Hogster and rechargeable CR123s

Brittdog

Member
Does anyone use rechargeable CR123s in their hogster or SH? Occasionally I’ll put my SH on a traditional bolt gun with no room to mount a TRB. The SH seems to burn through 123s, are rechargeable any better? How long do they last? Is there a brand or spec I should look for or avoid? Any input is appreciated.
 
Rechargables only last 2-2.5 hrs in both my r25 (scanner), r35 and now SH. I attached the net “bag” that my anker 6700 came in to my Ruger American just in front of the magazine with zip ties sitting on the edge of the stock laying along the barrel.
 
Bering has always been very specific that if damage occurs as the result of internal, rechargeable batteries, they will fix the damage but the customer would be responsible for paying for the repairs. The reason is many rechargeable batteries are not of a high quality as well as many chargers. They overcharge the batteries, and the batteries may be producing higher than rated voltage. Then you add recoil to the mix, and the result can be dangerous. If a person checks the voltage, and they aren't producing over 4v, they probably are fine. I have run them on many occasions as a scanner.

Now with all of this being said, many customers were asking for a longer-life internal rechargeable battery system. There are 3 extended battery compartments that I know of that can hold 16650 batteries for the Hogsters, Vibes, and Yoters. They last a little more than twice the time of a CR123. There are lots of reports of Bering thermal customers using these over the past year, and Bering seems to be easing their stance on this. It is still written in their warranty that they are not responsible, but it sounds like as long as they are not seeing repeated abuse when warned, they will cover any accidental damages.

The other option to consider is if using it as a scanner, you may want to mount it on a selfie stick to help with your shoulder fatigue. The following is a selfie stick with a rechargeable battery in the handle. Take a Picatinny rail or a picantinny riser and tap a 1/4 x 20 thread hole in it and thread it on the selfie stick, and connect your scope, and connect power, and away you go.
 
Bering does have an extender that dealers can order that many are called the OEM version. It is honestly my favorite of the three available. However, it is very short and has issues with some of the longer, protected button top 16650 batteries not fitting.
 
... in my InfiRay Saim SCH50 (= Bering Optics Super Yoter) I use these CR123 rechargeable batteries. They work very well and last about 3.5- 4 hours if you have the foresight to put the display in stand-bay when you use another thermal device as a scanner ... But remember to set the 3 Volt power supply from the device menu... If you set 3.7 V they discharge very quickly ....

https://www.nitecore-italia.com/nitecore...-6v-650mah.html
 
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... I did the usage tests, setting first 3.7 V and then 3 V. I verified that the correct setting is 3 V. If you set the device to 3.7 V, the internal batteries (both disposable and rechargeable) discharge very quickly and you risk damaging them. In fact, if you read the manufacturer's specifications (unfortunately I found them only in Italian ...), read "Nominal voltage: 3.6 V". I set it 3.7 V only when I feed with an external power bank, connecting it with the cable ....
 
Ernest,

I have never used an iRay thermal or read their manual. However, I can tell you what Bering has told me. DoubleUp is correct, the Bering message is to use the 3V setting for standard CR123, and 3.7V for rechargeable CR123s. Rechargeable CR123s and 16650 typically produce from 3.7v to around 4.2v where standard CR123s are at 3V.

As for using an external 5v battery pack, I always thought it didn't matter. However, I have read that Bering often recommends setting it back to 3V when using a battery pack.

I do agree if you set the battery type to 3.7v and you are using standard CR123s, it shows the battery status as very low. It senses the 3V power from batteries and believes they are nearly depleted. If you set it to 3V and use rechargeables, the battery level is going to show high for a longer period because it is expecting 3V and receiving 3.7v to 4.2v. However, for the health of your thermal, if running internal rechargeables, set it to 3.7v at least on Bering thermals.
 
As usual I have to agree with Korey who has much more experience and technical interpretation skills ....
I found the instructions in English:

"Attention
- Disposable batteries are ONLY supported! Risks are existing to use
rechargeable batteries due to nonstandard quality.
- Please do not use different types of batteries or batteries with different
power levels.
- The Saim series supports external power supply via Type-C cable with
a USB icon displayed on the screen.

- 3V is selected for dischargeable battery and 3.7V is for chargeable battery, but dischargeable battery is suggested only."

Instead in the manual translated into Italian .. the last sentence is missing:

"..,but dischargeable battery is suggested only."

So summarizing to make mental order:

Disposable batteries - set 3V.

Rechargeable batteries - set 3.7 V. (they are not recommended, but not prohibited, otherwise they would not have foreseen the 3.7V setting...)

External powerbank, it seems to be indifferent setting 3V or 3.7V
 
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The voltage selection on the BO products is now very clear thanks to the posts on the issue. I am still bothered by the power choice for the BO products. Based on real world user feedback, the run time using CR123 disposable batteries is short (more like 2-2.5 hours depending on several factors such as battery condition and temperature), a hassle to keep changing, and expensive, over time.

Rechargeable CR123 batteries, can be used, but may void your warranty.

Rechargeable 16650 batteries can be used, but there are 3 types: flat top, button top, and protected button top. The flat top is not likely to work, the button top probably will, but the voltage may vary and again damage the unit and void your warranty. The protected button top is likely the best choice as high quality batteries are available in that style, but the protection features inside it make it slightly longer, and for some reason, BO likely made the factory battery extender too short to use them.

Of course, there is always the option of the external battery pack mounted in a pouch or on a picatinny rail. Even a small battery pack like the Anker is 6.5-7.0 ounces, so the "real" weight of say a 21 ounce optic is more 27 or 28 ounces. At that point, (using with a battery pack)the difference in weight might not be that far from say a 2.2# optic which although heavier still, possibly with an even better run time. It is, of course, very difficult to determine the truth on the weights as all the manufacturers post them differently, with or without mount with or without battery. Most reviews just repeat the specs given by the manufacturers. I haven't seen any that verify run time, weight or even length. Most try to make their units seem shorter by removing the rubber eyepiece. They should post both.
 
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cmatera .... you have perfectly analyzed, touched and amplified the only nerve discovered of the wonderful, powerful, compact Bering Optics Super Yoter (= Infiray Saim SCH50) and of the fantastic Infiray CH50W thermal clip-on: the problematic power supply of the device.... Kirsch and perhaps many other good hunters of this forum have solved the problem with an external power bank (fixed on a side mini-rail of the AR rifle), connecting it with a dedicated cable (therefore of the exact length and fixed stably) to the mini-usb input of the device. The problem is that many hunters (like me ...) don't have an AR rifle with side rails and therefore don't know where to fix the power bank. On the other hand, it would be extremely inconvenient and precarious to put the power bank in the pocket of the shirt or hunting jacket and connect it with a floating cable to the device .... (actually I tried this too ....). In my small way, as a sporadic hunter (I go hunting very few times) and unprofessional, I solved the problem with 2 solutions: 1) I use good quality and low cost Chinese disposable 3 Volt batteries (2.50 $ x 2 = $ 5). 2) I use 2 excellent 3.7 Volt Nitecore RCR123A rechargeable batteries and carry 2 more spare batteries in my pocket ... (One of the 2 Infiray dealers in Italy is himself a great night hunter and uses and recommends these rechargeable batteries and never has had problems). By carefully reading the instruction manual .... now we know that 3.7 Volt internal rechargeable batteries are not recommended, but not prohibited. In fact, as I wrote in this same post ... if they were forbidden ... why did they leave, in the device menu, the possibility to select 3V or 3.7V? So in summary: if you can easily and stably connect an external power bank ..... this would be the best solution. On the other hand, if the bulk and the additional weight bothers you (certainly in roaming hunting mode, walking on foot with the rifle with the shoulder strap), then use one of the 2 solutions that I have chosen myself ...
 
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This setup with the short picatinny rail, battery holder, and 10,000 Anker battery weighs in at exactly 10 ounces.

7EYfI6w.jpg


I've been considering getting this Anker 5000 that's 30mm in diameter & only 4.7 ounces. It will sit nicely on the side of the AR's upper next to the pic rail, and a few wraps of vet tape to secure it in place.

https://us.anker.com/products/a1109
 
Thank you for the options to work around the issue. Alf, if I may ask what brand/size of scope cap are you using on the eyepiece of your scope? Seems like it would protect it better than just the rubber eye cup and help some with light splash back. Of course the shuttered eye cup is another option.
 
Originally Posted By: cmateraThank you for the options to work around the issue. Alf, if I may ask what brand/size of scope cap are you using on the eyepiece of your scope? Seems like it would protect it better than just the rubber eye cup and help some with light splash back. Of course the shuttered eye cup is another option.
Both ends of the SH have Butler Creek scope covers on them. Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly which size you need, as I have a 5 quart pail full of them in various sizes I've accumulated through the years. I dug around till I found a pair that worked. Too bad BC doesn't stamp the model numbers in them.
 
Thanks for the info everyone. From the sounds of it there isn’t much to gain using rechargeable batteries vs the potential warranty issues etc. I may just tape a trb to the forend in an out of the way spot.
 
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