8NX Commander is definitely NOT waterproof!!

[YeeDude]

I got my new Commander yesterday and decided to do a quick test of how water-resistant it is or isn't. I was disappointed to find that the answer is "very little". Yes, I know the light isn't designed nor marketed for diving or even snorkelling, but you'll see that my informal "test" was far from unreasonable...

Here's what I did:

I've charged up and am running the first battery continuously down so that I can "condition" the NiCad cells. Not surprisingly, after a few minutes of continuous use, the head started getting kinda warm/hot.

So I go to the bathroom and fill the basin wih about an inch of cool water. I figure it would also help cool down the head assembly a bit as well as quickly test water resistance.

With the light on I stick the light lens down into the water about an inch or so and swish it around a few times. I bring it up and look at the lens and find that it's fogged lightly. I stick it back in for a few seconds of swishing and find that the fogging's still there.

I turn off the light and take off the front assembly and find a several drops of water in the housing! I guess I'm lucky/smart that I didn't tip the flashlight up or the water would've run down into the bulb area and (probably) caused a short.

Overall I'm not too impressed with the light so far. The light output - at least with this first battery - is only slightly more than my plain vanilla 6P and actually less than my TACM III. This combined with the lousy water-resistance seriously disappoints me.

Is it a good deal? For the $100 street price I'd have to say yes, especially considering that one gets two batteries and a rapid charger. I also like the grippy and lightweight constuction in terms of feel. Its just a shame it isn't more water-tight...

Bottom Line - Would I buy one again if I knew what I know now? Probably not.

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by YeeDude on 12-27-2000 at 06:53 PM</font>

 

[YeeDude]

A further inspection of my light reveals yet another problem! The center of the Lexan lens is scarred (presumably) from the heat of the lamp assembly!:

Boy, am I annoyed! This happened with the first battery on it's first charge! Sheesh.

Talk about a light screaming for the need for a Pyrex lens!

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by YeeDude on 12-27-2000 at 07:51 PM</font>

 

[HankS]

YeeDude, I just read your post, and decided to check mine out. I don't have any scarring on my lens, and I'm on my third battery charge! My son has used it a couple of nights while working on his jeep. That sounds more like a defective lens.

Hank

 

[Size15's]

The markings on your Lexan lens look like your finger-print on the inside of the lens... Call SureFire Customer Service as it's a shame this has happened so soon after you've got your 8NX.

It's best not be touch the lamp, reflector or lens. This is especially true if it's a Pyrex lens with AR coating on the inside like the M3 Pyrex lens etc.

I hope you get it sorted.

Al.

 

[YeeDude]

HankS: Have you or your son left the light on continuously for more than a couple of minutes? I was trying to run down the battery and so left the light on continously...

Size': Nope, that ain't no fingerprint!

It's literally a heat-induced scarring exactly in the center of the lens.

 

[Gunslinger1LA]

YeeDude, check your battery for damage to. It looks like the plastic insulator between the + and - terminal has melted on one of my B 90`s. This happened in the light, maybe 25 min. run time!

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Gunslinger1LA on 12-28-2000 at 08:47 AM</font>

 

[HankS]

YeeDude, he left it on for quite a few minutes at a time. He was applying some form of restorative to his plastic side and rear windows on his jeep. It would easily be on for 5-10 minutes at a time. He went through almost a full battery charge both evenings that he worked on it. Note that it was about 50 degrees outside though!

Hank

 

[YeeDude]

Gunslinger': Hmm... I think I'll check the battery tonight when I get home. Thanks.

HankS: Hmm... Interesting. Well, FWIW, mine was run only indoors when the scarring happened...

 

[HankS]

Gunslinger: I checked both of my batteries and haven't found any evidence of melting the insulators yet, though runtime for mine hasn't been for 25 min.+! I'd like to know any other anomalies, since I'm considering the G2 and passing on my scorpion to my son.

Hank

 

[Spidey82]

quote
It's best not be touch the lamp, reflector or lens. This is especially true if it's a Pyrex lens with AR coating on the inside like the M3 Pyrex lens etc.

whats the AR coating??
wat effect has if with the lens????????

 

[Size15's]

The M3 and M2 Pyrex lenses have an Anti-Reflective (AR) coating on the inside of the lens. Pyrex allows significantly higher amounts of visible light through the lens compared to Lexan. It's my current understanding that the AR coating helps this. It's best not to touch the inside of the lens, especially if it has an AR coating.

Photo's on Paul Kim's site so an obvious difference:
http://www.pk-engineering.com/gallery/M3ARandNonDuet02.jpg

 

[YeeDude]

My problems were with the Commander - it has normal Lexan (plastic) lens. I spoke with Steve at SureFire's Technical Support Department and he said that he'd send me a replacement bezel.

He said that one possible source of the problem that I experienced is that the Lexan lens may have been installed backwards! He said this is because the outside lens surface has thin anti-scratch coating that can curl from the lamps heat if its installed on he inside.

When I get my replacement bezel, you better believe that I will repeat the continous burn "test" to insure that it doesn't scar!

FWIW, I have an M2 as well and I strongly doubt that it'd scar from the lamp of a "mere" lamp assembly. Think about high school chemistry and how Pyrex beakers and test tubes withstand direct heating by Bunser burners!

Now having said this, I do admit that it would be unwise to leave fingerprints and/or other oils on any lens, reflector or bulb - regardless of the material used in their construction...

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by YeeDude on 01-01-2001 at 01:01 PM</font>

 

[Skyline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Size15s:
The M3 and M2 Pyrex lenses have an Anti-Reflective (AR) coating on the inside of the lens. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmm..that's very interesting! Wasn't the M3 originally sold with a Lexan lens? I'm actually considering ordering an M3 (via BrightGuy) right now. How can I make sure I get an M3 with the Pyrex lens, and not old stock with Lexan? How can I really check?

Thanks.
/mel

 

[Size15's]

I've been told that all new M2 and M3 are shipping from SureFire with Pyrex lens with AR coatings.

I would email BrightGuy and ask specifically for this to see if he has any.

It is very easy to tell if it's Pyrex rather than Lexan by the sound your finger nail makes when you tap the lens. Pyrex feels and sounds like glass (funny that!

)

Alastair