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?
Note: Get with your own properly licensed expert to assess safety etc.
MidCenturyBetty says
Ooo! Very “House of Tomorrow!”
Happy Daze says
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.
Glenda Thibeau says
THis is so true…we have the system in our home…
Kris says
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
John says
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.
Gretchen S. says
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?
veg-o-matic says
Want.
sablemable says
This is new. Never knew it existed. Probably failed like the Rambler cars that had push button transmission-the keys stuck.
RetroReDesign says
How Awesome! I’ve never seen one before…
Femme1 – I would have the same reaction – I would want to buy buy buy! 🙂
Femme1 says
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.
Juju says
Wow. I’ve never seen such a thing.