# Surefire 8AX replacement bulb



## Policetacteam (Aug 11, 2007)

The bulb just went out on my Surefire 8AX Commander and I'm curious if there is a better or possibly brighter bulb available. I'm also curious if a Cree LED bulb would work in this flashlight, if so any recommendations.


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## cnjl3 (Aug 11, 2007)

check out this link:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/167055

Maybe he might help ya out? Wouldnt hurt to ask.

"Milkyspit" also comes to mind.

Good luck!


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## Policetacteam (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks ccjl3...I am just curious. Can an LED lamp be used in a flashlight which uses an incad bulb or is there some kind of different electronic circuitry at play here!?!


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## Lightingguy321 (Aug 11, 2007)

Maybe you should try getting a hold of a Surefire KL7 LED bezel. It has a fairly high output, but if you are looking for more output than 100 lumens, try a mod.


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## lightr07 (Aug 12, 2007)

I'm not fammilar with the Internals of the 8AX but when you screw the head off if you see contacts then most likely a KL7 wouldn't work, If you see the top or bottom contact of the battery (and if you take the tailcap off you see right threw the battery tube) then there is some chance of using an LED mod or a SF KL or KX Series head. (Most likely KL as i don't think the KX series head's come in that high of voltage yet.

(Edit: I did some research and the Battery listed as a replacement for the 8AX (The B90) is also listed as the battery for the L7 LED Rechargable light. So if you got a KL7 head than you'd have a good chance of it working as it seems that the voltage's are the same. Again like i said I'm not fammilar with the 8AX so i don't know if it has the "see-straight-threw" battery tube or one with contacts which would probably have some kind of microchip control with it. If its the "see-threw" than you should have no problem.)


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## Size15's (Aug 12, 2007)

The L7 is an 8AX body with KL7 bezel.

The KL7 bezel fits and functions on both the 8AX and 8NX no worries.

I understand that the KL7 also fits and functions on the Classic 8X as well but I've not seen this confirmed.


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## Policetacteam (Aug 12, 2007)

size 15's,

I looked on Surefire's website and could not find the KL7 head. I found the L7 light but could not figure out if the head unit on the L7 is called something else. If the KL7 head works I would be interested in a black bezel. If anyone knows of a Surefire dealer on this forum that is reliable and cheap please let me know. Thanks for all of the help everyone!


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## qarawol (Aug 12, 2007)

Size15's said:


> The L7 is an 8AX body with KL7 bezel.
> 
> The KL7 bezel fits and functions on both the 8AX and 8NX no worries.
> 
> I understand that the KL7 also fits and functions on the Classic 8X as well but I've not seen this confirmed.





I have the Surefire L7 and all three of the Surefire 8 series (8X, 8AX, 8NX)... all heads are interchangeable. All the 8 series bodies will even fit the T5 and the KT5 TurboHeads.

Njoy...


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## Policetacteam (Aug 12, 2007)

qarawol,

How do you think the throw of the KL7 head compares to the standard 8AX commander head in terms of throw. Just curious!?! This is my primary duty light so it is not only used for traffic stops (up close and personal) but also for suspect searches where a light needs to be able to throw some light at a fair distance.


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## Policetacteam (Aug 12, 2007)

Here is another question regarding the KL7 bezel. Why is the Surefire L7 light listed on Surefire's web page as 100 lumens but all of the web sites selling the KL7 bezel only show it as 75 lumens?


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## Size15's (Aug 12, 2007)

qarawol,
Thanks - it's good to have that confirmed by somebody who has been physically able to try it.
I have a KT5 myself so I know and I know it is interchangeable with the 8X as well.

Policetacteam,
SureFire revised the lumen output ratings of a number of their LED products following their testing of a large number of production units using correctly calibrated measuring equipment. Previously these ratings were based on conservative approximations following testing using measuring equipment calibrated for incandescent light because there was no time to get a better quality rating prior to the publishing of the catalogues before SHOT Show.
SureFire are confident that their new (current) rating is more representative of production units.


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## Policetacteam (Aug 12, 2007)

> Policetacteam,
> SureFire revised the lumen output ratings of a number of their LED products following their testing of a large number of production units using correctly calibrated measuring equipment. Previously these ratings were based on conservative approximations following testing using measuring equipment calibrated for incandescent light because there was no time to get a better quality rating prior to the publishing of the catalogues before SHOT Show.
> SureFire are confident that their new (current) rating is more representative of production units.


 
great...that answers one of my questions. Hopefully someone can answer my questions in regards to throw and flood of the KL7 bezel vs. 8AX bezel. Thanx for all of the productive comments and replies...this is a huge help to me!!!


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## ampdude (Aug 12, 2007)

The KL7 has a very deep reflector compared to alot of other LED lights and as a result has very good throw compared to the average LED light. I have not compared an 8AX side by side with a KL7 head personally, but I believe you will be happy with the amount of throw the KL7 has.


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## Policetacteam (Aug 12, 2007)

Any pictures of the throw?


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## Policetacteam (Aug 14, 2007)

Besides going with a KL7 head are there any other options or is anyone making a better drop-in?


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## yellow (Aug 14, 2007)

its a modder-thing.
the head is large enough for any mod.
afir there are quite some treads on mods, I have a Lux III running on a Badboy with a Modbar optic inside my 8X
(and no time to do the real mod with a Cree/SSC and a Flupic driver and a reflector)

but You _might_ be able to put one of dealextremes inserts (the ones for one Li-Ion) inside. 
If it physically fits in the front part, You only need to somehow extend the springs
(there was also a tread on this)


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## Policetacteam (Aug 15, 2007)

That sounds interesting but possibly more work than I planned on doing. This is my primary duty light so I don't want to be without it for long. I'm thinking the KL7 head is the way to go. Thanks for the ideas.


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## gimmejr (Aug 16, 2007)

Very glad I saw this thread. I think Im going to try and pick up a new head for my 8ax.

Would a new lamp assembly breath new life into my 8ax?


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## yellow (Aug 16, 2007)

> but possibly more work than I planned on doing. This is my primary duty light so I don't want to be without it for long. .


see the starting idea here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/169311
my posts # 6 and # 8.

Unfortunately I dont think anyone understood me:
make the hole in the 8X head just a bit wider, that that led-insert fits in + bend the outer spring of the insert smaller so it touches the 8X negative battery contact.

imho the lengh of the insert is more or less identical to the normal LA,
+ the insert is centered as it still is pressed against the angeled part inside the head
+ the original LA still works as ususal, when used instead

I would give this mod 30 mins max, as I would have to use a hand file for the hole, have no lathe
next time I order from DX, maybe I'll get such an insert also to try that


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## Policetacteam (Aug 16, 2007)

Yellow,

I checked out the link you provided. Very interesting stuff. I think that is what I was hoping for at the beginning of this search. This thread just seems to get a bit better each day. If anyone has done this mod and could provide any pictures..even of the finished product I would like to see them!!!


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## JasonC8301 (Aug 16, 2007)

Have you looked at the Surefire 10X dominator? A low option of either 60 lumens for 3 hours or 110 for an hour and a half, and an option for 500+ lumens for ~20 minutes.

In a place like NYC, LED's aren't quite up there in terms of color rendition and all the street lights tend to wash out lower powered lights (at times I hope for more light coming from the 10X which is a lot for its size, but always wanting more.)


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## Policetacteam (Aug 16, 2007)

JasonC8301,

The 10X Dominator would be nice but I need something to be kept on my duty belt full time. The 10X would be a great light to keep in my bag but I carry two lights on me full time because my entire shift is generally worked in the dark (2300 - 0700 hrs). My 8AX provides excellent throw and very good flood for indoor work. Mine is powered by a 3300 mAh cell rechargeable from Silverfox which work perfectly and add just a little umpf!!!


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## JasonC8301 (Aug 16, 2007)

Besides the 8AX, which other light do you carry? I have a duty rig belt set-up for demo purposes (instructor at a range) with a retention holster, 2 spare mags, pepper spray, Tigerlight FBOP model, cuffs, and baton. The Tigerlight is pushing it already because I have such a small amount of real estate on my size 30 waist. I can sit a L2 on there in place of the Tigerlight but lose out on the reach out and touch someone search light capability of the Tigerlight. But then again whats the point of a light or baton when it is left in a patrol car. 

Good luck on your search for a KL7 head. I hope that works out for you or you find something that does.


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## socom1970 (Oct 25, 2015)

Hey guys, I'm resurrecting this thread as a bit of help to anyone who might still be needing a replacement 8AX lamp assembly. 

I have found that you can use either a P60 or P61 lamp assembly in them. All you need to do that is a spacer in-between the P60/61 and the bezel window. I used one of the aluminum Malkoff regular retaining rings (non-high/low). It fits perfectly. 

The P60 puts out maybe 30-40 lumens of warm-yellow, under-driven (but pleasantly useable) output, drawing about 900-ish mAh for around 3 hours runtime on a good B90. 

The P61 puts out about the same as the X80, maybe 110 lumens. Still under-driven just a bit, but very useable indeed, drawing approx. 2.20 Ah (almost the same as the X80 at approx. 2.30Ah), giving about an hour runtime. The P61 surprised me with how similar it's output, color, and beam characteristics are to the X80. Almost a even replacement, IMHO, other than it being almost as white and a slightly bigger spot due to the smaller reflector.

I would think any LED drop-in (like the P60L) would work also as long as it doesn't have the wider bottom body like the Lumens Factory or Solarforce drop-ins as they won't fit inside the bottom collar of the two-piece head (unless you machine it down to fit).


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## m4a1usr (Oct 26, 2015)

socom1970 said:


> I would think any LED drop-in (like the P60L) would work also as long as it doesn't have the wider bottom body like the Lumens Factory or Solarforce drop-ins as they won't fit inside the bottom collar of the two-piece head (unless you machine it down to fit).



Nice to see this one revived too. You are correct that a P60L will work. I've tried it and its not that bad. No mod to the head needed. Unfortunately todays P60's or D26 drop ins will not work with out boring the head out a bit to fit the pill down in to the head. The diameter is just a tad too small. Good to know about the Malkoff ring. I found a large copper banjo gasket worked but they are pretty spendy compared to what the Malkoff ring costs.


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## lumen aeternum (Oct 26, 2015)

Sources for this P60L ?? Link to this ring?

So much room inside the tube... someone needs to design a carrier for a L-ion battery and an electronics/switch package that would be activated by the existing tail button...

(I really like the tube size and switch).


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## m4a1usr (Oct 26, 2015)

lumen aeternum said:


> Sources for this P60L ?? Link to this ring?
> 
> So much room inside the tube... someone needs to design a carrier for a L-ion battery and an electronics/switch package that would be activated by the existing tail button...
> 
> (I really like the tube size and switch).



The P60L we were speaking about is just a normal Surefire P60L. Can be found on line. Amazon, Ebay, etc. The ring spoken of by Socom I'm assuming is the adapter mentioned on the Malkoff web site when you look at the M60 and M61 modules. On the page you will see a note regarding an adapter if the drop in is to be used in the shock absorbing heads found on Surefire M951/M952 lights. That's the one I'm assuming he made his comment about. But I could be wrong. I used a copper banjo gasket which is a seal for pressurized fuel systems. The OD needs to be 30mm to fit inside the 8ax bezel. I don't remember exactly the ID but 25mm seems about right IIRC.


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## socom1970 (Oct 27, 2015)

lumen aeternum said:


> Sources for this P60L ?? Link to this ring?
> 
> So much room inside the tube... someone needs to design a carrier for a L-ion battery and an electronics/switch package that would be activated by the existing tail button...
> 
> (I really like the tube size and switch).



This is what I'm referring to:




The ring you see is the brass two-stage retaining ring. The single stage is aluminum, but looks exactly like this. You can find it at Malkoffdevices.com.

I agree about the battery carrier and electronics/switch package. I really like the tube size as well. I have big hands; the 8AX body diameter fits great in my hand. Bigger diameter than the 6P/9P body, not as big as the M6.


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## lumen aeternum (Oct 28, 2015)

Confusing that Malkoff labels his P60 stuff M instead of P...

They seem to run from 650ma draw down to 150ma. But if the bulb draws 900ma then an LED ought to be much longer running?

What's the difference between his models "to fit Surefire" vs "to fit Surefire and Malkoff?"


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