How to Mount a Thermal Monocular to a Spotlight for Scanning
Bolting a thermal monocular to your spotlight turns a one-handed scan into a steady, two-handed sweep. You go from heat detection to white light for the shot without ever putting the unit down. It's one of the most popular pest control setups in Australia, and every part you need is purpose-built and made locally. This guide covers why it works, which mount to pick, and how to keep your thermal running all night.
The short answer
A thermal monocular sees heat and a spotlight throws white light. Mount the two together and you can scan a paddock on thermal, then flick the light on to confirm and take the shot. The simplest way in is a Powa Beam 7" spotlight with the SmartRest Rimtop mount already fitted. It's riveted on to take a thermal monocular with no drilling. If you want more adjustment or all-night power, step up to a Wild Game Innovations bracket or a Powa Beam 9" QH kit with a built-in DC converter. All of these are for a thermal monocular, not a riflescope.
Why mount a thermal monocular to a spotlight
A handheld thermal is brilliant for scanning, but holding it up while you're also juggling a light and a rifle gets old fast. Fixing the monocular to the spotlight fixes that:
- One unit does the scanning. Sweep with the light handle and watch the thermal at the same time.
- Heat to find, light to shoot. Pick up a warm animal on thermal, then bring the white light up to identify it and take an ethical shot where it's legal to do so.
- Steadier picture. A two-handed light handle is far more stable than a monocular held out at arm's length.
- Built for the ute or on foot. These mounts are designed for scanning from a vehicle, a boat or walking.
One thing worth being clear on: the thermal sees heat and doesn't need the spotlight to work. The light is there as a scanning handle and for white-light confirmation. It doesn't help the thermal see anything.
The mount options
1. Powa Beam 7" with the SmartRest Rimtop mount already fitted: the simplest start
This is the easiest way in. The SmartRest Rimtop thermal mount is riveted to a Powa Beam 7" spotlight in-house and lined up to take a thermal monocular straight away. No drilling, no mucking about. The 7" is Powa Beam's most popular size, a good balance of power and portability that suits farmers, pest controllers and recreational shooters scanning from a vehicle or boat.
2. Wild Game Innovations Thermal Mount Bracket 1.0: fit it to the light you've got
Designed and made in Australia, the WGI Thermal Mount Bracket 1.0 holds a thermal monocular securely and fits a range of popular spotlight handles: Powa Beam, Hellfyr, Night Eater and Spotfyr. It's the pick if you already own a compatible light and just want to add a monocular mount to it.
3. Powa Beam 9" QH kit and WGI Spotlight Bracket 9" (Version II): power all night
For long sessions, the bigger 9" options solve the battery problem. The Powa Beam 9" QH spotlight comes with a built-in thermal mount, a quick-release adaptor and a DC-DC 12/24V converter with a USB-C output for constant power. The Wild Game Innovations Thermal Spotlight Bracket 9" (Version II) is a fully balanced, adjustable unit that suits all spotlight handles, includes a custom quick-release mount to suit your thermal, and carries its own 12/24V-to-5V DC converter so you can run the thermal off the vehicle and stay out all night without charging.
Keeping your thermal powered all night
The single biggest limit on a long scanning session is battery life. The 9" Powa Beam kit and the WGI 9" Version II bracket both build in a DC-DC converter that steps a 12V or 24V vehicle supply down to a USB-C/5V output, so your thermal is fed the whole time. If you scan from a vehicle regularly, a built-in converter is the difference between a full night out and a flat battery at midnight.
Which setup should you choose?
| Setup | Best for | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Powa Beam 7" with Rimtop (pre-fitted) | Simplest start, no drilling, vehicle or boat scanning | Monocular's own battery |
| WGI Thermal Mount Bracket 1.0 | Adding a monocular mount to a light you own (Powa Beam, Hellfyr, Night Eater, Spotfyr) | Monocular's own battery |
| Powa Beam 9" QH kit | Bigger light with built-in power and quick release | Built-in 12/24V DC converter |
| WGI Spotlight Bracket 9" Version II | Fully adjustable, all-night vehicle scanning | Built-in 12/24V DC converter |
Which thermal monocular should I mount?
Any modern thermal monocular suits these mounts. HIKMICRO's monocular range, the Condor and Habrok families among them, is a popular choice for scanning thanks to wide fields of view and long-throw versions with built-in rangefinders. When you choose, remember the field of view rule. For scanning, a wider field of view (which a bigger sensor gives you at the same lens) helps you find game and keep moving animals in frame, while a longer lens reaches further through a narrower window. Have a look through our HIKMICRO and thermal monocular collections below.
FAQ
Can I mount a thermal riflescope to a spotlight instead?
These mounts are built for thermal monoculars. If what you really want is a remote-mounted thermal that runs off the vehicle and streams to a screen, look at a purpose-built remote unit like the Nocpix NOVA. See our remote-mount thermal scope guide.
Do I need the spotlight on to use the thermal?
No. A thermal monocular picks up heat and works in complete darkness with no light at all. The spotlight is your scanning handle and your white light for confirming and taking the shot. It doesn't help the thermal see.
How do I keep the thermal powered for a whole night?
Go with a setup that has a built-in DC converter. The Powa Beam 9" kit and the WGI 9" Version II bracket both step a 12/24V vehicle supply down to USB-C/5V for constant power, so you're not relying on the monocular's internal battery.
Will the mount fit my spotlight?
The Rimtop comes pre-fitted on a Powa Beam 7". The WGI Bracket 1.0 fits Powa Beam, Hellfyr, Night Eater and Spotfyr handles, and the WGI 9" Version II suits all spotlight handles. Match the bracket to the light you own, or buy them together.
Related: SmartRest mounts, Spotlights, HIKMICRO Australia, Thermal Monoculars, Remote-Mount Thermal Scope (Nocpix NOVA) and How Thermal Imaging Works.