Electrolux Telescopic Wand

[countryguy]

I don't ever recall seeing a U.S. made Electrolux that had a telescopic wand. Were telescopic wands ever made for U.S. lux's? If not, anyone know why not? The wand seems so much more practical and I know I love it on my '89.

Gary

 

[electrolux~137]

One of the variations on the 1205 had a telescoping wand but it was troublesome -- the lock/release latch was flimsy and poorly engineered and got easily broken. So you hardly ever see them anymore-- the telescoping wand was frequently replaced sooner than the hose.

I have a Canadian Z89 and the wand that came with it is exactly like the 1205 telescoping wand other than the color of course. So I hardly ever use it lest the latch break.

 

[sireluxomatic]

I also like the telescopic wand, but its a pity the plastic part couldn't have been sturdier, or somehow reinforced without adding too much weight. Every time I use it, I'm conscious of how fragile it is if not treated carefully.

On the other hand, the red metal telescopic wand with the spring clips that matched the 83/86/88 is quite sturdy, but lacks an electrical connection.

 

[kenkart]

I have a 1205 telescopic wand

I will hunt it out and post a picture of it.

 

[sireluxomatic]

American Electrolux was always somewhat ahead of Canadian Electrolux in the innovation department, but this seems to be a case where the opposite is true. The telescopic wand may not have stayed around for a long time, but it must be the basis for the plastic sheath/steel wand that became standard. After all, didn't the early version of the 1205 (out around the same time as the 89) still have the Model F/G style power nozzle with long plastic wand and hose cord?

I suppose the same is true of the dark green electric hose with direct connect pistol grip handle for the 89. When did American hoses adapt the direct connect handle? The Canadian electric hose seems to have come out in 1968/9, or around that.

I'm constantly fascinated by these details, and how American and Canadian Electrolux vacuums of that period converge in design, style, and attachments.

 

[aeoliandave]

Speaking of those little details, Canadian 80 series used a positive latching clip to lock hoses, wands, tools and PNs together while American Lux went with that pesky sprung friction ring hoop that I find loosens or breaks with use, mars the wands and rotates when you least want it to. never mind how in-elegant the protruding tab looks beside the 80 button...

Naturally any arrangement for clippage can take only so much abuse and I put the broken ones under the Shoddy OwnerOperator Error Abuse Category.
For example, Charmaine playing Whack-a-mole with imaginary creatures about the house, in a Glamorene-induced frenzy...
Dave

 

[collector2]

Actually it wasnt that the US Electrolux was ahead of the Canadian one. Their research departments worked on different aspects of the machines and the results, at least to some extent, were shared. At the same time though, they also found some ideas were better accepted by the US consumer while others went over better in Canada (They also proved that there is a marked difference between the way a US and Canadian housewife tackle vaccuming). A fact that the present company has chosen to totally ignore.

 

[countryguy]

Doug,

What are the differences between how a Canadian and U.S. housewife does the vacuuming?

Gary

 

[sireluxomatic]

Here's an archived thread with a picture of the turquoise telescopic wand:



http://www.vacuumland.org/TD/ARCHIVE/VINTAGE/2009/5894x36.htm

 

[collector2]

Hey Gary;

For the most part an American housewife tends to hold the handgrip of the hose in one hand and let the nozzle do the work. A Canadian houswife tends to vacuum with one hand on the hangrip and one on the wand - basically like she was scrubbing the carpet with it. When I was told that I just kind of shook my head but in the years since I have noticed that it holds true to a large extent. LOL - this was the premice behind not having plastic wands on most of the Canadian machines. They broke too easy when you were applying force directly to them.

 

[countryguy]

Doug,
Thanks for that info. It is funny because in most movies and on TV when you see a housewife using the vacuum she is usually scrubbing the carpet as you described. I guess that makes people think they are working harder. I remember the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where Debra is using the 'Humvac' ie. Rainbow, and pushing the power nozzle back and forth like she is scrubbing the carpet but the power nozzle wasn't even turned on LOL

Gary