I get several emails a week asking me about how to pick new lamps for older beds. Lots of people bought home tanning beds 4 or 5 years ago (and still do today) but it is time to replace the lamps and they are not sure what is the best lamp. NOTE: You do NOT have to use the same brand of lamp that came in your tanning bed. It is fine if you do, but often you will find that the OEM lamp that came in your bed is way overprices, because the manufacturer’s know you are likely to continue using it, so they get an extra markup on it.

First, you need to know what size/wattage your bed uses. This is pretty easy since most home tanning beds use F71T12 100W lamps. You can look on your lamps for the F number, or read the label on the front of the bed. All tanning lamps are T12 (1.5 inches in diameter) so that doesn’t matter. Write the size and number of lamps in your bed down to make shopping easier, later on.

Next you want to figure the strength of the lamp you want to use. Keep in mind, a 6.5% lamps is NOT stronger than a 5% lamp. It just has more UVB, thus less UVA. Most tanning beds came with a 4.2% to 5% UVB lamp, and most people replace them with 5% to 6.5% lamps. What you want to AVOID are the ultra high UVB lamps, the 7.5% to 9.5% variety. Yes, they will get you RED fast and get you a fast base tan, but they will burn you fast and will not get you as dark as a good 5% to 6.5% lamp. Unless you need ultra high UVB for reasons other than tanning (some people use tanning beds for psoriasis, etc.) then stick with the middle range lamps.

If you want a 30 minute type system, with ultra low UVB (European bronzing style) then you will looking for 2.6% to 4% UVB. Most people are not this patient, however, and a 5% would be your best 2nd choice.

If you just want a slightly hot-rodded version of what came in your bed when it was new, then you are probably looking at a 6.5%. This is the most commonly used lamp for replacement in salons and the UVB is not so high that you sacrifice most of the bronzing effect of the lamp.

Next pick a brand or place to buy. Ok, honestly, the sponsors of the site sell lamps starting at less than $10 (cheapest on the web) but you can shop around anywhere you like. The key is to find a site that insures their lamps and has a replacement policy IN WRITING about broken lamps in shipping. If they don’t state a policy, then it is usually up to YOU to call UPS, get them to come out, make a claim, etc. Not the best way to go.

Next, read the descriptions of the lamp. If the seller doesn’t give you a good idea of what to expect from the lamp, then go elsewhere. Any company that sells any product should have a decent description of all the products they sell. No descriptions on any products is usually a sign that someone is selling them from a basement and your chances of getting support is slim to none.

You should be able to find a wide selection of very good lamps for under $15 each. Buying on price alone is not a good idea, as you will be using these new lamps for 3 to 5 years, and saving $20 for second rate lamps is NOT going to make you happy in the long run. Lamps that cost more do not guarantee better tans, as everyone is different, so instead rely on the discriptions, the reputation of the dealer and your own needs.

You can also call of couple of companies and order over the phone. Most good companies will have the same prices online or over the phone, and if you can’t talk to someone over the phone, then you probably don’t want to buy from them anyway.