How waterproof is a PVS-14?

[Dan Forrester]

I went down to the beach a few days ago to look for sea turtles with my TNVC PVS-14 and of course got it covered with salt spray. When I got home I cleaned it off with a damp cloth as best as I could. Now a few days later I got to thing that since this thing is waterproof why don’t I just dunk it in some fresh water?

My plan is to remove the battery, LIF, sacrificial window, demist shield and eye cup and then dunk the entire thing into some distilled water. I’m only thinking for 5 or 10 seconds and lightly swish it around. After that I will dry it with a cotton cloth and blow it out with my air compressor. Before firing it up again I’ll let it dry inside the house for 12 hours. The AC here in Florida is always on this time of year and the humidity inside is usually 40-50%

It’s a little scary dunking a $4,000 optic underwater but from everything I read it shouldn’t be a problem. What does everyone here think?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[FL-NC]

Well, a MILITARY ISSUE 14 would be fine, as these are all made to such specs. They are regularly rained on, in rucksacks during river crossings, and even carried during amphibious and combat swimmer ops. A civilian version is made to whatever specs they use. The most prudent move is to contact the manufacturer/assembler.

 

[taliv]

That’s pretty much the answer

 

[Dan Forrester]

Update:

TNVC said it was no problem temporarily submerging their PVS-14.

I basically did exactly as I described above and dunked the thing in a Tupperware container full of distilled water and swished it around for maybe 10 seconds.

It had no ill effects on it whatsoever!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Steve762us]

I basically did exactly as I described above and dunked the thing

In the future, recommend you rinse instead of dunking. Less pressure on seals that may wear/give way over time.