of the time this only ends up happening before a deployment, if at all. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? Would like to see some links to your advice. |
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Quoted: They say every two years but I bet it is all gone before 1. I believe the military issue is done every two years. For home use ? I don't purge my own stuff and never have an issue. I do assemble in a low humidity controlled environment. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I do hope when your build is completed that you perform a dry nitrogen purge on the unit to ensure your housing is moisture free. We preach the canned air method for the diy crowd. Canned air is not air but inert gases and it does a fair job for those lacking a pro purge machine. I use nitrogen but most don't need that investment when canned air gets it done. Now, if your life depends on your gear by all means get a pro to do it. About every 2 weeks, or so right? Is there an official statement or study on how long a typical PVS-14 purge lasts in a device that has the objective lens moved frequently from use? They say every two years but I bet it is all gone before 1. I believe the military issue is done every two years. For home use ? I don't purge my own stuff and never have an issue. I do assemble in a low humidity controlled environment. If you saw what the Ranger students do to 14's in the swamps etc you would be amazed how tough they are. |
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I figured with the Objective moving constantly under use, that nitrogen gas would be useless in a couple of weeks. 6 months surprises me. Good to know. :-) You get different figures depending on who you ask. I have seen 4 years for home use. Nitrogen is a small molecule and it does not stay put very well. Argon would be a better choice but is more pricey. Many high end optics use argon. I don't live on a two way range so purging is of little use for me. I see the value for others whose life depends on it though. Pigs, rats, ground hogs and such don't shoot back at me so I aint skeered... 
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I've seen a few 14s that held a leak check without loss over long periods of time... and others that dropped 2-3 inhg, or more, in just a couple of minutes. Part of it comes down to how well your o-rings are holding up. I suspect the ones seeing constant use out in the field have a short fuse. I usually purge mine at six month intervals just for shits and giggles, but that is just me. Also, I got tired of opening one up, only to find a few stray specs of dust on the lenses after re-assembly. I put this together a few months ago and it works like a champ. ShopVac port on the left and an intake filter on the right with gloves in the center. I'd hate to try and work with it all day long, but for the occasional tear down it works perfect.  |
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