FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

1 - My tanning bed says I can only replace with one kind of lamp, is this true?
2 - What is does all these 5% and 8.5% terms really mean?
3 - Do I need to replace my starters every time I change my lamps?
4 - Can I use 160W lamps in my home tanning bed?
5 - Is there a difference in "salon" bulbs and "home" tanning bulbs?
6 - What is the best, cheap lamp?
7 - What are these two color lamps I see in other tanning beds?
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My tanning bed says I can only replace with one kind of lamp,is this true?
Not exactly.  Most beds are CERTIFIED to use a particular lamp, but most OEM lamps can be replaced with any lamp the same size and wattage.  For tanning salons in regulated states, they must replace with a lamp that is certified to be compatible, orlegally equivelent.  But if your bed came with a VEL71T12 or DSS71T12 or F71T12, then you can replace with any F71 that is the same wattage, typically 100 watts.  What you would look for is a lamp that has the kind of UV output in the range that you want.

What is does all these 5% and 8.5% terms really mean?
The UV rating of a tanning lamp does NOT indicate the total strength.  You would think it does, but it doesn't.  It only indicates a RATIO of UVA vs. UVB.  A 5% lamp is one that has 5% UVB (thus, 95% UVA).  An 8.5% lamp has 8.5% UVB (thus, 91.5% UVA).  This rating is useful when you are comparing lamps by the same manufacturer, but not when comparing lamps by different manufacturers.  The best example I can give is my "Two Glasses" example.

Do I need to replace my starters every time I change my lamps?
Short answer, no. Really, all the starter does is start your lamp. They have zero influence on how the lamp performs. Either they work, or they don't. If you see that your lamps are struggling to start (and I am assuming you have a tanning bed with starters, and a proper buck/boost transformer already installed), then you should replace them, but there is no advantage to changing them every time you change your lamps. I generally tell people that if the bed has had the same starters for 10 years, and you are about the change the lamps, it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and change all the starters for a reason. Once the bed is that old, starters are likely to start going out one at a time, and it is more work to take the bed apart time after time.

If you don't mind, then don't replace them until they start acting up. If you are like most people and don't like tearing the bed apart, then it is better to just replace them all at the same time, again, if the bed is 10+ years old. If you shop around, you should be able to find them for around $2 each (some places charge $3 or more, so shop carefully). So replacing all the starters of a 24 lamp bed costs less than $50, but again, only needs to be done if the bed is 10 years old, and NOT at every lamp change.

Can I use 160W lamps in my home tanning bed?
Sure. It will do you no good and likely perform worse than a 100w lamp, but you can certainly install them, and they will (generally) work. Keep in mind that a tanning lamp is a type of fluorescent lamp, which use a ballasted power supply. The power supply is what decides how much power the lamp gets. Unlike an incondescent lamp, where you can change a 40w bulb to a 100w bulb, with tanning lamps, if it is a 100w system, it will only deliver 100w to that lamp. A 160W lamps is very similar to a 100w lamp in its design, but is optimized to operate at higher wattages. So while it will work, it won't operate in its peak state. You are better off using a 100w lamp.

Is there a difference in "salon" bulbs and "home" tanning bulbs?
Yes and no. In many circumstances, the difference is mainly in the number of hours that the lamp is rated for. It is common for home grade lamps to be rated for 800 hours, and salon grade lamps to be rated at 1200 hours, for instance. In some cases, what some people call "home" grade lamps are, well, just junk. In other cases, the only difference is the addition of buffers in the salon lamps so they break down slower (in these cases, the home lamps end up being a little stronger tanning, ironically) The best thing is to buy good grade lamps from a reputable distributor, and talk to them about your options. And keep in mind that there isn't a legal definition of home or salon grade, it is just a handy phrase to describe different grades, in common speak.

What is the best, cheap lamp?
I get asked this a lot, and I try to be patient, but people that ask this really need to look at this question carefully. Do you want the best, or do you want the cheapest? Perhaps you should asking for a good value, as the cheapest lamps on the market are usually not the best quality or value: they are just the cheapest. In short, you get what you pay for. The best thing to do is find a company that offers more than 7 or 8 different lamps, so you have a variety to choose from, and ask them what the best value is, or read up on the lamps. Your best performing lamps are going to cost over $15 each, retail. Your cheapest lamps will be $10 or less. There really isn't that much of a price difference for a set, considering you will have them for a number of years, so you are usually much better off if you get a good tanning lamp that is at least in the mid-price level. Then you won't be changing them every year or two, and can expect good results.

What are these two color lamps I see in other tanning beds?

Likely you are talking about tanning beds using Dual Sun technology. Light Sources patented the idea and licenses it to other companies. Be forewarned that there are reports that some companies have two color lamps that are just that: two colors, and NOT true dual zoned lamps. The real lamps use two different lamps phosphors inside so part of the lamp is a 5% lamp (typically the blue section) and the pink part of the lamp is a 6.5% lamp. The colors themselves do nothing, except let you know which part is which. This setup is used to give a regular tanning bed face tanning, or in one very interesting twist, the SunMaster LT series of beds, which use Pro Body tanning bulbs (half pink, half blue) in a configuration so that half the bed is 20% stronger in the UVB spectrum, over your legs.

They did this because many women complain that their legs don't tan as well as the rest of their body (likely due to shaving) so this bed will actually deal with that problem very effectively. You can also convert any existing tanning bed that uses F71 lamps to this leg tanning configuration by simply installing these lamps with the pink section over your legs. It is a pretty inexpensive way to convert a home or salon tanning bed into something unique. Salon owners also like this configuration because it is "visually appealing", ie: the customers can genuinely see that there is something different about the bed. I have more visual explanation on the page for Two Color Bulbs.