Night Vision Coti battery packs

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Totdoc

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Apr 3, 2018
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#1
So I've been looking for a pas29 coti battery pack...
The old coti and the ecoti use a different connector, right?
I feel like this is one of those situations where a 3d printer could be really helpful.
Has anyone had any success making their own connectors, or sourcing connectors?
Or does anyone have a pack around they are willing to part with?

To be clear, I'm not looking for a y cable...I just want to power the coti
 
#6
Yep someone needs to manufacture a professional quality solution to external power for the COTI.

The threads on the battery cap and battery housing are all the same on the Nivisys Tacs M, Pas 29A COTI and ECOTI.

An Anker Candi Bar will power one for 20 hrs.


Per my conversations with these guys, they are on the verge of making a decision on building a COTI version similar to what they have done for the DTNVG.


Maybe if everyone sent them an email requesting a COTI external power system that would help them make their final decision.

www.executive-firearms.com

DTNVG Battery Pack Adapter | Executive Training

The DTNVG Integrated Cable Connector, lovingly known as the DICC was created to extend the life of the DTNVG and utilize a battery pack for functional counterweighting of the helmet. The DICC has been in development for over a year, evolving and improving in both design and materials. The DICC...
www.executive-firearms.com www.executive-firearms.com
 
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#8
Or if someone could make a battery extension like they do for the breach or nox. While its not as nice as being able to plug it into an anker it seems like something that could easily get made if enough people showed interest. The 18650 are too large but I believe a 16650 would work. I'm a knuckle dragger so have no idea about the electronic side of it though. My nox extender is just a piece of tube with threads and an o ring groove machined into it.

That cap above would be awesome. Some of the candy bars have multiple outputs so I could power my nox and coti off the same pack. If in the 500$ range I'd be interested.
 
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#9
I have spent a lot of time talking with the guys at Optics 1 (great guys by the way). The ECOTI uses a 4 pin connector to the ECOTI housing where the COTI uses a 2 pin connector.

I have a long thread on Y cable issues here, in case you find it helpful. @SierraLima has talked about coming up with some cable options at some point.

www.snipershide.com

Night Vision - PVS1531 + COTI Battery Issues (with and w/o battery pack)

So I have one of the L3 sets of PVS1531 goggles. Always had short battery life, like 1-2ish hours max. One time when I was out I swapped 3 batteries in 15 minutes. Come to find out, I haven’t been using lithium AA’s, just regular alkaline. @WillHugh had had no problem with his and a quality...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com
 
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#10
NHPiper said:
I have spent a lot of time talking with the guys at Optics 1 (great guys by the way). The ECOTI uses a 4 pin connector to the ECOTI housing where the COTI uses a 2 pin connector.

I have a long thread on Y cable issues here, in case you find it helpful. @SierraLima has talked about coming up with some cable options at some point.

www.snipershide.com

Night Vision - PVS1531 + COTI Battery Issues (with and w/o battery pack)

So I have one of the L3 sets of PVS1531 goggles. Always had short battery life, like 1-2ish hours max. One time when I was out I swapped 3 batteries in 15 minutes. Come to find out, I haven’t been using lithium AA’s, just regular alkaline. @WillHugh had had no problem with his and a quality...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com
Click to expand...

I read most of that thread and wow what a shit show. You are a man of infinite patience. I'd be pissed for what you spent to get screwed like that. This just can't be that hard. My nox will run off of any 10$ Amazon battery pack for hours.
 
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#12
GreenMushroom said:
Or if someone could make a battery extension like they do for the breach or nox. While its not as nice as being able to plug it into an anker it seems like something that could easily get made if enough people showed interest. The 18650 are too large but I believe a 16650 would work. I'm a knuckle dragger so have no idea about the electronic side of it though. My nox extender is just a piece of tube with threads and an o ring groove machined into it.

That cap above would be awesome. Some of the candy bars have multiple outputs so I could power my nox and coti off the same pack. If in the 500$ range I'd be interested.
Click to expand...
16650 comes off battery charger at 4.20 volts. Too much voltage for COTI. There is no way to step the 16650 battery down to 3.2 Volts.

3.2 Volts is where you need to be for COTI. Warning label on COTI says Max Voltage 3.5 V.

When you come off of the Anker battery it is at 5.18 V and you use a step down buck regulator to step it down to 3.2 Volts.

1620616877770.png
 
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#13
NHPiper said:
Yeah, poor design by the manufacturer unfortunately.
Click to expand...
So, NH Piper if you can use your connections with the Engineers over at Safran/Optics 1 to find out who makes this connector and what the name model number of it is or find a source for these connectors I can easily make everyone's life much happier with the COTI.

This is the latch type 2 pin connector that fits the Pas 29A COTI's.

1620617881931.png
 

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#14
Gotcha. I've read a bit about the voltages of the different batteries but honestly its over my head. I use my coti as an always on early warning sensor so auxiliary power would be great. That device you outlined seems pretty straightforward. I know its going to be expensive for what it is because of the low volume. Hopefully under 500. 1000 would be kinda hard to stomach for for some wires and a cap.
 
#16
Jong said:
Is there an issue with using rechargeable AA batteries?
Click to expand...
I tried to run some high quality AA rechargeable batteries in a OEM Battery Box and Cable and they will only register 0.80 volts coming out of the end of the cable.

The positive and negative prongs at the end of the cable are so small I am not able to attach the positive and negative of my voltmeter and at the same time have my 3rd hand take a photo. :LOL:

1620652599533.png
 
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#17
I just put energizer rechargeable batteries in my pack and they worked fine. I didn't even think it'd be an issue. Should I not have done that? I haven't had the time to use it for a length of time to test the run time.
 
#18
Jong said:
I just put energizer rechargeable batteries in my pack and they worked fine. I didn't even think it'd be an issue. Should I not have done that? I haven't had the time to use it for a length of time to test the run time.
Click to expand...
Is that will the same exact OEM battery pack as above which has the snap on fitting or with a different set up that has the newer style latch fitting that attaches to the Pas 29A COTI.
 
#21
Yes, Sierra Lima is correct. It is the same exact as what I showed in the picture. The Blackube rechargeables do not work in it but they do have the rechargeable micro port in them and I have seen them do funny things in other devices as well. Might need to try a different rechargeable AA in that OEM Battery pack.
 
#22
WhereNow&How said:
Yes, Sierra Lima is correct. It is the same exact as what I showed in the picture. The Blackube rechargeables do not work in it but they do have the rechargeable micro port in them and I have seen them do funny things in other devices as well. Might need to try a different rechargeable AA in that OEM Battery pack.
Click to expand...

The energizer rechargeables have worked fine so far, but as I said I haven't had the opportunity to use it that much. I will be using it a lot in June but the batteries will be provided by Uncle Sam so will just use those batteries.
 
#23
WhereNow&How, there was a good video on youtube on a channel called Project Farm for rechargeable AAs. He compared a lot of brands and put them through various tests with lots if data gathered, was very informative. If I recall correctly the Eneloop batteries and a specific Amazon Prime battery did the best overall

I dont remember usb rechargeables tested but i think it was due to his test and charging stations being able to measure the individual battery capacities.
 
#24
SierraLima said:
WhereNow&How, there was a good video on youtube on a channel called Project Farm for rechargeable AAs. He compared a lot of brands and put them through various tests with lots if data gathered, was very informative. If I recall correctly the Eneloop batteries and a specific Amazon Prime battery did the best overall

I dont remember usb rechargeables tested but i think it was due to his test and charging stations being able to measure the individual battery capacities.
Click to expand...
Yep, I saw that review. Excellent review.

The USB rechargeables will act a little different if in series or parallel sequence due to the protections in the USB built in charging protections.

Still and all, my Anker Candi Bars give me a 20 hour run time so it was not imperative that I get the OEM battery pack working with rechargeables but when I get a chance I will check out non USB rechargeable AA in the OEM battery pack and see what is up.
 
#25
10-4 gotcha, havent messed wkth that type of rechargeable yet, but yes very good video.

I have been looking as well for that coti plug, I think NHPiper is our only hope on finding a source. Will let you know if I do, and i will let you know once I finally get around to that little project we discussed. Im way behind on doing one for NHPiper/Skyscraping but my work should be slowing down very soon and give me the time I need
 
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#26
WhereNow&How said:
Yep, I saw that review. Excellent review.

The USB rechargeables will act a little different if in series or parallel sequence due to the protections in the USB built in charging protections.

Still and all, my Anker Candi Bars give me a 20 hour run time so it was not imperative that I get the OEM battery pack working with rechargeables but when I get a chance I will check out non USB rechargeable AA in the OEM battery pack and see what is up.
Click to expand...

This. Ankers please. I'm not paying 500 dollars to hook my coti up to some AAs. After using the nox setup I'm amazed they send our troops out in the field with that junk but I suppose I shouldn't be.

If I remember right you have a functional prototype but the guy wasn't sure if he was going to make more?
 
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#28
GreenMushroom said:
I'm not paying 500 dollars to hook my coti up to some AAs. After using the nox setup I'm amazed they send our troops out in the field with that junk but I suppose I shouldn't be.
Click to expand...
Well, the OEM manufacturer was charging Uncle Sugar around $1,600 I think for the Pas 29A complete battery and cable assembly.

And they wonder why we are $31 Trillion in debt (likely much higher but they won't admit it). Yeah boy, glad we have good stewards of the taxpayers money.

Imagine what it would be if we had some bad ones.
 
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#29
Probably because Uncle Sugar got burned before by having unique batteries for equipment is why AA batteries are used. My unit has a Melios lrf that's completely useless because we can't get batteries for it anymore.
 
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#31
Jong said:
Probably because Uncle Sugar got burned before by having unique batteries for equipment is why AA batteries are used. My unit has a Melios lrf that's completely useless because we can't get batteries for it anymore.
Click to expand...

Which is why they should be using USB power supply. Anker type are cheap enough to be used as disposable or recharged if that is an option. Also extensions for 18650 in place of the cr123 is a no brainer. Again issue them charged and throw away when discharged or recharge if available. Anker type and 18650s have to be produced in the millions per year and are available everywhere. N-vision did this with there noxs at an affordable price for the civilian market so there's no reason the military can't do it with the resources they have available.
 
#33
GreenMushroom said:
Which is why they should be using USB power supply. Anker type are cheap enough to be used as disposable or recharged if that is an option. Also extensions for 18650 in place of the cr123 is a no brainer. Again issue them charged and throw away when discharged or recharge if available. Anker type and 18650s have to be produced in the millions per year and are available everywhere. N-vision did this with there noxs at an affordable price for the civilian market so there's no reason the military can't do it with the resources they have available.
Click to expand...

COTIs didn't just come to the market. I'm not a complete expert but those type of power supplies probably weren't that popular back then. DOD is a huge bureaucracy and it isn't easy to just change something that really has a limited use. AAs are used in so many different uses and as of now there's only so many units that use battery packs for NVGs. The biggest thing about DOD is logistics and making it as simple as possible. DOD is a complex beast.
 
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#35
I could see water and dust egress issues being a big reason why the use of a USB battery pack doesn't make much sense, while an 18650 in a COTI would be a decent amount of additional bulk up front.
 
#36
Default.mp3 said:
I could see water and dust egress issues being a big reason why the use of a USB battery pack doesn't make much sense, while an 18650 in a COTI would be a decent amount of additional bulk up front.
Click to expand...
A 18650 battery is to wide to fit into the CR123 battery compartment on a COTI. A 16650 would with a battery extender BUUUUUT wrong voltage.

Well, I've been powering COTI's for over a year with Anker Candy Bar batteries with zero issues. It is pretty easy to encase an Anker Candi Bar battery in a waterproof dustproof holder. I have not had a reason to do that yet, but would be simple.

I do not know any other power system out there that can run a COTI for 20 hrs. Sure is nice.
 
#38
Nivisys Tacs M COTI, Pas 29A COTI and ECOTI all share the same exact battery cap and battery compartment dimensions.

So CR123 battery width ONLY.

Hecque, I think someone said the ECOTI OEM battery pack and cables are like north of $3,000.00

That is highway robbery.
 
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#39
I'd read the ecoti was the same and the battery back is supposedly shit. Thats my point. It seems it could have been easily improved. I know the guys at N-vision are smart but I find it hard to believe the people that designed the ecoti couldn't have come up with something similar. Speaking of the original coti is it not of a similar vintage technology wise to the breach and you run battery extensions on those. The only conclusion I can come to is they're gonna get our tax dollars either way so they just don't give a shit. To be clear I'm a knuckle dragging end user and I'm not trying to make a technical point only venting at the absurdity of the situation.
 
#40
GreenMushroom said:
I'd read the ecoti was the same and the battery back is supposedly shit. Thats my point. It seems it could have been easily improved. I know the guys at N-vision are smart but I find it hard to believe the people that designed the ecoti couldn't have come up with something similar.
Click to expand...
Yep, you would have thunk they would have improved the battery situation on an improved ECOTI.

Especially considering the "New Improved Price" :rolleyes:


GreenMushroom said:
Speaking of the original coti is it not of a similar vintage technology wise to the breach and you run battery extensions on those.
Click to expand...
The original COTI and Breach are not similar vintage technology.

The Pas 29 COTI has 25 micron pitch sensors. The Breach has 12 micron pitch sensors.

But here is the substantive big difference between the two devices.

The COTI is projecting a thermal image into your NV and to be honest, only White Outline is what matters. Full Thermal Mode or Patrol Thermal Mode are basically useless for the task the COTI excels at and was designed for.

The Breach is a stand alone device that produces a full thermal image of everything it sees.

They truly are completely different devices that are each suited better for their assigned roll. It is not proper IMHO to really compare them against each other.

Thermal sensor size and micron pixel pitch which scope or monocular is right for me?​

 
#41
Email out to the Executive Firearms outfit listed above. They responded back with a very non-committal we're thinking about it type of email. Basically they just said to sign up for their email notification list to be kept up to date on pending projects. I'm not a fan of that so I decided just to check their site on occasion. I just tried to link to their site and got a domain not attached to a website notification. Hopefully they're not belly up. I got my coti back from repair and it looks like run times in the cold might still be a problem so I need a longer lasting run time solution.
 
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#43
Smeeg said:
Please someone post when there’s a cap made for anker type battery’s or another solution wish I was smart enough to make myself.
Click to expand...
Hang in there. Just got off the phone with the man that can make it happen a few minutes ago. Not at liberty to say who it is, but he said things are in the works. Maybe in a couple of months they may be available again.

This is solid hope. He was the man that made it happen in the past.

Also, FYI his system works very very well. An Anker Candy Bar will power a COTI for 20 hours at around 70 degrees fahrenheit.
 
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#44
WhereNow&How said:
16650 comes off battery charger at 4.20 volts. Too much voltage for COTI. There is no way to step the 16650 battery down to 3.2 Volts.

3.2 Volts is where you need to be for COTI. Warning label on COTI says Max Voltage 3.5 V.

When you come off of the Anker battery it is at 5.18 V and you use a step down buck regulator to step it down to 3.2 Volts.

View attachment 7621886
Click to expand...

I have a stand alone coti battery pack as well as a coti Y cable with pvs31 battery pack and both read 5.4 volts FYI
I also read what you stated in the manual
“The coti system uses a maximum of 3.7v DC in the internal battery compartment”
Must be the external charging port is designed to handle 5.4 volts
 
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#45
Smeeg said:
Must be the external charging port is designed to handle 5.4 volts
Click to expand...
Yes, that appears to be correct per my voltage testing of the regular Pas 29 COTI battery pack and cable that hooks onto the external port. Apparently it must have a step down voltage regulator attached to it.

I do not think that the internal battery bay is also attached to a step down voltage regulator. Not 100% on that as I have not had the balls to insert a 4.2 V RCR 123 to try it out and possibly fry a unit.
 
#46
WhereNow&How said:
Yes, that appears to be correct per my voltage testing of the regular Pas 29 COTI battery pack and cable that hooks onto the external port. Apparently it must have a step down voltage regulator attached to it.

I do not think that the internal battery bay is also attached to a step down voltage regulator. Not 100% on that as I have not had the balls to insert a 4.2 V RCR 123 to try it out and possibly fry a unit.
Click to expand...
Alright someone pop in a 4.2v RCR for science lol
 
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