PVS-14 PRO User Manual

User Manual

PVS-14 PRO

Gen 2+ autogated analog night vision monocular with manual gain, 50 degree field of view, G24 helmet mount and J-arm.

Analog Gen 2+50 Degree FOVIP67Rev 1.1

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Read this before you take the unit out. The five rules below prevent almost every failure we see. Everything after them is detail.

The five rules

  1. Never point it at the sun, a laser, or any bright light while powered on. This burns the tube permanently and is not covered by warranty.
  2. Keep the lens cap on whenever you are not looking through it, especially in daylight.
  3. Take the battery out for storage. A leaking cell destroys the battery compartment.
  4. Do not open the housing. No user serviceable parts, and it voids your warranty.
  5. Do not touch the glass with your fingers.

01Specifications

IntensifierGen 2+
Field of view50 degrees
Runtime40 hours
Power1x AA or CR123A
Image intensifier Gen 2+ autogated
Phosphor screen P43 or P45
Field of view 50 degrees, plus or minus 2
Magnification 1x, plus or minus 0.05x
Optical distortion 2 percent
Relative illumination Greater than 70 percent
Gain control Manual
Focus range 250mm to infinity
Diopter adjustment +2 to -6
Eye relief 25mm
Exit pupil 14mm
Power 1x CR123A or 1x AA
Infrared illuminator Built in, 850nm, 20mW. A backup only: the unit amplifies ambient light and does not rely on it
Safety features Low voltage alarm, strong light protection, flip-up auto shutoff
Runtime Approximately 40 hours on a single AA battery
Weight 210g without battery
Operating temperature -20C to +45C
Water resistance IP67

02In The Box

  • PVS-14 PRO monocular
  • G24 helmet mount
  • J-arm mount
  • Eyecup
  • Carrying case
Packing list showing the monocular, helmet bracket, J-arm mount, eyecup and carrying case
What ships with the unit

Check this against your order confirmation as soon as the parcel arrives. If anything is missing or damaged in transit, email us straight away and keep the packaging.

03Know Your Unit

PVS-14 PRO with numbered callouts identifying each control and component
Component identification
  • 1Battery cap
  • 2Power switch and gain knob
  • 3Objective lens
  • 4Mounting interface
  • 5Eyepiece and diopter ring
  • 6Eyecup
  • 7Infrared illuminator
  • 8Ambient brightness sensor

04Fitting The Battery

One AA or one CR123A. Both perform the same. AA is easier to find in the field, CR123A holds up better in the cold.

The CR123A adapter is already fitted in the cap

Your unit leaves the factory with the small silver CR123A adapter screwed into the middle of the battery cap. A CR123A cell fits with it in place. An AA cell will not go in until you unscrew that adapter and take it out. It turns out by hand and needs no tool. Keep it safe, because you need it again if you go back to CR123A.

Fitting an AA cell

Hand turning the battery cap anticlockwise off the end of the monocular, the cap still held by its short lanyard
1. Unscrew the cap. It stays on its lanyard
Close up of the battery cap with the silver CR123A adapter circled in red in the middle of it, being unscrewed by hand
2. Unscrew the silver adapter out of the cap
AA cell sitting in the open battery tube, circled in red, with its raised positive end facing out toward the cap
3. AA in flat end first, raised end facing out
Hands screwing the battery cap back onto the monocular clockwise
4. Screw the cap back on until it seats
  1. Unscrew the battery cap anticlockwise and lift it off. It stays attached on its short lanyard, so it cannot be dropped.
  2. Unscrew the silver CR123A adapter out of the middle of the cap and put it somewhere safe. It comes fitted from the factory and turns out by hand.
  3. Slide the AA in flat end first, so the raised positive end faces out toward the cap, as marked on the housing.
  4. Screw the cap back on clockwise until it seats fully. That seal is what gives you the IP67 rating.

Fitting a CR123A cell

  1. Unscrew the battery cap anticlockwise and lift it off.
  2. Leave the silver adapter screwed into the cap. If you took it out for an AA, screw it back in by hand first.
  3. Insert the CR123A cell, matching the orientation marked on the housing.
  4. Screw the cap back on clockwise until it seats fully.
AA cell inserted directly, and CR123A cell inserted with the adapter fitted to the cap
Top, AA direct. Bottom, CR123A with the adapter

05Mounting

Top, monocular seated on the J-arm with the clamp screw marked A. Bottom, the assembly sliding into the helmet mount in the direction of the arrow
Top, seat on the J-arm and tighten screw A. Bottom, slide into the helmet mount until it locks
  1. Seat the monocular on the J-arm and tighten the clamp screw marked A. Snug is enough. Overtightening marks the housing.
  2. Slide the J-arm dovetail into the G24 helmet mount in the direction of the arrow until it locks.
  3. Set the fore and aft position so the eyepiece sits close to your eye without touching your brow, then lock it.
  4. Set the height and tilt so the image is centred when you look straight ahead.
  5. Pull on the unit to confirm it is locked before you move.

Swapping eyes and flipping up

Front view of the helmet showing button A which releases the unit to rotate between left and right eye
Press button A, then rotate to the other eye
Monocular flipped up on the helmet, which cuts power automatically
Flipped up. Power cuts automatically

Press the release button marked A and rotate the unit until it stops in the opposite eye position. Press the same button to swap back. Flipping the unit up on the helmet cuts power automatically, and flipping it back down restores it.

06Operation

  1. Power on. Turn the switch to ON. Turning further clockwise increases gain.
  2. Set the diopter. Rotate the eyepiece ring until the grain of the screen itself is sharp. Set this once for your eyesight and leave it alone.
  3. Focus the objective. Rotate the objective ring until the scene is sharp. Refocus whenever your working distance changes.
  4. Set gain. Use the lowest setting that gives you a usable picture. High gain all the time shortens tube life and washes out detail.
  5. Infrared, only if you need it. In near total darkness press the switch once. Press again to turn it off.
  6. Power off. Turn the switch to OFF. Remove the battery if you are storing the unit.
Two circular views through the tube, one in the left eye position and one in the right
Correctly focused view, left eye and right eye positions

Infrared gives away your position

The illuminator is a backup only. The unit amplifies the light that is already there and does not rely on it to see. At 850nm the beam shows a faint red glow at the emitter up close, and it is a floodlight to anyone else running night vision. Use it only when the unit cannot form an image on its own, and expect to be seen when you do.

The indicator light means two different things

There is one indicator and it does two jobs. Learn the difference.

Indicator Meaning What to do
Solid Infrared illuminator is ON Nothing. Press the switch again to turn it off.
Flashing Battery is low Roughly two hours left. Swap the battery.

Automatic protections

Feature Behaviour
Flip-up shutoff Powers down when rotated more than 90 degrees up, and resumes when flipped back down. Hold the switch more than 5 seconds to disable.
Strong light protection On by default at power up. Protects the tube when bright light enters the view. Hold the switch more than 5 seconds to disable.

07Care And Storage

Do
  • Blow loose grit off the lens before any wipe
  • Use lens tissue with lens fluid, circular motion from the centre out
  • Wipe the body with a barely damp cloth, then dry it
  • Store near 25C, humidity under 40 percent
  • Store with the battery removed and the cap fitted
Do not
  • Use paper towel, clothing or any abrasive cloth on the glass
  • Wipe the demist shield while it is wet
  • Wipe grit across the lens. That is how coatings get scratched
  • Store it damp, or anywhere hot
  • Leave a battery in during long storage

08Troubleshooting

Symptom Check Action
Will not power on Battery orientation and charge. Cap threads and contacts. Replace or reseat the battery. Clean the threads.
Powers off by itself Is it flipped up past 90 degrees? That is the flip-up shutoff working. Flip it back down.
Indicator flashing Battery charge. Low battery. Roughly two hours left.
Dim or grainy image Gain setting and available light. Raise gain, or switch on infrared in near total darkness.
Will not come sharp Diopter first, then objective. Fog or dirt on either lens. Reset the diopter on the screen grain, then focus the objective. Clean the glass.
Picture dips near bright areas Strong light protection engaging. Normal. It is protecting the tube. Avoid bright sources.
Infrared will not come on Test in a dark room against a close surface. If nothing happens, email support.

09Warranty And Support

Standard warranty3 months
With Operator CareUp to 12 months
Supportinfo@nightoperators.com
Onlinenightoperators.com

Your unit is covered for 3 months from delivery as standard. If you bought Operator Care, coverage extends to 12 months. We sell direct, so warranty and support come straight from us with no dealer in between. Have your order number ready.

Not covered

  • Tube damage from the sun, lasers or other bright light sources while powered on
  • Any damage after the housing has been opened
  • Corrosion from a battery left in during storage
  • Physical damage from drops or crushing

Night Operators PVS-14 PRO user manual, revision 1.1. Specifications may change without notice as the product is updated. The current version of this manual is always available at nightoperators.com.