Dear TanningBeds.org,

I just bought a new sunquest bed, 1st time I laid in it I have red lines where the bulbs are. Is this normal and will it even out?

Rick

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Dear Rick,

This is what we call “striping” and it has a few different causes. You didn’t say how many lamps are in the bed, so I will cover the most common for 16 and 24 lamp beds:

1. Lamps are spaced too wide. This is common for 16 lamp beds that are as wide as that SunQuest (34″). You have to move a bit when you are tanning to help reduce the effect. The fix would be to reduce your tanning session time and more more.

2. Too long of a session. Any bed can (theoretically) stripe you if you stay too long, particularly the first several sessions. No matter how good the reflectors are, the UV is always stronger directly over the lamps. Reduce session time by half and work your way up.

3. Photosensitive skin. Many drugs and foods can make your skin more sensitive to UV, and it may just be a mild reaction. Reactions can be severe as well. Check with your pharmacist regarding any medications you are taking, and compare to this list of medicines and foods that cause photosensitivity. If you are taking meds that make you photosensitive, you want to avoid tanning. You can easily avoid foods that cause photosensitivity if this is an issue.

4. Heat rash. This is particularly common the first few sessions. Many people get striped at first, but it disappears pretty quick, and it is just a heat reaction to the lamps. This is most common with tanning beds that use choke ballasts (24 or more lamps). Some people are just more sensitive to heat, but this typically goes away after a few sessions as your skin gets used to it. This is more common with a bed that has a defective cooling fan in the bench (usually an older bed), which makes the heat go way up. Reduce session time by half and let your skin adjust.

5. New lamps with high UVB. This is not an issue with a new bed, as they usually come with 5% lamps, which is a good blend. This is more of an issue when people relamp their bed with 9.5% lamps, which is insanely too strong in UVB. Unless you have psoriasis (this is not medical advice!) or your doctor told you to get high UVB lamps, normal people should never relamp their tanning beds with lamps with very high UVB. They actually tan you LESS in the long run and are way more likely to burn you seriously. The lesson here is don’t use high UVB lamps unless you have a particular reason to.

Ok, that covers the most common reasons why beds can stripe. Your bed in particular is not more or less likely to stripe you, so it isn’t a model defect. My guess is that you stayed in too long and just need to reduce your session time and work your way up. That is the benefit of a home tanning bed, you don’t need to overdo it, you can always tan tomorrow.

Dennis

Dear TanningBeds.org,

I have an older tanning bed. I have tried to find the paper work on it and can’t seem to find it. I need to know how to rewiring it going from the bed to the converter box. We let the dogs into the laundry room and one of the dogs crawled under the bed disconnecting the wires from the converter to the bed. I always unplug the bed from the dryer circuit thank goodness. Here is what I have:

1. I have a green and yellow wire that obviously goes to green and yellow.
2. I have a gray, blue, purple and black wires
3. I am not sure were the rest go. I need to know what number they go into 1,2,3,4,5,6

Help please!

Thanks,
Rebecca

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Dear Rebecca,

Every buckboost transformer (what you are calling a converter) is different and I don’t have enough info to help wire it. Those are usually sealed once they are wired. (metal cover and screws) You would have to get a wiring diagram from the manufacturer of that particular transformer. Where I work, we don’t sell many of those, we switched to the Jefferson units, which you just plug the bed into, and then plug it into the wall, with no wiring needed. Neat units that sell for about the same, $150.

The way those work is pretty straight forward, the wires you are seeing will route the power to different taps within the transformer. This makes the transformer up 10% (23V at 230V), up 5% (12v at 230v) or down the same amount by using different wires. Each type of transformer has different ratios, etc. but you get the basic idea. If you wire the wrong wires up, you can actually short the thing out, followed by smoke and fire… The only way to wire it is with the original diagram that came with it, where you would look up a table for the voltage you want to adjust to and from, then connect the wires according to the diagram for that table.

Sorry I can’t help more, but there are too many variables and too easy to get it wrong and burn something up. Contact the transformer manufacturer (on the label) or replace the unit with one of the newer ‘plug and play’ units. You will need to know your ACTUAL voltage, as measured from a digital volt meter, before you begin.

Dennis

Dear TanningBeds.org,

I have an old Perfect SCA Wolff tanning bed that still works great except for one thing. The top half no longer comes down auctomatically (when you push the down arrow) like it should. I was wondering if you think this would be due to a blown shock or maybe just a fuse issue? Thanks so much.

Dave
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Dear Dave,

If that is the model I think it is, it has an electric motor to bring the top up and down, and if it isn’t working, it is likely the motor itself. This is not an easy thing to find. The last SCA with the electric lift that I worked on was 10 years ago, and I had to replace the motor. Finding the motor took a while, and I am not sure if they are still available. If this is the case, you might have to do some serious searching at a electical parts house, such as Grainger. The motor itself isn’t that large (6inch by 4 inch, give or take), but you have to replace it with something that has a very similar horsepower rating (or higher) and the same RPM rating (or VERY close).

Before you go searching, however, I would check for bad connections, etc. I don’t think they are fused at the motor, but even the switch could possibly be bad. If it is the motor, and you can’t find a replacement, well, there isn’t much you can do. I always liked the idea of an electric motor to open and close tanning beds, but the market for it never really developed, leading to the shortage of parts. Even now we have looked at using the same setup on a tanning bed I have on the drawing board, but there are still problems with the design and a percentage of people don’t like the idea, often afraid “what would happen if I was inside and the power went out?”.

Good luck, and let me know what you find!

Dennis

Dear TanningBeds.org,

I love tanning in a tanning bed.. however, i get lots of freckles/sunspots on my face.. and very weird.. i get the on my upper lips which makes it appear to be “dirty” is there a product on the market made especially for the face .. to avoid these sunspots/freckles?

Regards,
Annette

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Dear Annette,

If it is just uneven tanning, then no. Many people have very uneven melanin production in their skin. This is what freckles are to start with. Personally, I tan very even except on my temples, which looked kind of blotched when I get really dark. I have one brother that gets the same thing.

If it is what we call ’sunspots’ (which are white areas that will not tan due to a fungus similar to yeast) then yes. You can read about it on Wikipedia here. (most people don’t get it as bad as they show on Wikipedia) I had this same problem all over my back (bad), and went to the doctor and got some selenium sulphide lotion which cleared it up in a few weeks. Stinky stuff but cheap enough and it worked. My temples still blotch but I don’t have the white patches that will not tan on my back. You can also buy Sun Spot Solution by Body Drench. Many people report it works for them, but it didn’t for me.

Dennis