Read More About Tanning Bed Construction Here:
Similar to automobiles, tanning beds
come in many different flavors... but they all do the same thing, get you from point A to point B. Or, in the case of indoor tanning
equipment, somehow get your body close
to a tanning bed bulb by either laying you down on a "bed" or bench made of "acrylic", or standing you in a phone booth next to the bulbs.
A tanning bed may be made of steel, plastic, or a combination of
both.
Lay down tanning beds, or sunbeds, as they are sometimes called by our International friends...
consist of a bench, which is mounted to legs or a base, and hold the bench acrylics and lamps.
The bench may also house the lamp sockets, relays, ballasts,
built-in timer, and body fans. Many of the tanning beds
with 32 lamps or more (level 2 and higher) move the ballasts,
relays, and capacitors to a movable "power supply" or ballast
tray on wheels. This is due to the extreme weight of
ballast, especially the 160 watt variety and higher. When
multiplied by 24 ballast or more (for a 42 lamp bed), the weight
of the bench alone can exceed 350 lbs, so the manufacturers
separate the ballast from the bench and canopy and put them on
wheels for easier installation.
Tanning bed "acrylics" are the clear or frosted plastic shields you lay down on
when indoor tanning in a
sun bed.
Acrylics are also utilized in upright and vertical stand up tanning booths
to protect the lamps and customers from each other. Tanning
acrylics are
generally clear but there is a "frosted"
acrylic produced by some tanning bed manufacturers which
give the tanning equipment a newer and cleaner look.
Tanning bed shocks, struts, or springs are used to raise and lower the canopy. These are the same type of shocks which lift the rear door on SUVs and similar
automobiles.
The springs are the same used for garage door operations and are adjusted by turning a large screw on the front of the bed. The shock style lifts are not adjustable and wear out over time and must be replaced.
The price for replacement shocks for tanning beds can range from $60 to $180 each for very expensive and exclusive models.
Tanning bed bulbs are the most important component of tanning bed construction. Because this is the "end" product from which your client will ultimately
judge their tan. Tanning bed lamps are generally 100 watts for level 1 and 2 beds and 160 watts or higher, 180w to 220w, for level 3 and 4 beds. Most lamps or bulbs are made in the same factory
so the name, like Wolff, etc, really means very little. The most important
factor, or common denominator which separates lamps other than wattage is the percentage of UVB.
Each tanning bed bulb has a % of UVB which will dictate it's tanning characteristics. A 20 minute max session bulb will have a 5.5% UVB and as the UVB goes up, to 8.5% or higher, the bulb becomes more burning or reddening. As the UVB goes down, to around 1% or less, the bulb becomes more bronzing. A
high pressure facial bulb, for example, has 0% UVB and 100% UVA, and is a pure bronzing device. If a brand new tanner, with
creamy white skin enters a 100% UVA tanning device they will see NO results.
To understand why, by my eBook, From A to Z...click here.