Eotech Battery Life Problem or Disappointment

[ShaneS]

I have an Eotech with the N sized batteries. I don't think I'm getting good battery life, nowhere near 200 hours. I use it on the higher brightness settings since I mainly shoot in bright sunlight but am careful to turn it off each time. Is this normal or do I have a problem? This last set of batteries didn't last 5 months with just occasional use. Do the batteries discharge just sitting in the sight?

[El Duderino]

Originally posted by ShaneS
Do the batteries discharge just sitting in the sight?



Mine sure seem like they do to some extent.
<img src=http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/855/eotechol0.jpg>




But I did find a fix for the problem...
<img src=http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/4062/aimpointti1.jpg>


:supergrin:

[MrMurphy]

My Aimpoint is running on the original battery, 1.7 years after first being turned on, running 8-15 hours a day six days a week. :)

[ShipWreck]

My N batteries that came with mine only lasted 3 months. I did turn it on and off to play with it inside - but even with range use, I would have gotten 30 hours MAYBE.

I put new ones in March, but haven't used it much lately - Since this was a second set of brand NEW batteries I put in, I have a better guage on how fresh they were compared to what was in the eotech when it shipped.

I am curious to see how long these will last. It must have a constant drain even when not on.

I thought I could go once a year and just change batteries to be on the safeside. But, I don't know now...

[SlamFire1]

My N Batts do the same thing in my 511.....I am currently thinking of swapping my optics around because of it :upeyes:

[Eric911]

Yes, EOTech's eat N batteries and there is a discharge that occurs while they sit. They seem to be at their worst in the cold. The AA lasts much longer, but not as long as an Aimpoint.

[TLHelmer]

I change my N batteries once a month and after every detail we get called to. I have only had unexpected problems in the winter months. The batteries get drained in the extreme cold.

[ShipWreck]

Originally posted by TLHelmer
I change my N batteries once a month and after every detail we get called to. I have only had unexpected problems in the winter months. The batteries get drained in the extreme cold.

I may start doing something like that - or at least every quarter - since I'm not using it much lately.

[biggl35]

I have a 511 eotech on my 9mm SBR range toy, and although I do like the the optic on this gun, I hate the way it eats batteries compared to my AP ML3. If I thought that my 9mm SBR would need to do duty as a more serious weapon, I would ditch the eothingy for another AP.

My $.02

[kazecap0ne]

i've never looked at the Aimpoint before. what is the difference in the M2,ML2,M3 and ML3?

[MrMurphy]

L means not night vision compatible.

The M2 is the US military model, the M68 CCO (Close Combat Optic).

Not sure what they updated with the M3.

[biggl35]

The M3 and ML3 have greater battery life as well as being available with a 2moa dot or a 4moa dot.

[ShipWreck]

I would think that the 2 MOA is the way to go.

[MrMurphy]

Smaller dot is easier to "lose" when moving quickly.

Unless you're using a magnifier for distance shooting (at which point you might as well get a real magnifying scope) the 4MOA works better for what the Aimpoint was designed for, fast close shooting.

[pnarq5]

I have no idea why anyone would buy a non AA EOTech? My 512 is on it's first lithium AAs(6 months, not a ton of shooting, but lots of playing).

[ShaneS]

Originally posted by pnarq5
I have no idea why anyone would buy a non AA EOTech?

I bought the N-sized battery Eotech because I liked the smaller size/footprint. It was also slightly less expensive. I didn't know it would go through batteries so fast. It is supposed to have a 200 hour batterly life, which would be good enough for me.

[ShipWreck]

Yea - mine is on a PS90 - which has a short rail - I bought the smaller one for the same reason.

[ColoradoPacker]

I was warned to avoid the EOTech with N battery when I did my research. I have the 512 with AA batteries, and have a year on the ORIGINAL batteries so far.

I only use the EOTech about 1-2 hours a month, and turn it off when I am not using it, as opposed to letting it shut down on it's own in 8 hours. But, it certainly hasn't drained the batteries down while idle.

[ShaneS]

I pulled the dead batteries that are the motivation for this thread and tested them, which only added to the mystery. One battery tested completely dead while the other tested in the "good" range. I know that I didn't mix this set of batteries with the old because they were a different brand.

What would cause this?

[Johnnyvegas]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
Smaller dot is easier to "lose" when moving quickly.

Unless you're using a magnifier for distance shooting (at which point you might as well get a real magnifying scope) the 4MOA works better for what the Aimpoint was designed for, fast close shooting.

If it's small enough to lose the dot, turn it up a few clicks and the dot will "bloom" causing it to appear larger.

FWIW I love my comp ML3, it's fast, durable, and two years later I am still on my first set of batteries!


My $0.02

John

[USMC03Grunt]

I have an M68 on my M-4gery and the wife has an EOTech 511 on hers. When we went to the Shootrite Firearms Academy for our carbine class (Excellent class by the way) I had no trouble with my 68 (it's still on the original batteries) but the wife had to swap out battereis once. I made sure she had a fresh set of batteries in the sight as well as a full compliment of spare N-cells in the stock tubes so she just used the BUIS until a break and swapped them out. But still though, even though she was running it on the brightest setting, we're still pretty disappointed in its performance. I might replace it with a 552 if I find one at a cheap enough price but I'm also considering just going with another Aimpoint since I know already that battery life isn't an issue with them at all!