ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT for something we’ve never seen before, I was ecstatic to find this “Tappan Ultraflo push-button plumbing” innovation. It was featured in a copy of Popular Mechanics (Sept. 1963) that I picked up at Ron’s place last week. According to the story, mysterious unseen solenoids mix the temp magically so you never have to bother with those, what are they called again…oh yeah, faucet handles. This could be installed in the bathroom, too. Click through to see the groovy wiring diagram and full text.
And let’s hear your guesses… Why do you think this innovation failed?
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow. I’ve never seen such a thing.
I saw pushbuttons like this in a bathroom once when we were looking at houses for sale. Of course, I was charmed and fascinated, and wanted to buy the house, even though the rest of the place was pretty shabby. Cooler heads prevailed.
Betcha these came out around the same time as pushbutton transmissions on cars. Just seemed like pushbuttons were SO space age and modern.
How Awesome! I’ve never seen one before…
Femme1 – I would have the same reaction – I would want to buy buy buy!
This is new. Never knew it existed. Probably failed like the Rambler cars that had push button transmission-the keys stuck.
Oh’ wow. I don’t remember the push button plumbing. But, I do remember the Rambler car that sable mentioned in her comment. My parents had one. I remember most that it didn’t run!
Great site!!
Kris
Want.
We have a mess of solenoids in the basement of our 1961 ranch house that runs our switches, light fixtures and some outlets. It is powered by a dual dial G.E. switching system. The original owner even had one of the 10 stations dedicated to an outlet in the kitchen so he could turn on his coffee maker (before coffee makers got smart on their own!).
Having lived with this for nine years, I can tell you that if one of the solenoids fails, the whole system goes down! Usually on a major holiday too, haha. Perhaps that is why this innovation didn’t take hold?
My grandparents had these in their house in Westchester, custom built in 1965. They were working until the early 80’s but I think it was impossible to get someone out to fix them (along with the remote push button electric stove, drapes, electric driveway heaters, awnings, etc. I think one my grandfather’s accounts was GE and they got him some kind of deal on these gadgets.
While these seem really cool and futuristic, I can understand why they never caught on. I saw a renovating show covering the renovation of a bathroom that included push-button faucets. The homeowners hated the button system because it was impossible to regulate the water temperature – they were stuck with cold, lukewarm, or scalding.
Ooo! Very “House of Tomorrow!”
My dad has always been addicted to all the latest gadgets for home and garden. He’s in his 80’s, so he’s seen it all! He tells me he thought these pushbutton faucets were the greatest thing ever invented when they first came out, but was quickly “talked out of it” by salesmen and my mom. The salesmen expected tons of sales just because it was something new but felt that one person’s idea of the “perfect warm setting” was not the same as someone else’s. My mom, ever the practical one, simply stated “No. We’re not getting it. If the power goes out, we can’t get any water!
Great story, Joe. So this post gave you a reason to call or see your Dad and ask him for his memories? SO COOL! What else does he have to tell us?!
Very cool! My Aunt still has and uses her push button stove. The push buttons are above where the vent-a-hood is.
It failed because running water is so very analog.
Wes, I hope someone else appreciated your techy humor…that is very funny!
WE have lived with this system for 13 years. Where can we get parts for it? Anyone interested in “retroing” your house, make an offer on the system…………..
My first car was a 1962 Rambler Classic with the push button automatic. It worked great. I loved that car, it was so dorky-looking, but the back seat made into a full size bed.
These push buttons for the water are interesting. I have a water temperature select knob in my shower. It works by establishing the correct mix, and is not electronic. No matter where you set the temp, though, you have to let it run awhile to get up to operating temperature. Husband likes 110, I like 85, so luckily it is easily adjustable.
My high school boyfriend had a 1963 Plymouth Valiant with push button transmission. (This was in 1995). ‘63 must have been a button year!
The system didn’t actually fail. Our home was built in 1963 with the system throughout the main floor. However,when the man who developed the system, Doug Didion died suddenly from a heart attack sometime around 2001, the family, rather than pull together & keep the business running, fought to the point that they simply closed it down. At one point there was a warehouse full of parts, but no one seems to know what happened to those. Consequently, as the diaphrams dry out & you lose a solenoid you slowly lose your system. We have searched for years for parts & are now preparing to replace the system with a standard system. If anyone out there has found a place to get parts please post it as I would love to keep our system!
Elaine,is your water select knob something new? If its old it would be cool to see!
Barb
I have the system and have only changed the seals 3 times in 29 Years. Email team4747@yahoo.com for a few spart parts.
Good luck