A Solution for the Thermions Poor Battery Life

capitol

capitol

Active member
If you own a Pulsar Thermion you know the battery life is pretty bad especially in cold weather.

I've been using a Silencerco Radius with my Thermion and noticed the lil rail on the back ring of the Larue mount. I recently purchased the TNVC external battery holder (used) and wondered if it would fit.

Lucky me... it fits perfectly! This will easily run the battery sucking Thermion all night long. No more screen saver mode, no more swapping batteries, no more worries about battery life.

zlcigZ.jpg


9sbFRw.jpg


Picture of the rear rail on top of the ring.
5jYa2S.jpg

 
Last edited:
I use the same setup on my helmet to run the FLIR Breach and have thought about getting another for my Thermion. It'll work and is a good idea; no question. However, since I do a lot of walking I'm concerned about weight and the relative fragile nature of the 90* cable on the scope. It'd be my luck that I would bang in against the tripod or snag it while slinging the rifle and bust it off. I'll pack extra batteries for now but may end up going this route eventually.
 
I don’t own one yet but that looks like a good clean solution to the short battery life issue. Thanks for sharing that.
 
Originally Posted By: TXCOONDOGWhat is the battery life (without external battery) in cold, warm and hot weather conditions ?


In cold temps the battery life is brutal. When it was 17 out and we were driving from stand to stand I had to plug in an external battery to try and keep the battery alive.

The small Pulsar battery, I think its APS3 wouldnt last more then 45 minutes in cold temps for me. Cold meaning in the 20's.
 
Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: TXCOONDOGWhat is the battery life (without external battery) in cold, warm and hot weather conditions ?


In cold temps the battery life is brutal. When it was 17 out and we were driving from stand to stand I had to plug in an external battery to try and keep the battery alive.

The small Pulsar battery, I think its APS3 wouldnt last more then 45 minutes in cold temps for me. Cold meaning in the 20's.

Thanks. I’m having issues with my XQ38 Trail and I’m looking for something else.

Looks like I have a decision to make:

Spend a Lot more money on a different brand

Keep messing with my current units and hope Pulsar comes up with something better (resolve issues, etc.) in a couple years

 
Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: TXCOONDOGWhat is the battery life (without external battery) in cold, warm and hot weather conditions ?


In cold temps the battery life is brutal. When it was 17 out and we were driving from stand to stand I had to plug in an external battery to try and keep the battery alive.

The small Pulsar battery, I think its APS3 wouldnt last more then 45 minutes in cold temps for me. Cold meaning in the 20's.

That doesn’t sound right. I hunted 20degrees last Sat and the APS3 lasted 3 stands and still had life left. That’s at least 2 hours on. And I leave it on from moment I leave truck until I return. I would check that battery. With the internal back up, I normally don’t need another battery but carry an extra just in case.
 
Originally Posted By: moog5050Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: TXCOONDOGWhat is the battery life (without external battery) in cold, warm and hot weather conditions ?


In cold temps the battery life is brutal. When it was 17 out and we were driving from stand to stand I had to plug in an external battery to try and keep the battery alive.

The small Pulsar battery, I think its APS3 wouldnt last more then 45 minutes in cold temps for me. Cold meaning in the 20's.

That doesn’t sound right. I hunted 20degrees last Sat and the APS3 lasted 3 stands and still had life left. That’s at least 2 hours on. And I leave it on from moment I leave truck until I return. I would check that battery. With the internal back up, I normally don’t need another battery but carry an extra just in case.

Sounds accurate compared to mine.

I am getting better at remembering to shut it off constantly. Leave it on and the battery drops like the fuel gauge on a big block! Thankfully I have a scanner or there would be no point in trying to hunt.
 
Originally Posted By: P&YOriginally Posted By: moog5050Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: TXCOONDOGWhat is the battery life (without external battery) in cold, warm and hot weather conditions ?


In cold temps the battery life is brutal. When it was 17 out and we were driving from stand to stand I had to plug in an external battery to try and keep the battery alive.

The small Pulsar battery, I think its APS3 wouldnt last more then 45 minutes in cold temps for me. Cold meaning in the 20's.

That doesn’t sound right. I hunted 20degrees last Sat and the APS3 lasted 3 stands and still had life left. That’s at least 2 hours on. And I leave it on from moment I leave truck until I return. I would check that battery. With the internal back up, I normally don’t need another battery but carry an extra just in case.

Sounds accurate compared to mine.

I am getting better at remembering to shut it off constantly. Leave it on and the battery drops like the fuel gauge on a big block! Thankfully I have a scanner or there would be no point in trying to hunt.

Sorry to hear thAt. It would drive me nuts. Not sure why mine is more frugal on batteries. I never turn it off while hunting and scan with a helion. You think color pallete makes a difference. I use monochrome red at 10 brightness I think.
 
Thanks moog5050, couldn't say if that would make any difference, I will give it a try. I've only run it in white and black hot. I am experimenting with it, sometimes the batteries last longer but most times they deplete very quickly.

I suspect it's temperature related as the coldest night at -1 it ran through the removable battery immediately, shut down and wouldn't stay on.
 
Originally Posted By: P&YThanks moog5050, couldn't say if that would make any difference, I will give it a try. I've only run it in white and black hot. I am experimenting with it, sometimes the batteries last longer but most times they deplete very quickly.

I suspect it's temperature related as the coldest night at -1 it ran through the removable battery immediately, shut down and wouldn't stay on.
Why did it not switch over to the internal battery after depletion of the removable battery? Surely you don't have to manually somehow switch over. I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.
 
Originally Posted By: G Anderson I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.

Are you using the smaller or the larger battery as your external? My Thermion will kill both batteries in a few hours in colder temps.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: G Anderson I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.

Are you using the smaller or the larger battery as your external? My Thermion will kill both batteries in a few hours in colder temps.

Question wasn’t directed my way but I use the larger APS3 and have definitely used it in single digit temps without issue. Only once have I run down the smaller aps2 where the internal battery kicked in. Seems strange that battery use is not consistent among units. I really question whether settings play a role. I bought one of the external packs just in case and don’t even bring it anymore. No way I am hunting long enough to run down both the APS3 and back up 2 along with internal.
 
Originally Posted By: capitolOriginally Posted By: G Anderson I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.

Are you using the smaller or the larger battery as your external? My Thermion will kill both batteries in a few hours in colder temps.

Using the APS3 as backup battery and carrying the APS2 as a spare. I realize that colder temps will hit them a little harder. The manual says that the "removable" battery is used first and then it will switch to the internal battery...but so far I have not run out of battery power on the removable battery yet.
Agree with moog5050...seems like battery usage is inconsistent across the board.
 
Originally Posted By: G AndersonOriginally Posted By: P&YThanks moog5050, couldn't say if that would make any difference, I will give it a try. I've only run it in white and black hot. I am experimenting with it, sometimes the batteries last longer but most times they deplete very quickly.

I suspect it's temperature related as the coldest night at -1 it ran through the removable battery immediately, shut down and wouldn't stay on.
Why did it not switch over to the internal battery after depletion of the removable battery? Surely you don't have to manually somehow switch over. I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.

I can't say. It would just stay on for a few seconds and shut off.

Had a coyote sitting at 75 yards when this happened. Lined up as it repeatedly shut off, powered it back on, pulled the trigger, scope shut off and I heard the thump ha. Luckily it hasn't done it since but I haven't been out in that cold of temps either. Always in the back of my mind.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: P&YOriginally Posted By: G AndersonOriginally Posted By: P&YThanks moog5050, couldn't say if that would make any difference, I will give it a try. I've only run it in white and black hot. I am experimenting with it, sometimes the batteries last longer but most times they deplete very quickly.

I suspect it's temperature related as the coldest night at -1 it ran through the removable battery immediately, shut down and wouldn't stay on.
Why did it not switch over to the internal battery after depletion of the removable battery? Surely you don't have to manually somehow switch over. I have yet to run my removable battery completely down...3 nights of hunting, 5-6 hours each night and temps 25-30. Last night at 25* it seemed to get the lowest it had. I generally run it on standby while scanning.

I can't say. It would just stay on for a few seconds and shut off.

Had a coyote sitting at 75 yards when this happened. Lined up as it repeatedly shut off, powered it back on, pulled the trigger, scope shut off and I heard the thump ha. Luckily it hasn't done it since but I haven't been out in that cold of temps either. Always in the back of my mind.
P&Y, I had the same thing happen on my XQ38Trail early in the season. We had only made 1 stand and when we were at the second stand a yote was coming right in...all of a sudden the screen went black with message "low battery shutting down"...restarted the scope, came on for a few seconds then same thing, restarted a third time, scope came on...only enough time to find yote...slapped the trigger, scope went black again. Luckily my partner got the yote. I was p*#%ed to say the least. I already had sent one battery back under warranty for going bad and figured I would have to send this in for replacement also. Had a spare IPS5 so went on hunting thru the night. Got home, put "bad" battery on charge...in about an hour it was fully charge...ironically, it has worked ever since without fail. I did mark it and only use it in my scanner just because...but it hasn't did it since. So your issue isn't just related to the Thermion for sure and I think it is something that just happens in the connection that glitches and then comes out of it.
I have been hunting with my Thermion XP50 for the last few nights and have not had a single issue with the scope at all. Really pleased with it and no POI issues either.
 
G. Anderson, thanks that's good to know. I was hoping it was a one time "glitch" and felt it probably was but not having a chance to use it in the same cold weather was still a bit concerned.

Good to hear your not having poi issues. Mine moves but not nearly as bad as my trails did.
 
Back
Top