What is the difference between the Commander 1, Commander 2, Commander 3, and Commander 4?
The Commander 1 has both a different sound & design to the other 3 models (specifically, it has only a single high-pitched tone instead of the multiple tones that later models do).
The Commander 2 & Commander 3 are mostly identical to each other, the only difference is that the Commander 2 is fixed-candela while the Commander 3 is multi-candela. As for the differences between the Commander 1 & the Commander 2 & 3, the latter have a larger horn grille than the former along with a completely different mounting method & multiple tones: two for the Commander 2 (“mechanical” & “2400hz”), & four for the Commander 3 (“mechanical”, “2400hz”, “chime”, & “whoop”).
The Commander 4 is essentially the ceiling-mount version of the Commander 3, except without the latter’s chime & whoop tones (for some reason).
The later commander 2s are basically just the fixed candela commander 3s since they do actually have the chime and whoop tones.
You might be right as I have only mine to use for reference, both of which are older models that lack those tones.
The commander 4 has different candelas for the strobe.
I said the Commander 4 does, just like the 3 (so do the Commander 1 & 2 as well but only via different “sub-models” rather than a switch on one model like with the 3 & 4).
I meant the candela options on the commander 4 are different from those on the commander 3
Do the commander ones have the long plastic pole sticking out the back
Yes. No idea what it’s for.
Yes, & it’s not really a pole: it’s more of a “bump” molded into the back that covers a capacitor (which is most likely for the strobe).
Oh that is what that thing is for
Do you know what the amperage for the commander 3 and 4 is?
The amp draw depends on the candela & tone they’re set to. The datasheets list the amperage for each:
Commander3-Series1.pdf (gentex.com)
Commander4-SeriesProduct.pdf (gentex.com)