Night Vision PVS-14 black boxing question.

[nikonNUT]

Hey all,
Got a question about black boxing a PVS-14. I understand the process and it is, obviously, really simple but there is one facet I can't find any information on. What is the best setting for the gain during the process? All the way up? All the way down? Doesn't make a difference either way? I loaned mine out any it has a VERY small blem. I know, I know, but the dude is solid and for him buying a PVS-14 is like me buying a battery for a PVS-14 and if it was really hurt he would have replaced it for me. But back to gain. What's the best setting and/or does it matter?

 

[Dogtown]

Max gain

 

[shoobe01]

Agree, max gain. And: you cannot be black enough as you are leaving it on for a long time, and an error can make it much worse. Find or make solid caps, in a dark-colored or lined, case, inside a pelican case, in the back of a closet, in a room which generally has the lights off.

Blem? I'd say show us but you know it won't fix manufacturing defects or emission points, just burn in. And those also will /generally/ go away under normal use anyway, just serious or large ones can be distracting until then.

Anyway, I've totally seen sudden blem/burn/damage actually just be dirt knocked loose onto the optics or intensifier, etc. Burn in has a look distinct from other marks so if not sure, post it, and I'd myself take it apart and clean before I black boxed.

 

[nikonNUT]

Agree, max gain. And: you cannot be black enough as you are leaving it on for a long time, and an error can make it much worse. Find or make solid caps, in a dark-colored or lined, case, inside a pelican case, in the back of a closet, in a room which generally has the lights off.

Blem? I'd say show us but you know it won't fix manufacturing defects or emission points, just burn in. And those also will /generally/ go away under normal use anyway, just serious or large ones can be distracting until then.

Anyway, I've totally seen sudden blem/burn/damage actually just be dirt knocked loose onto the optics or intensifier, etc. Burn in has a look distinct from other marks so if not sure, post it, and I'd myself take it apart and clean before I black boxed.

Gotcha. It might very well be dirt. I'll give it a tap and see if it moves. As for black enough. I have the day cover on with electrical tape over the pin hole and the whole unit is in one of those knockoff pelican cases. Black enough? Serous question. As for use when I "think" it happened... Dark field with a 5x magnifier on. Not sure if an illuminator was being used or not. I'll give it a shake and play with it for a few nights and see if it improves. Not trying to do the "Sheetrock Ranger" way of testing...

 

[shoobe01]

Yup, should be good. You can also check if you trust the day cap you got by... looking. Turn on with it on with the lights on (and the eyecup in normal position to get best, un-molested view) and see if any glow at all, to check for light leaks.

Illuminator /shouldn't/ burn in but yeah many more bets are off for any number of light sources with magnification.

 

[Lowdown3]

An IR burn or careless inside the house use of onboard illuminator burn is fairly distinct.

If it's something small that you know is "new" to the view, it's likely debris in field. Essentially something was missed in the cleaning inside the unit and has come loose and is now in the view.

This the unit you had problems with before?

 

[softcock]

An IR burn or careless inside the house use of onboard illuminator burn is fairly distinct.

If it's something small that you know is "new" to the view, it's likely debris in field. Essentially something was missed in the cleaning inside the unit and has come loose and is now in the view.

This the unit you had problems with before?

' Flake/Debri ' .. had this happen to me this year . never had a problem with the unit, but a spot just appeared at about 7 o'clock after I turned on when out hunting. I thought was a burn from some unknown IR or other that happened in the field.
But few weeks latter was out hunting, turned-on the pvs14, and the spot just shifted position to about 4 o'clock in image. then It dawned on me that it was just a flake that was floating around and I need a good cleaning .
After that, picked up the helmet and turned-on ... was just Gone.
.

 

[nikonNUT]

An IR burn or careless inside the house use of onboard illuminator burn is fairly distinct.

If it's something small that you know is "new" to the view, it's likely debris in field. Essentially something was missed in the cleaning inside the unit and has come loose and is now in the view.

This the unit you had problems with before?

It is but we got it sorted out thanks to your expert advice. This is just a little spot and not knowing the condition/usage while it was out of my hands I was thinking a quick black boxing might help. I was probably bouncing around in a 4x4 and it knocked some crud loose and it settled on the lens. Grand scheme of things I don't use it enough for it to bother me.

 

[Lowdown3]

Debris in field isn't uncommon, but should be able to easily rectified by whoever built your unit. Basically a clean and re-purge.