Help with stuck inflator and deflator buttons on my Dacor Scuba BCD

The deflator button on my hose became stuck in the open position to let all the air out on a dive on saturday and would not pop back in the normal position. Any idea on how to fix this? I took it apart and could not figure out what was keeping it stuck. Is it possible to find a replacement for this? I know Dacor went out of business in 2004, but is there a BCD hose/inflator/deflator that is compatible with my vest? I will probably take it to a shop this week, but any thoughts/ideas/comments would be very helpful. thanks

Since Dacor is now defunct and can't provide official manufacturer replacement/repair, I'd recommend just replacing the power inflater unit. No need to replace the corrugated hose if that's still in good shape. The guys at your local dive shop should be able to find a standard power inflater replacement that fits on the end of the corrugated hose and is affixed with zipties.

FWIW, the last time I purchased a standard power inflater...it cost about $20.
Annually, I perform preventative maintenance on my BC power inflater by taking it apart, cleaning corrosion from the metal parts (with vinegar:water soaks followed by water rinses), and installing new o-rings. With my standard power inflater, I needed to buy a relatively inexpensive $6 tool to aid with disassembly/reassembly. I use regular silicone grease to lube the Buna-N o-rings.

Power inflators are a PITA the rebuild, just buy a new one.

Thanks for your thoughts. I was just worried I would have to replace my whole BCD because one part broke. Do you happen to have know any standard power inflator I can buy offline to replace the one I have?

Don't know how mechanically inclined you are, or how much experience you have working on dive gear, but the service manual may or may not provide some insight, even if you decide in the end to replace the thing.

Doc Harry:

Power inflators are a PITA the rebuild, just buy a new one.

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@Doc Harry: Although I agree that it would probably make sense for the OP just to purchase a new power inflater, I think we have a difference of opinion on how easy it is to rebuild a power inflater assembly. It's actually quite simple. Troubleshooting problems with the power inflater is also fairly straightforward. With a standard power inflater, most problems can be fixed by replacing the appropriate o-ring. This is not always the case with proprietary power inflater systems that are more complicated in design. A separate question is whether it's worth a diver's time to try to fix the power inflater -- a new one costs $20-$25. After all, the problem may be more than just an o-ring. It is possible that one of the sealing surfaces may have been damaged necessitating replacement.

captnbrimster:

Thanks for your thoughts. I was just worried I would have to replace my whole BCD because one part broke. Do you happen to have know any standard power inflator I can buy offline to replace the one I have?

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@captnbrimster: I don't have a Dacor BCD, so I don't know the size of the corrugated hose you have. The size of the opening in the end of the corrugated hose will determine whether a standard power inflater will fit it.

Most BCDs out there use a 1-inch corrugated hose, which fits what I'm calling a "standard" power inflater.
There are some BCs which use a 3/4-inch corrugated hose (Oceanic, older U.S. Divers, etc.) and power inflater with a slightly smaller attachment point.
If you have a BC with 3/4-inch corrugated hose, you can purchase a replacement "adapter" corrugated hose that has a 1-inch opening on the end that attaches to the power inflater. Using this "adapter" hose would permit attachment of a "standard" 1-inch power inflater.

Scubatoys.com and Northeastscubasupply.com are good online sources for replacement power inflaters.

I have an old Decor BC ~1985. The elbow screw on fitting is not the same as my DiveRite or Oxycheq which are interchangeable. I will take a look at it tonight.

I own a Dacor BC - circa 1989 - hose is identical diameter to ScubaPro....... I was even able to continue to use the pull to dump with the Air2 (or the SP power inflator, or my DUI, which appears to be a generic).

No need to change the hose. The Dacor even has a screw clamb to hold the inflator rather than zip ties.... simple swap out....