Tritium replacement for optics
- Thread starter pbr streetgang
- Start date
Aside from shipping it to the US which may be a nightmare I have recently started researching the feasibility of replacing the dying tritium in my Elcan as its about 12 years old now and the government has stopped the replacement in civilian units as told to me by Armaments technologies and others I have spoken to. I found on some US forums through searching that some guys are buying tritium light sources which are legal and on the internet. I have found a few E-Bay sights, one in Britain that has many sizes and colours of micro tritium vial/tubes that may work. Another site has tritium encased in tiny metal pots like used on some sights. I have obtained a maintenance manual that clearly shows the replacement procedure and nitrogen purging. The purging procedure that I planned to use is basically what is required in the manual . I plan on using the nitrogen we use at work for testing and purging ac systems and just have to make a special filter and clean line and purge for 6 minutes at 6psi as stated in the manual. I will be pulling out the tritium source soon to size it up. The tritium on the net is very inexpensive with the shipping costing more in most cases. Thanks--Dieseldog!
If you can refill with nitrogen .. thats terrific and a bonus! I wonder though after 12 years how much nitrogen is still retained in the optic? and if the seals are still able to retain nitrogen? I am suspicious that after a decade ... not much residual nitrogen remains in any optic ... and some still do a pretty good job of remaining fog free. I once glued some tritium tubes I found on to a civilian "Silva Ranger" to emulate the military issue one that had the tritium ... it worked as intended!
rajczak_kashka
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Surrey, B.C.
Maybe wear a decent quality full face respirator when doing so ,that if something goes wrong you don't breathe any in. Rubber gloves too 
