Is our never-used Dacor 360 regulator from 1989 still usable?

[Scott G. Bonser]

Hi,
I bought my husband a brand new regulator, a Dacor 360, in Dec 1989 and then we had three kids and never dove until this year. I asked him to find it and he just brought it out, still in the box and plastic with the receipt.
Is this still usable as is? With some adjustments? Or not at all?
I'm hoping it's still good because I just looked up the cost of regulators since then and wowza!!! (I paid about $225, I think. No price on receipt because it was a gift!)
Thank you,
Nancy

I believe that it would be. Make a ‘pool check’ to see if you are satisfied w/performance. Parts may be hard to find but they are out there if you have patience to hunt them.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

The only issue is there's a few rubber o-rings inside that are critical to sealing everything up. Rubber ages and so those o-rings need to be replaced before the reg is used. Replacing those o-rings is part of getting a regulator serviced. Once that is done, your regular will literally be as good as new.

Your challenge is going to be finding a shop or tech that will work on this regulator at all because Dacor went out of business and factory service kits that contain these parts are no longer available. Or if they are, they are well over 20 years old so have the same problem as your reg.

New o-rings of the correct type are available from other sources for that particular Dacor first stage so it definitely could be serviced, but you need to find a tech who is willing and able to figure it out.

If you are looking a service tech, please DM me. I know a few who may.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

I still need a regulator - is Ebay or FB marketplace ok to buy from? Thanks!

I pretty much find what I am looking for on eBay.

 

[Gone for diving]

Personally if it doesn't leak and acts properly when hooked up to a tank, I would take it diving.
Usually if stored well and kept out of light. It will be fine. Has happened to me more than once.

 

[lowwall]

Personally if it doesn't leak and acts properly when hooked up to a tank, I would take it diving.
Usually if stored well and kept out of light. It will be fine. Has happened to me more than once.

It probably would be fine if it passed a full pre-dive check. But I could never recommend that a new diver take a chance on a 34-year old unserviced reg.

 

[nldunn]

If you are looking a service tech, please DM me. I know a few who may.

Thank you!

 

[tr3a]

If it was mine (we have 2) I would hook it up to a tank, check the IP and if stable just adjust if needed and then dive it.
The 360 is a simple diaphragm first stage similar to a conshelf.
If service is needed all orings are standard size. The diaphragm is the same as a conshelf (35mm I believe) and is interchangeable (I have done it).
The air filter can be cleaned in vinegar solution.
The HP seat does NOT go bad sitting in a box. It is bulletproof, although I have spares I have never needed to replace. Contrary to what a lot of people say you can reuse the HP seat, if it worked before taken apart it will work again. I have been doing this for over 50 years with no issues. If truly unused that seat should be good for a minimum 10 years active diving. Check ebay sometimes old kits pop up. All you want is the HP seat in the kit.
If the second stage is a Pacer XP (common) it is a simple downstream, again bulletproof. The LP seat is the same as a Conshelf.

 

[tr3a]

If the IP does spike try relubing the balance chamber oring

 

[broncobowsher]

While new, they are old. Mentioned before, I will again. The metal parts inside will be like new. Shy of corrosion, nothing could be wrong. The rubber, that ages. That is where the problems will be at. It would really need a service just to have fresh rubber parts.

Now the rub. Dacor has been out of business for about 20 years. Bought by Mares and the service parts discontinued. Any factory service kits are now 20+ years old as well.

I know a guy in town that kept old Dacors alive for many years after support disappeared. Even he has given up on them.

As for buying used off FB or eBay, unless you know what your are really shopping for and what you are getting, you could end up with a used version of exactly what you are trying to replace. The same service guy tells me about them all the time. Looks good outside, lots of salt water damage inside. Lots of neglect. By the time he gets them rebuilt (if he can get the parts for them) they had now spent as much for a used regulator as a new one with warranty would have cost.

There are fans of them out there. And if you can rebuild them yourself it isn't that big of a deal. I would recommend putting that brand new Dacor still in the original box and in the plastic on eBay. Let one of the fans of it pick it up and put it in there collection. Use that money toward a new reg.

 

[Tracy]

If it was mine (we have 2) I would hook it up to a tank, check the IP and if stable just adjust if needed and then dive it.
The 360 is a simple diaphragm first stage similar to a conshelf.
If service is needed all orings are standard size. The diaphragm is the same as a conshelf (35mm I believe) and is interchangeable (I have done it).
The air filter can be cleaned in vinegar solution.
The HP seat does NOT go bad sitting in a box. It is bulletproof, although I have spares I have never needed to replace. Contrary to what a lot of people say you can reuse the HP seat, if it worked before taken apart it will work again. I have been doing this for over 50 years with no issues. If truly unused that seat should be good for a minimum 10 years active diving. Check ebay sometimes old kits pop up. All you want is the HP seat in the kit.
If the second stage is a Pacer XP (common) it is a simple downstream, again bulletproof. The LP seat is the same as a Conshelf.

Trident makes a seat for it, no reason to buy a 20 year old kit.
The trident seat doesn't last as well, but they are cheap and easy to get.