Night Vision Leaving batteries in a PVS-14 / PAS-29 / DBAL-D2 / Terrapin PLRF?

[GBMaryland]

Ok,

So I've got a few items that I use alot, but then sit for awhile on stand-by. When I need to use them, I need them quickly, and when I don't, they sit.

The question is: What is the problem when leaving batteries in the various units?

- PVS-14 (use Lithium batteries exclusively)
- PAS-29 (have to use CR123a... and I have noticed that the battery will die if left in the unit for any length of time. I also have an external battery pack, and it will VERY slowly discharge in place of the internal battery if left connected.)
- DBAL-D2 (uses a CR123a)
- Terrapin PLRF (uses two CR123a batteries and will discharge at a monumentally slow rate)

Does leaving batteries in units cause damage? ...or is it more an issue of leakage with things like alkaline batteries, etc. [I have yet to see a lithium battery leak in anything.]

At one point I did use a PEQ-2A (before it was returned to the Army), and that sucker would destroy batteries and cause alkaline batteries to leak; lithium AA's just drained.

Thoughts?

GB

 

[shooter6.5]

First
A battery that leaks will more than likely cause damage to the unit. Had that happen to a couple lights.
I do not leave batteries in a unit if it is going to be in any container that will get very hot, Trunk of a car, in Texas.
If I use a unit repeatedly and they are brought into a climate controlled location I will leave the batteries in. If it is for an extended period of down time-overseas 60 day gig, then the batteries come out of all of my gear.

I have the items you mention plus some and have had no problem with any of them.

 

[GBMaryland]

That's consistent with what I suspected.

When the devices are stored, they are in climate controlled environments. When they come out for use, they get some number 10s of minutes to allow them to warm up to ambient (not always, but generally).

I will tell you that after the one beastie was noticed to destroy / cause leakage, I switched over to lithium AAs and that never happened again. There was slight corrosion of the battery tubes though.

 

[Strykervet]

I use AA lithiums in everything that'll accept them. But I also remove batteries, regardless of type, from devices like these too. Anything that'll drain the battery when in storage, you should remove them from that item. Things like Surefire lights and the like, they're fine to leave in. PEQ-2A? It can drain a set of batteries in no time flat, even when off. I've noticed that too.

Biggest problem is that when batteries drain, they can also leak, and the leaking combined with trapped moisture and/or humidity, now add temp. fluctuations, and that is what damages the devices most, sometimes beyond repair. You know, the poisonous, green, crusty shit? That's with regular alkaline batteries anyway, the most common. Not sure what the drawbacks of lithiums under constant drain and long storage are.

Since I have to put batteries in the NODs, what I always did was to store my batteries together (but separate, I don't mix 'em) along with spares in the NODs case. When I put batteries in the NODs, I put 'em in the PEQ. When they came out of the NODs, they came out of the PEQ, super simple, no problems ever. Besides, you can't use one without the other (considering the rifle) anyway, so it's a good protocol or SOP or whatever you wanna call it.

Bottom line, take your batteries out and have a plan for putting your shit together in the dark.