Thinking of getting the Commander 9AN after losing my L7 in the lake :(

Hi Guys..this is my first post so please be nice to me

Last summer I lost my SureFire L7 in the lake when the cord snapped when it fell from my hand while riding a speedboat on the lake. I sadly see my beloved flashlight sink to the abyss, fighting to its end as it emits a white light every so strong when it sank to the bottom..

Luckily my L2 carried me through the rest of the cottage trip..

So i am thinking of getting 9AN for replacement because it has a higher lumen output with a low output like my L2. So i am wondering how powerful the main beam is:

• does it have good throw
• can it illuminate object far away

Also, for the low beam, some members here said its poor in quality, but will it still suffice for near range use such as lighting up a tent or a small room?

Another member here said he has a 9AN lamp assembly with a blue LED, how hard is it to mod the lamp?

Hi,

The SureFire 9AN is 140 Lumen High ~ 40 min. and 20 Lumen Low ~ 2 hrs. $258.00.

I have the old 9N because it could be charged without removeing the battery. Since it is a while since I have used it, I think the High beam was typical good spot Surefire quality. The Low beam I think, was more like Maglites flood beam as I got the Beamshaper (diffurserlens) to my 9N...

What about Surefire 8AX/8NX or maybe Inova T4, Streamlight Strion, Stinger, Twin-Task R, SL or Pelican StealthLite R 2450, 2460, M9 R 7050, M11 R 8050 or maybe MagCharger...?

Anyway, good luck with you choice!

PA

edit: if you decide to go with the 9AN, I would recommend the FM14 Beam Diffuser $35 and maybe also the FM15 Red Lens $29.

what lake!!!!

nuggett said:

what lake!!!!

Click to expand...

:laughing:

Yikes, I'd hate to see anything I own sinking to the bottom of a lake.

Surefire is coming out with new Cree lights in a few months (June?). The 9AN is a good light, with two levels of light but the bulbs burn out.

Does it have to be a Surefire? If you don't need the quality, some of the lights here are brighter at a lower price, like the Lumapower M1, or you could also ask Milkyspit mod you a Surefire.

Have fun finding a replacement.

nuggett said:

what lake!!!!

Click to expand...

Its a lake in sudbury, Ontario. Its over a few hundred feet deep and its a dark lake with almost nil visibility..good luck fishing it out lol

wasserkool said:

So i am thinking of getting 9AN for replacement because it has a higher lumen output with a low output like my L2. So i am wondering how powerful the main beam is:

• does [the 9AN] have good throw?
• can it illuminate object far away

Click to expand...

Not really compared to what CPF'er appear to like - it's no Streamlight TL-3.
The 9AN's beam is intended for LEO's at traffic stops: to illuminate the insides of a vehicle and to produce a "solid slam of light". The beam is big, not thin.

wasserkool said:

Also, for the low beam, some members here said its poor in quality, but will it still suffice for near range use such as lighting up a tent or a small room?

Click to expand...

Yep, the 9AN's low beam is poor quality but it is intended to provide sufficient illumination so that the traffic cop can see his paperwork whilst the 9AN is held under his arm[pit]. It'll illuminate the inside a tent or small room just fine.

wasserkool said:

Another member here said he has a 9AN lamp assembly with a blue LED, how hard is it to mod the lamp?

Click to expand...

That's me. It's a SureFire proto-type concept. I assume that it can be replicated but I'm not the person to help you with the hows and the details since I don't modify flashlights. There are far better people doing that here on CPF.

I really like the 9AN form and heft. It's a solid dutylight with a solid beam. I realise that I do not use it as intended - I do not use it each and every night as part of my job. To that end the two that I have are self queens for 99% of the time.

Al

wasserkool said:

Its a lake in sudbury, Ontario. Its over a few hundred feet deep and its a dark lake with almost nil visibility..good luck fishing it out lol

Click to expand...

Im sure the pike and muskie are making good use of it. Maybe try tolling with another Surefire light as bait during this coming season. You never know!

I think, out of the "normal" powered Halogen lights, the 9N is the only useful one.
Being rechargeable, offering 2 levels of output, not too long & small head, good light with a very useful medium flood beam.

2 things I incorporate in mine are: a 0.5-1 ohms resistor (whatever is at hand) put into the leads of the low bulb, keeping it from burning out too quickly, and a better battery. By now I have two 4000 mAh sticks out of a 7.4 Volt RC-Batt-pack. Main runs for 1 hour 30-35 mins with these.

But finally, what I type to all similar treads: No chance this light stands a chance against a high power led. Better get a light using a cree/SSC and running on Li-Ion (18650 at best). Way better.
I have a 6P modded with a multidriver board and a Cree, running on 800 mA from an 18650 Li-Ion. Bit under 2.5 hours on full, way smaller than the 9N, white light that lets the Halogen feel as if the batts are already depleted.
www.dealextreme.com f.e. is a cheap but moderate quality light source (depending, but ) ...