Need LED options for my old SureFire 9Z

As I was digging through one of my junk boxes the other day, I found my old SF 9Z. I say "old" but it's basically brand new in the box with all the original paperwork, as it was never used after I won it in a shooting match back in the early 90's. After revisiting this light for the last week, I realize now just how cool this light is with it's smooth, un-knurled feel and no anti-roll hex features to keep it from rolling of the table hahaha.

What I was wanting to ask the experts of this forum: 1) what are my options for an LED upgrade to my old Laser Products P90 bulb, what kind of lumen/run-time can I expect from the various options. 2) are there any rechargeable options for for my 9Z (sorry I'm ignorant about this) either using a P90/P91 or with a LED drop-in one of you suggest. 3) This might be a quest for the mod section but could you suggest any other mods that might bring this cool old light up to speed in 2012, and where to source the parts. Thanks in advance for any suggestions that any of you provide.



Dean

Welcome cannon-ball! Sounds like you have a gem on your hands! The 9Z is one of my favortie vintage SF's...and new one's are pretty rare...depending on the condition, they can go for as much as $200-$250. But, it seems yer in love with it, as, you seem to have gathered, the simple effect lay-out of the design is something missing from lights now a days. I had two, but recently had to sell one...I really love the smooth body in a pistol grip...flashlight nirvana!

Oh, you were asking about LED upgrades? Whoops...OK...since your 9Z has a lexan (plastic) lens, you want to avoid the SUPER bright leds, as this could POTENTIALLY damage the lens...but, I would start reading up on the Malkoff drop-ins. An M61L would be the perfect drop-in for the light (or an older M60L, if you can find one). The drop-in's aren't the cheapest, but they are hands down the best easily available ones.

You can check out some pics/ideas for you 9Z by checking out the links in my sig. Hiope this helps, and again, welcome to CPF!!!

Join date 2009? 'Bout time ya posted!!! :nana:

A pair of 17500 lithium ion cells (i prefer the AW brand ones) will work as a rechargeable solution with the stock P90
(2x4.2v = 8.4v = 3x3v with a bit of voltage sag under load)
You may find you prefer the incandescent beam

As for led dropins i Will let others comment - my only P60 sized dropin is a Moddoo Triple in a 9P - its bright and floody, and may be what you are looking for - but there is plenty of other options out there

2x 17500's and any P60 style LED dropin that will take up to 9v. I recommend Malkoffs, but there's a number of chinese LED dropins and custom dropin builders that offer lower cost alternatives. Warm and neutral LEDs are available now and IMO far outperform the older cool white LEDs in terms of being able to distinguish colors and objects, it's largely a matter of personal preference whether you go with a cool white or neutral white tint. In terms of color temperature from yellowy incan to blueish cool white LED it goes something like this. Surefire P90 3000k, Malkof M91w 3500k, Malkoff M61w 3700k, Malkoff M61/91 5500-6000k, most 5mm led lights 6500k.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'll try the 17500 route. What would be the temp/lumen threshold for the factory SF lexan lens? Are there any glass options available? Also does anyone have any exp. with the lighthound Cree R5 drop-in? The Malkoff does look good and I may go that route.

Sorry about the delay in posting/joining time as I did join back in 09 but just returned hopefully for good this time, as this is a great place to spend many hours learning what to spend too much money on.

Dean

For a top quality lens try

link removed. see red banner at top of page

Also, for a nice P60 drop-in consider the Lumens Factory High CRI drop-in, either single or multi-mode. Illumination supply and LightHound stock 'em.

PM Nailbender about custom P60 drop ins. He does virtually every power LED on the market and will offer whatever runtime, output, beam pattern, LED you desire. The brightest P60 drop are quad xpgs, they output around 1700 lumens and are made by Kenji and VanIsleDSM. Malkoff, Torchlab and Vinhnyugen all make great drop-ins. 2 17500 is probably the best choice, although you can look into getting it bored to fit 18500s which offer more runtime. Precisionworks does this.

I believe the the 9Z was designed such that the lens has to flex before it can snap into place- effectively ruling out anything more brittle than the lexan. In order to get a glass/sapphire/etc. lens and keep the same look, you'd probably have to swap the head out for a "smoothie" bezel from roanac/oveready. However, I wouldn't worry too much about heat from an LED source warping the lens- anything hot enough to damage the lens is likely hot enough to damage the leds. A higher output incan than stock might damage it, though- IIRC the P91 assembly is in the low twenty watt range.

My personal choice for that light would be a malkoff M91w with primaries and keeping the stock lens, and IMR 16340's as the rechargeable option.

I believe the the 9Z was designed such that the lens has to flex before it can snap into place- effectively ruling out anything more brittle than the lexan. In order to get a glass/sapphire/etc. lens and keep the same look, you'd probably have to swap the head out for a "smoothie" bezel from roanac/oveready. However, I wouldn't worry too much about heat from an LED source warping the lens- anything hot enough to damage the lens is likely hot enough to damage the leds. A higher output incan than stock might damage it, though- IIRC the P91 assembly is in the low twenty watt range.

My personal choice for that light would be a malkoff M91w with primaries and keeping the stock lens, and IMR 16340's as the rechargeable option.

A good rule of thumb would be 300 lumens or less and you shouldn't have any heat problems
With that lens. So anything with an XPG, xpe, ssp4 or hi cri will be fine. Stay away from a hard driven XML, if the XML was driven at 1.5 amps or less you should be ok too.

The 300 lumens or less rules has worked great for my G2 and G3 Surefire's