Dacor 950xl pacer reg.

[gpapera]

I am new to scubaboard and I have a reg problem that I hope you all can help me out with. I have had this reg a daycore 950xl pacer had it for about 25yrs now and I really like it. it is in need of some repair work and I have a friend at my local dive shop that can do the work but the parts are the problem, I found a kit on line today and ordered it, its a 1608-15 overhaul repair kit, found on ebay, but I don't know what parts it contains and I really need a High pressure seat. can anyone tell me if the kit has it and if not where I can get a new one. Oklahoma is not exactly the dive capital of the world and its tough to find stuff here.

 

[knotical]

Dacor hasn't made regs for several years, and parts are indeed a problem. You might get some suggestions from this thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/427774-got-burned-dacor.html

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
Dacors are hard to come by factory parts for and frankly, you don't want them if you do- the rubber ones, obviously metal parts are fine. They have to be 20 to 30 yo for a 950 so their condition due to age is an issue. On the up side, all of the orings in the reg are common size, the diaphgram is common to most diaphgram regs which leaves you with the seat. Trident (a seller of various scuba items and most scuba shops are Trident dealers) sells several different Dacor HP seats. The next problem you have is Dacor used 3 different seat arrangements in that reg if I remember correctly and you must use the correct one with the other parts you have. The parts for the second stages are fairly common ones so they are not a problem. I rebuilt a 950 for a friend this summer so I am painfully aware of the parts issue.
I know you like the old reg but if it were me, I would find another first stage that you can get parts more easily for. Either a new HPG/Epic or if you want an older similar reg, tops on my list would be a USD/AL Conshelf or a Scubapro MK-5 or 10. Even an old AMF/Voit MR-12 would do nicely. These regs are easy to find, parts are readly available, easy to service and rock solid performers.

 

[timakempton]

I have a Dacor 950XL set myself and love it. If your 950 has the single spring configuration then the standard HP seat from Trident will suit perfectly. If your 950 has the earlier double spring arrangement then get eBay item number 160847711238 and give it to you technician and you should not have a problem. I cant remember if this kit includes the HP seat itself or not but as already said you can order one from Trident. I suggest once you get it overhauled this time and know exactly what parts you need then get yourself 2 sets of parts for it, keep one in your reg bag for emergencies while travelling and the second you can use to provide a reference for ordering replacement parts in the future. I also recommend you try and find yourself a technician that is a Dacor fan they are out there but can be hard to find. The biggest issue with Dacor gear I have found is finding the right guy to work on it once you find him stick to him and you will know that he will always have the parts in stock for your gear.
I would also recommend looking into getting another set of regs to use as backup or standby. Something where parts are not a problem.
They don't need to be expensive or brand new... I would recommend a Mares Abyss/Voltrex - MR12 combination as you will find it breathes in a similar way to your 950 set, although it is different mechanically, it is extremely reliable and parts are unlikely to ever be a problem. You could also look at Subapro gear second hand it's quite affordable and it's one of the market leaders for a reason.

 

[gpapera]

Good to see a positive note, yes, I love my old reg too it has been 200+ and never a problem. Breaths effortles, just needs some TLC. the guy I have is a scubapro guy but he likes my old stuff says if I get him the parts he will keep it up, he assures me once I get the kit and mainly the HP seat it will be like new. he says it is in excellent shape and hard to believe its 25yrs old. I have tried to take good care of it. Thanks for the info.

I have a Dacor 950XL set myself and love it. If your 950 has the single spring configuration then the standard HP seat from Trident will suit perfectly. If your 950 has the earlier double spring arrangement then get eBay item number 160847711238 and give it to you technician and you should not have a problem. I cant remember if this kit includes the HP seat itself or not but as already said you can order one from Trident. I suggest once you get it overhauled this time and know exactly what parts you need then get yourself 2 sets of parts for it, keep one in your reg bag for emergencies while travelling and the second you can use to provide a reference for ordering replacement parts in the future. I also recommend you try and find yourself a technician that is a Dacor fan they are out there but can be hard to find. The biggest issue with Dacor gear I have found is finding the right guy to work on it once you find him stick to him and you will know that he will always have the parts in stock for your gear.
I would also recommend looking into getting another set of regs to use as backup or standby. Something where parts are not a problem.
They don't need to be expensive or brand new... I would recommend a Mares Abyss/Voltrex - MR12 combination as you will find it breathes in a similar way to your 950 set, although it is different mechanically, it is extremely reliable and parts are unlikely to ever be a problem. You could also look at Subapro gear second hand it's quite affordable and it's one of the market leaders for a reason.