repairing old broken night-vision binoculars?

[mizzou]

I had a pair of old soviet military spec binoculars (I think version 1 or 2 nightvision) and someone had left it on with the batteries in it while putting it away.

I found it a few years ago and took it back home with me (i had it stored at the parents) and when I opened up the battery tray (6 double aa's in a sheath that stuff into a metal tube between the binocs), there was significant battery leakage.

I tried using new batteries and even using some battery terminal cleaner to no avail.

Any ideas on what to do to get this thing working again?

 

[Modelworks]

Your probably going to have to disassemble them and clean it thoroughly with some isopropyl alcohol.

Night vision equipment from that era used power supplies that stepped up the battery voltage to several KV, so I suspect you have some leakage shorting that stage out.

 

[mizzou]

cool, i will try that out

they look like this

http://www.russianoptics.com/night_vision_4x_1.jpg

i swear i only paid $100 for them though (refurb)

 

[mizzou]

ok... I'm having some problems removing the switch assembly.

Wish I could upload some pics, but there is a on/off switch on the top of the tube directly ontop of where the batteries slide into the tube (you can see on pic link above)

inside the tube you can see two metallic points of contact for the + and - end of the two aa batteries. At the top there is this circle looking thing with a small metal needle pointing down ( bout 1-2mm long). There is a metal line with a loop on it that is kind of in position to make contact with the needle, but it doesn't really make contact.

There is significant amount of white powdery junk near the small metal needle, so I'm thinking when you hit the on switch it is suppose to physically make contact with that metal loop, which completes the circuit.

Question is. I can't figure out how to get that thing to move and make contact =)

 

[Throckmorton]

In Soviet Russia, binoculars night vision you!

 

[Cowpoke]

I just picked up a pair of NV Binoculars that look just like the picture you posted.
I got them cheap as they don't work. Did you make any progress in your fix? I assume the cap on the end opposite the screw on battery cover is supposed to come off but I don't want to force it if it does not.
Also, what did you figure out on the contact pin assembly by the switch?

Thanks for any guidance,

Robert