Solenoids. Low-voltages. Relays. I have no idea what any of this electrical stuff means. But you guys tell me it’s cool. And these vintage lighting systems certainly are something to look at. So here’s Gretchen’s 1961 GE dual-dial 12-station light control panel circa 1961.
Great looking switches like these were installed with the system.
And these.
Gretchen’s home is a “half Jetsons, half Flintstones” Eichler design that is really wonderful. See it on her blog – eichlerific.blogspot.com – and see these lighting system photos and more on her flickr stream. Thanks, Gretchen!!!
Related posts:
- Mid-century Lightolier lighting catalog – 73 pages A 73-page mid-century Lightolier catalog — now that is...
- Birgitta’s vintage low voltage lighting system Birgitta writes: “I am wondering if this was a common...
- Midcentury modern pendant lamps from Progress, 1961 DIG THESE 1961 MIDCENTURY PENDANT LIGHTS from Progress. Which one...
- Six great 1961 interiors – floors, furniture, art, outrageous interiors and more I have been reading everyone’s suggestions for updates to...
- Amazing pink and blue 1953 bathroom Every pink bathroom that I see becomes my new favorite,...
Want to stay on top of all Retro Renovation news? Subscribe to our Saturday email newsletter.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Whoa! I’d love to see that dual-dial thingy in action. It’s hard to tell if it’s just a 12-way switch or a 12-zone off/on timer (but with only 12 hours? Should be 24). See if they can provide a movie of it being used.
Thanks Pam — I L-O-V-E your blog. Thank you for posting great resources and information!
I need to clarify that there are actually two separate homes on my Flickr photostream. One is our wacky ranch and the other is the Eichler. They are about 2 miles apart.
Tut — I’m sorry I didn’t see your earlier questions (comments were awaiting moderation). The two dials each function independently. One side turns things on and one side turns things off. There is no timer function. The solenoid panel (also on the Flickr set) controls all the low-voltage switches and the majority of outlets throughout the house and garage. Except for a few post-construction items and now our current in-progress remodel. You can see more notes in the Flickr set.
This is great! I can’t believe it’s front page on retrorenovaton! We just moved into a Upstate New York home built in the 70’s that has the GE Low Voltage System! Our switches (GE RFS-6) and master control panels (RMS4A) in the MB and Kitchen look exactly like yours! I’ve found a local electrical parts supplier that has plenty of new old stock components. I plan on keeping this unique system up and running for years.
That’s cool, Matt! We’ve been using a set of extra switches and solenoids that came with the house. Thanks for the model #’s — very helpful. Do you have a monster solenoid panel too?
Hello everyone! I am so surprised to find this thread. I am an electrician from Michigan and I have worked on many of these systems in both residential and commercial applications in my area – trust me the technology is still going strong out there! I have connections to get all replacement parts for these systems including switches, relays, and even the RMS4A master controllers. If any of you with these systems are trying to get ahold of replacement or upgrade parts or even just a little advise from an expert in the area, shoot me an email and I would be happy to assist!
Justin Anderson
TheNaughtyDonkey@Gmail.com
We have a vintage system in a 1962 built split level home in Duluth, MN. We are interested in renovating the master bedroom control unit. Does anyone have contacts or information where parts or a new one can be obtained. It is 3 separate panels (one for each level). Maybe Justin? Please contact me via email asap!