MAWL C1 blooming and washing out image

I'm new to night vision. About 4 months ago I purchased an L3 Filmless White Phos PVS-14 from a reputable dealer as well as a MAWL C1. I live in Florida and I was probably really spoiled the first few times I went out it was a full moon or near full moon, clear night, low humidity, temperature in the 50's and 60's... basically perfect weather. The last couple times I've gone out the conditions have been much less ideal with little to no moon and/or heavy cloud cover along with humidity. On some of the colder, darker and/or more humid nights I've noticed the MAWL's illuminator seems to "bloom" really badly, making everything extremely bright but washed out, almost like turning on a white light in a fog or smoke filled room. The one evening this was the most noticeable was immediately after some heavy rain, the air was extremely heavy and humid with the temperature in the high 70's.

Is this "washout" caused by the IR light bouncing/refracting off of the water in the air? Something I noticed as well is that using my helmet mounted Surefire X300V helped to not only see substantially better with the lack of light, it also helped "smooth" out the image and prevent the MAWL from washing everything out. I was also having substantial issues with fogging, both my glasses and my 14 with the rear demist shield and front sacrificial lens cover fogging. I've also noticed on the darker nights that turning the gain way down help prevent the blooming substantially.
 
where is it positioned in regard to the muzzle? could it be getting dirty?

Matt, it’s pushed forward on the rail but it’s in what I’d say is “pretty normal” positioning for a MAWL; it sits flush with the end of a 15” URX4 on a 16” SR-15, so it’s about 1” behind the Surefire 3 prong, also the rifle is typically shot suppressed.

That being said... if the device is dirty is there a way to clean the lenses on the MAWL?
 

shoobe01

Established
Hmmm... I'd read the manual and ee. Removing the twist bezel should make it easier to clean the lenses well but... that's not an end user serviceable item. Apparently, easy to break.

I have many opinions about cleaning optics, but one is that deeply embedded laser covers are a pain to clean. IF peeking through the twist bezel is all you get, find the nicest Q tips you can, and use lots of windex or similar (lens cleaners if you wear glasses, etc). No denatured alcohol, for example. Can dry out the rubber seals.

Anyway, the laser WILL scatter on fingerprinted, oily, carboned, or even just dusty lenses. Need to inspect and clean periodically.
 

user12358

Regular Member
Wait...the mawl needs factory servicing, technically, if you get dust or carbon in the lenses!?

The current production MAWLs have a propeller cap that comes off in seconds if you need unrestricted access to the emitter lenses. The older models can be cleaned through the apertures in the propeller cap.
 

Unobtanium

Regular Member
The current production MAWLs have a propeller cap that comes off in seconds if you need unrestricted access to the emitter lenses. The older models can be cleaned through the apertures in the propeller cap.
Excellent. Thankyou! Is the new prop smaller so as you can place it next to a KAC micro or MBUS?
 

user12358

Regular Member
Excellent. Thankyou! Is the new prop smaller so as you can place it next to a KAC micro or MBUS?

I don't think that the physical head of the laser changed in dimension appreciably with the change to the new style of cap. I personally don't run BUIS in front of the MAWL on any of the guns I have rounds on but I have seen MBUS pros in front of the older style MAWL without any issues that I can recall for use with a Unity Monkey Bar.
 

Nap Mag

Newbie
Matt, it’s pushed forward on the rail but it’s in what I’d say is “pretty normal” positioning for a MAWL; it sits flush with the end of a 15” URX4 on a 16” SR-15, so it’s about 1” behind the Surefire 3 prong, also the rifle is typically shot suppressed.

That being said... if the device is dirty is there a way to clean the lenses on the MAWL?
Bro, I got the same rifle, PVS-14, MAWL set up!
 
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