# Surefire 9AN Commander



## [email protected] (Sep 26, 2008)

I was digging through some stuff today and found a SF 9AN Commander still in box and pratically unused. Now that I am waiting for the battery to charge, I just want to ask if anyone here still use this light.

I think a low beam/high beam concept is preety cool, but if I remember correctly, the low beam really sucks. :laughing:

Is the rechargeable battery a 9V? 

Cheers,

Mark


----------



## yellow (Sep 26, 2008)

short story: the best reachargeable light SF offers

the batt stick is 3 pc. of Sub-C Cells. That makes 3.6 V. nominal.
Standard by now is 4000 mAh - roughly double than what the original cells offer.
Build Yourself Your own sticks, if You plan to use the light. 
I get a runtime of 1 h ~30 mins for the main beam.

the 2nd beam is not so powerful, right, but still beats most cheap lights
(not in throw, but the offset bulb is not intended for throw).

imho the concept was and is simply perfect.
Unfortunately actual led lights (with their much better ability to dim the output) give better overall results (instead of 9N I use a modded 6P that gives comparable light for 2 h 20 mins) but that does not mean the 9N has gotten worse than it was be4.


----------



## ampdude (Sep 26, 2008)

If I remember correctly the secondary beam is 25 lumens. I imagine it would be roughly comparable to the SF MN02 lamp assembly.


----------



## [email protected] (Sep 27, 2008)

Too late, I was playing with it and placed 2 x 18650 inside and somehow it fits and burned the high lamp. :mecry:

Who would ever thought it was a 3.6V battery anyways, it's huge.

I am not gonna go buy a replecement, I am gonna change the high to a EO-9 and something stronger like a 7.4V 1A lamp for the low lamp if possible. 

Gonna have make a battery tube out of some scrap material so the 18650 do not rattle. Wish me luck on the project guys.

It's about time I make a custom light for myself anyways. 


Cheers,

Mark


----------



## Taboot (Sep 28, 2008)

I have one. I like it, but a LF LA would make it awesome:thumbsup: j/k, I'm sure the potential sales volume wouldn't warrant a run. But if you come up with a cool solution, be sure to post it!

Good luck!

Mike


----------



## PhillyRube (Sep 28, 2008)

I have two of them........one has a problem, as I cannot get the high beam bulb to come on....twist the head and it's the low bulb all around. I'll probably send it back for repair.


----------



## Monocrom (Sep 28, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> I was digging through some stuff today and found a SF 9AN Commander still in box and pratically unused. Now that I am waiting for the battery to charge, I just want to ask if anyone here still use this light.
> 
> I think a low beam/high beam concept is preety cool, but if I remember correctly, the low beam really sucks. :laughing:
> 
> ...


 
A few LEOs who got one as a gift from a loved one years ago probably still use it. I heard the low beam was designed to check out items close by, and then switch to high for getting a better look at something off in the distance. (Same concept with the A2).


----------



## kramer5150 (Sep 29, 2008)

I was just looking at those on ebay. Cool that they use SC cells you can get those at any well stocked RC hobby shop. 25L would be very useful with a red filter to preserve night vision.


----------



## yellow (Sep 30, 2008)

low beam bulbs keep on dying very quick on me,
therefore I am used to change them to a sunny white led (+ "small" resistor) when it happens. 
Takes just a few minutes now 


PS: "thanks" to the offset mounting, the beam/light of the low bulb is just for report writing / low light chores, as it does not focus the beam.
So this is not comparable to anything (the low bulb is stronger and whiter than the one in Your 3-cell Mag)
thats why the led mod makes sense --> endless runtime with the same "beam", as the 5mm gives its light more to the front
(+ can't )
Putting an even stronger bulb in here wont give anything positive, while adding negatives

PPS: I dont think modding 9N/8X to single 18650, via inserting another tube into the body to stop rattling, makes sense. Compared to true 18650 lights both are too big. Also the Sub-C stick is very powerful. Keep as is.


----------



## Chrontius (Oct 1, 2008)

I would love a 9N.

I would love a li-ion that actually filled the space of 3 sub-Cs even better - remember, the 8x needs the funky contacts of the B90 to work. Anyone know what size that'd be, and if there's anything close? 

Okay, something like a 23780, if I got that in the right order. 23mm wide by - er, either 78 or 102 mm depending on whether it's 1/2C or 4/5C. Is anything about that size made, and if so, how much more energy would it store than a stock B90? Surefire would do well to have an answer to the Strion, even if it is a mod.


----------



## Patriot (Oct 2, 2008)

I think it's a great concept but imo they missed the mark with the low output source. It really should have been 3 or 5 hard driven nichia's not totally unlike a large rechargeable A2. Had Surefire done that...I'd probably own one in each color.


----------



## Size15's (Oct 2, 2008)

Patriot36 said:


> I think it's a great concept but imo they missed the mark with the low output source. It really should have been 3 or 5 hard driven nichia's not totally unlike a large rechargeable A2. Had Surefire done that...I'd probably own one in each color.


When SureFire invented their 9N and the concepts they're Patented there didn't exist an L.E.D. suitable to replace the incandescent low beam.

You could be right that SureFire may have missed a trick by not updating the 9AN to an LED low beam, and I'd add the two-stage push button pressure switch as well to that wish list.
But that time as passed. Too late now.

Al


----------



## yellow (Oct 2, 2008)

that would add 2 spaces where the light of the main bulb were waisted.
Also the double-bulb concept of the 9N is from the "incan age"
The low bulb is meant for low light chores and does this perfectly 

(and, but here in incan noone wants to read:  No need to add any number of leds - thus worsening the reflector for the main beam - because an actual led light does the same as the main )of 8X/9N) + can be dimmed --> no need to do additional expensive work on the reflector.
Also there is the A2, made for what You want. Why changing a tested and proven design?)


Changing the low bulb to a direct driven 5mm led would increase usefulness, lifetime and decrease production cost, while having no negative effect (if some kind of "sunny white" like incan were used). Could even be made less extending into the reflector.


----------



## yellow (Oct 2, 2008)

doh, too slow while typing

--> 2 brains, same thoughts


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi guys, I have finally finished my little project here.

I made a fiber tube so the 2xIMR 18650 wouldn't rattle and I changed the 2 lamps into 9V lamps. Now I have an incan 9V high/low beam torch that uses the new IMR cells, sweet.

For the low lamp, I used a ES-9, 0.85A lamp. I frosted the whole thing, but that was probably a mistake since it couldn't focus anyways. Pretty easy to take the lamp out from the grey glue.

The high lamp is a new 9V lamp made for 2xIMR cells. It was a PITA to take out, the entire thing was sealed with white powdered glue. I didn't frost any part of this main lamp.

We use the same grey glue and white glue, so I basically assembled it back the way it was done.

It turned out really great and it was pretty darn bright!
I will compare with a EO-9L on Monday, probably kills it. :laughing:

The low beam wouldn't focus at all, so there is a large dark ring in the center when it was switched to low. Basically the same beam as the stock low lamp, but at least it is a bit brighter. Good for maybe reading a book or a sign or something at close range.
I will try a lens-end approach when I have the time, it needs to be specially made, so I will just wait until I am really bored.  

I don't know how to take beamshots, I have failed numerous times at it.
But I will take some photos of the assembly for you guys to see when I get back on Monday.

Note: This is just my own little project as a hobbyist because I fried my lamp and was too cheap to buy a new one. Please do not ask me to do it for you. This has nothing to do with my company and *no* it will not be made as a product. 

PS. The tube is removable so I can just buy a new SF 3.6V lamp assembly and it will be a stock 9AN all over again. No irreversible mod here, it was my Father's Birthday present that I gave to him a few years back, so I don't want no trouble. 

Cheers,

Mark


----------



## Taboot (Oct 24, 2008)

Wow Mark, that sounds really cool. Nice work. Looking forward to some pictures....


----------



## shomie911 (Oct 25, 2008)

Pics!! Sounds like a really cool mod. :twothumbs


----------



## poorfatkid (Nov 15, 2008)

Mark,

Sounds like a great mod. Do you have any pics yet that you could post?


----------



## bones_708 (Nov 18, 2008)

I like and still use my 9AN. The low light is great for paperwork with the main light still holding its own for throw and brightness with newer lights. At the time this was one of the best and most innovative lights out there. It may be a little long in the tooth but it's still a great light.


----------



## [email protected] (Nov 19, 2008)

Sorry guys, I totally forgot about this.
I will take some pics and post it up here as soon as possible.

Thanks.

Mark


----------



## Holappa (Nov 22, 2008)

I have owned one for about 4 years now and use it almost daily,great work light.The low beam is usefull as well.Great light.


----------



## Chrontius (Aug 13, 2010)

http://www.batteryspace.com/LiMnNi-Rechargeable-22650M-Cell-3.7V-2000-mAh-2.0A-rated-7.4Wh-0.6.aspx

Is it totally crazy that I can imagine a lithium B90 (B91? B90L?) and a LED based lamp assembly? Something that has a smaller and cheaper incan main gun, and a power LED flood beam that screws in?

BTW, my 9N came in the mail today. :twothumbs

Edit: Mark, two of those Batteryspace IMR cells should totally replace your 18650s and sleeves, and give you a bit more runtime and a bit less rattle. That said, the stock stick is 130mm long without the button top, and those sound like they'll be 132, no button. I'm sure that should work fine, but...

Any chance of an 8-series LF lamp, by the way? The X80 is sadly underdriven, even compared to a P61 on the B90.


----------

