i have a homeowner that has a wolff tanning bed that requires a 230v outlet. the voltage in the house on my meter is 244v. do these tanning beds really need a buck/boost to lower the voltage to 230v...or is this just another way for the mfg to make money? they ship thousands of these to the united states where we have 240v....and then want the customer to buy a transformer for $160.00 - $200.00 or more.
tanning bed
- Thread starter sparky59
- Start date
- Status
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
Yes, they absolutely need 230 or less; not more. The lamp life will be greatly reduced, and the warranty is shot. You'll go through this with most every tanning bed. ETS's website (the manufacturer) has this warning all over the website.
www.etstan.com
www.etstan.com
Last edited:
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I find this rather ridiculous. Manufacturers can make lighting ballasts that can use any voltage from 120-277 but a tanning bed can't use an extra 14 volts.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
No, not required, 230V is base line Usage, thats smoke and mirrors from whomever said that. As long as your not in one of those 50 Hz 220 countries, I beleive you'll be fine.
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
If I had to guess, I'd say that it's because tanning beds are still mostly installed in commercial salons, where the voltage would most often be 208. This is the manual to the last batch that I wired up, and it contains at least three warnings in the manual about not having over 230 volts.
http://www.tanning-bed-parts.com/beds/manuals/27968-01a.pdf
http://www.tanning-bed-parts.com/beds/manuals/27968-01a.pdf
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
You'll be fine, until you want warranty coverage. These beds can cost easily between the 10-20,000 dollar range. The one that I just linked to was 12 grand.cadpoint said:
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Be sure to ask for their UL Certification number since your going to spend the Clients money ...
My neighbor owns 2 tanning salons ...he is completely anal about the voltages and lamps (he's also an electrician)...each bed on it's own CB, buck/boost, etc.
Once a year he changes out ALL the lamps, cleans the insides from dirt/dust/debris/etc.
Then again....this a business to him...a down bed means lost revenue...on beds way upwards of 30k per unit.
Once a year he changes out ALL the lamps, cleans the insides from dirt/dust/debris/etc.
Then again....this a business to him...a down bed means lost revenue...on beds way upwards of 30k per unit.
stickboy1375
Senior Member
- Location
- Litchfield, CT
celtic said:
Is he tan? :grin: I was thinking about getting one, so I get the just got back from vaction look all year round...
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
Most tanning beds that I've seen have the ETL mark, for whatever reason. Perhaps the UL doesn't investigate tanning beds?cadpoint said:
finster1
Member
- Location
- New Jersey
Tanning Bed
Tanning Bed
This voltage is fine.....I wire tanning salons all the time and the owners like me to install a 16/32 vs a 12/24 secondary so they can get as close to 240 as possible because most commercial locations in NJ ANYHOW are 208v..The specs on most different brands are +10 -5% so do the math if they call for 230v....
Jimmy P
Licensed Electrical Contractor NJ
Tanning Bed
This voltage is fine.....I wire tanning salons all the time and the owners like me to install a 16/32 vs a 12/24 secondary so they can get as close to 240 as possible because most commercial locations in NJ ANYHOW are 208v..The specs on most different brands are +10 -5% so do the math if they call for 230v....
Jimmy P
Licensed Electrical Contractor NJ
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
Got any links to these specs? Or, remember any brand names which featured such a tolerance? I've wired a boat load of these things too, and I've never seen such a tolerance. You've got me curious. I generally find language like:finster1 said:
Last edited:
finster1
Member
- Location
- New Jersey
Hey Marc
Hey Marc
I do alot of Hollywood tans work in NJ and they manufacture there own booths but you can check the bulb and also the ballast manufacturers specs and come to your own conclusions.All of the beds for uwe have such tolerances and so do the Hollywood tan beds. Most are +10 / - 10. The biggest fear is low voltage.
Hey Marc
I do alot of Hollywood tans work in NJ and they manufacture there own booths but you can check the bulb and also the ballast manufacturers specs and come to your own conclusions.All of the beds for uwe have such tolerances and so do the Hollywood tan beds. Most are +10 / - 10. The biggest fear is low voltage.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Let's think about this for a minute. Your kinding me right. One can walk into a high powered apron spray, from high powered tense lines and get a flourscent bulb to fire ...
I just don't get the minor dis-information of putting a product on US market requiring a Buck booster thats suppose to be self contained and UL listed.
A ballast one must remember is a mini-transformer and will for the most part transmit the service, does less voltage cause any less of a Hue.
They probably debated a new Lamp to go along with Glow Box ...
I just don't get the minor dis-information of putting a product on US market requiring a Buck booster thats suppose to be self contained and UL listed.
A ballast one must remember is a mini-transformer and will for the most part transmit the service, does less voltage cause any less of a Hue.
They probably debated a new Lamp to go along with Glow Box ...
Minuteman
Senior Member
- Location
- The Sooner Nation
I agree!infinity said:I find this rather ridiculous. Manufacturers can make lighting ballasts that can use any voltage from 120-277 but a tanning bed can't use an extra 14 volts.
Infinity for President!
jtester
Senior Member
- Location
- Las Cruces N.M.
I agree with Marc. I've designed a couple of salons with these, and they won't tolerate either of our nominal 208 volt or 240 volt systems. The manufacturer is very specific, and the usual +/-10% argument doesn't apply.
Jim T
Jim T
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
Nope, no kidding. It's right in the manufacturer's documentation (much of which I linked to) in plain bold writing. It might be a bunch of BS on their part, but that's not for me to say. I am compelled to follow those instructions.cadpoint said:
- Location
- Massachusetts
I am really surprised by the responses here.
If the equipment says it must get 230 volts then it must get 230 volts. If I am installing it I do not concern myself with the reasons why. It could be a bunch of BS....I don't care, I was hired to hook it up professionally and IMO part of being a professional is following instruction like this.
I also see it as a way for the manufacturer to pass the buck.
Do not follow the directions and phone call like this could be in the future.
Customer: My $25,000 tanning bed stopped working.
Bed Manufacturer: We are sorry to here that, did you supply it with 230 volts as we require.
Customer: Heck no, my electrician said it was a waste of money and it did not matter, we supplied it with 240.
Bed Manufacturer: Well that voids any warranty we provide, we can repair it, bill you and you can go after your electrician for the costs.
It won't matter if the 240 volt supply had anything to do with the problem it will still be the excuse to put the costs back at the EC.
I wired a 7-11 store and the two frozen drink machines both required buck boosts per the manufacturer to get closer to 230 volts, they also had a very low tolerance for voltage variations between phases.
Was it really needed?
Would the machines worked fine without the buck boosts?
Who cares? I did not spec the equipment but I will install it correctly and charge for it.
If the equipment says it must get 230 volts then it must get 230 volts. If I am installing it I do not concern myself with the reasons why. It could be a bunch of BS....I don't care, I was hired to hook it up professionally and IMO part of being a professional is following instruction like this.
I also see it as a way for the manufacturer to pass the buck.
Do not follow the directions and phone call like this could be in the future.
Customer: My $25,000 tanning bed stopped working.
Bed Manufacturer: We are sorry to here that, did you supply it with 230 volts as we require.
Customer: Heck no, my electrician said it was a waste of money and it did not matter, we supplied it with 240.
Bed Manufacturer: Well that voids any warranty we provide, we can repair it, bill you and you can go after your electrician for the costs.
It won't matter if the 240 volt supply had anything to do with the problem it will still be the excuse to put the costs back at the EC.
I wired a 7-11 store and the two frozen drink machines both required buck boosts per the manufacturer to get closer to 230 volts, they also had a very low tolerance for voltage variations between phases.
Was it really needed?
Would the machines worked fine without the buck boosts?
Who cares? I did not spec the equipment but I will install it correctly and charge for it.
iwire said:....I don't care, I was hired to hook it up professionally and IMO part of being a professional is following instruction like this.
Who cares? I did not spec the equipment but I will install it correctly and charge for it.
100% agreement.
I'm not being paid to re-engineer the wheel ~ just make it work AS DESIGNED.
- Status