Red Dot draining battery while turned off?

[CaliforniaCowboy]

So I have this red dot I picked up a couple of years back at an auction, it was new inbox.

It takes a single button battery. I have never been very happy with it as I have found it to always be way too dim to be useful.

So a couple weeks ago I ordered some new batteries for some other devices and figured I would throw another in the red dot just for the hell of it as I have not used it in a long time just to remind myself how dim it is.

I put in the new quality battery and the red dot was nice and bright, really nice.

I was like, ok, maybe I just had ****ty batteries before. So turned the red dot to the off position (it has a dial 0 to 11).

So I pulled it out of the safe a week later and switched it on to full power and found it is dim as **** again, the battery had drained while off.

Has this happened to anyone else? The only way I could correct this is to take the battery out when not using the rifle, but in the middle of the night with a possible intruder, I am not going to be putting batteries in my red dot.

I am for sure going to replace it anyway but was just curious if others have had this issue.

Bushnel TRS-25

[The War Wagon]

Better quality Aimpoint would give you the "buy once, cry once" satisfaction you currently lack.



ANY warranty on the Bushnell?

[VictorFranko]

Many poorly made electronic devices suffer from parasitic drain on the battery.

[ldsnet]

I guess you have a questionable one? Mine is about to be 4 years old with the original battery (doesn't see a ton of use)
I am now using a Vortex SPARC AR2. Battery life measured in years, so far very happy with it.

[Jesse 2]

[teflondog]

It happens to expensive optics too. My Eotech EXPS battery would die after a few months of the optic being turned off so I got a refund. It's not a problem for a range gun but for SD that's a deal breaker for me.

[Thatone guy]

Most batteries when in contact with a circuit will begin losing capacity, although slow, it will occur. Higher end devices have safe guards in place to mitigate the battery discharging.

[FeuerFrei]

I've had my fair share of cheap/crappy red dots. My top choices are Aimpoint and C-MORE.
Battery life is hands down fantastic. C-MORE for my low $ choice. $250 or there about. 2MOA dot and tough as nails.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Thanks for the input guys, I am diffidently going to upgrade.

[Dano3467]

My TRS-25 is 8yrs old, same battery as it came with. works perfect.

So thinking there is a short in yours somewhere.

[sonofeugene]

Are you sure you're actually turning it off?

[roostersgt]

Thinking your "quality" battery is in question. Have had many cheaper red dots and if I used Duracells, they're still working. Other batteries have far lesser lives. Not sure I agree with folks who state some devices drain batteries more than others, when off. I have a really good Fluke voltage meter and it can easily detect even the most minimal drain. Haven't found any red dots or flash lights to come even close to what they've described. This isn't the '60s or '70s.

[GW]

I had a Vortex AMG that sucked batteries dry overnight.
Sent it back to Vortex and they sent me a new one that works just fine.

[roostersgt]

My two Bushnell are still working after 3 years in the safe, as is my generic "Frontier" dot that
received rave destruction proof reviews on youtube. Elcan battery still going strong after 5 + years, as is my Aimpoint and several illuminated Leupolds. Have never had one suck a good battery dry just sitting in a safe, or patrol car. Guess it could happen though.

[67Cuda]

You did buy it off of an auction, so there you go.