Many fittings for BC's were made by Soniform and are quite similar, but slightly different. I'd hate to send you something that is close but blows off during a dive.
What you need is probably in here. It might take replacing the entire elbow to get a good fit. If we find something that works for you, all I ask is that you pay shipping and buy me a beer if we ever meet at the beach.
Thanks for this information. Could you PM me with your contact at SeaTec? I am in the process of rebuilding my Para-Sea BC, and may also need some parts.
John
John C. Ratliff Diving since 1959, at age 13. Haven't stopped, and still enjoy getting wet.
- Thanks Charlie. Yes, I can spot at least one part that looks similar. Thank you for offering and I'd like to take you up on your offer if either Dive Gear Express or SeaTec parts don't work out. - John, you might like shopping the Dive Gear Express parts at www.divegearexpress.com/bcs/bcdparts.shtml. Everything is right there, click it into your cart and you're done. I even got proper installation tools. They already shipped my inflator/elbow parts. - SeaTec public number is 951-352-7596. When the parts lady is there, that's the number. They will give you Scott's number for now but, he'll tell you he can't help until the parts lady gets back. I'll PM you. - I just placed a quick, online order with Dive Gear Express for the overpressure/dump parts. The lack of hassle, waiting around, phone and email tag is refreshing. If these parts fit, I'll have my BCD fixed in a week. ... Yeah, now I have a smiley face!
Last Edit: Apr 15, 2015 10:09:03 GMT -8 by surflung
Above: Top and Bottom Views of Bladder Flange Assembly* - I received my BCD Inflator parts order from Dive Gear Express today. The parts are identical to the broken ones on my Seatec 1040 BCD. When I get the 2nd order for the overpressure parts, I should be able to just install them and have this Horsecollar working as good as new. - I'll have about $50 into this repair because I ordered complete assemblies. If I had a little patience, I could have just ordered 2 of the "Bladder Flange Assembly" at only $8.95 each. Oh well... *The split rubber bladder gasket is not shown here
Last Edit: Apr 20, 2015 8:12:02 GMT -8 by surflung
Eb, if you haven't put it together yet, try this: put the male side in the freezer over night, 24 hours even better. The longer you have it in the tighter the molecules are going to contract! Before you put it together, use a hair dryer on the female size to to get it hot, this will expand it. Use some silicone too, threads and rubber gasket; this will do a few things: fill in any areas where air might escape, keep salt water from potentially getting trapped and over time destroying the plastic, and make the parts turn smoother.
WARNING: once your parts become ambient temperature they are going to either expand or contract and are going to be very hard to get apart; but because of this yours rubber gasket is going to be very tightly compressed. Practice putting it together first so you can do it quickly as the pieces are go to become ambient rapidly
- The parts and tools for my SeaTec repair project have all arrived! Pictured above are the tools for installing the Bladder Flange Assembly. The tool for the flange that's inside the bladder actually slips thru the middle of the tool for the outside piece that screws onto it. These tools should make the repair go easily. - Jaybird, I've heard of what you're describing as the "Fire and Ice" method for various interference fitted parts. I've always heard of it for metal parts but never for plastic. Heating up plastic makes me nervous because I worry about either deforming it or making it brittle. I'm sure its fine though and I appreciate your suggestion.
Last Edit: Apr 22, 2015 9:04:01 GMT -8 by surflung
- Just a final post to conclude... I got the bladder flange parts for both the inflator and the over pressure. I think they are Dive Rite brand. I ordered them from Dive Gear Express and they are identical to the original parts. - I definitely recommend buying the tools pictured above. They allow you to get things tight without pinching the inside flange... Which may have been how the flanges got broke in the first place. - Installing the parts was quick and easy and my Seatec BCD is now working, sealing, and as good as new.
Last Edit: Apr 27, 2015 6:19:02 GMT -8 by surflung
Navy Seals with SeaTec Horse Collar BCDs - For those who think the SeaTec Sunfish logo doesn't look cool, take a look at this whole group of Navy Seals sporting the exact same SeaTec Horsecollar BCD that we've been talking about... Complete with Sunfish logo right on the front. Not a single "AquaLung" logo to be seen anywhere.
- I think the Sunfish logo looks pretty cool on a Navy Seal!
- Yes, and I noticed another thing: They're not using automatic inflators with their Snark III regs either. Last weekend I discovered a hassle taking my tanks off when I couldn't get the quick disconnect of the inflator undone so I could separate the tanks from the diver (me). Unlike conventional BCs where the BC comes off with the tank, the horse collar stays with the diver. My semi-numb hands could not get that quick disconnect undone and I couldn't reach the tank valve to turn off the pressure. (Friend Rich had to help) - Fortunately, my other regulator (Argonaut) has a quick disconnect on the inflator that has a large protruding cuff on it. THAT one I could get off easy. - But really, why not just use the Seatec horsecollar the way the Navy Seals do... Without the inflator hose. Blowing a little air into it by mouth isn't so difficult. And one less hose to contend with is fine by me.
- But really, why not just use the Seatec horsecollar the way the Navy Seals do... Without the inflator hose. Blowing a little air into it by mouth isn't so difficult. And one less hose to contend with is fine by me.
That's what I do with my smaller SeaTec horse collars that have no auto-inflator. There are techniques that can be used to minimize the amount of water that enters the bladder (not overweighting, and inflating as infrequently as possible being effective passive techniques).
I do use the inflator on the Sun Fish, though, as that is my usual open ocean HC. It is nice that the inflator doesn't let sea water into the bladder. And as long as you stop dumping before all the bubbles exit the mouthpiece, little or no sea water will enter then either. I always rinse like heck anyway, so I'm not worried about salt crystals forming inside either way.
Last Edit: May 5, 2015 19:33:05 GMT -8 by duckbill
Silly humans, fins are for fish. Mammals use flippers.
- Here's some video of me diving my Seatec 1040 Sunfish horse collar BCD at Fortune Pond, MI. You can see I have it hooked up to the inflator hose from my red hosed Argonaut Kracken double hose regulator. - Note that you can see the ripples in the surface from our diving depth of 60-80 feet. The Seatec has some air in it from the inflator. And, the quick disconnect of the inflator hose has a wide black collar for easy gripping. - Finally, notice how nicely the twin tanks position the Argonaut diaphragm right between my shoulder blades and flat against my back. This is just one of the reasons I love diving those little twin tank sets. - P.S. This video was shot with a GoPro set at R5 (127 degree wide angle). Produced with Cyberlink editor to a resolution that should load pretty well from an on-line connection. And, uploaded to Photo Bucket. I usually use the GoPro R2 setting for 170 degree wide angle but I figured the clearer water justified the narrower angle.