Someone wrote me recently with a frustrating problem, but fortunately, the answer is fairly straightforward.

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I have an older Montego Bay 24 lamp Wolff bed that has developed a problem since we moved. When you turn the bed on, sometimes a few lamps won’t light up. Each time you turn it on, it is different lamps, and sometimes everything lights up fine. It wasn’t doing this before we moved. Did we damage it in the move?

(name withheld by request)
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Probably not. You don’t say what year the Montego Bay is, but I am guessing it is a model MB24C or D from the early 90s. These beds required 240VAC but didn’t have plugs, instead having a junction box on the bed and a 4 wire setup. In reality, the beds were 120V internally, but the amperage was greater than a standard 120V circuit, so a 240V was used and the voltage divided between the canopy and bench. They used Magnatek magnetic ballasts (great big old bricks…) Even the cooling fans are 120V. That is why it had 4 wires, two hots, a neutral and a ground.

Now, many electricians run 3 wires when you tell them that you need a dedicated 240V circuit, as most 240V appliances only need the two 120V hot wires and the ground. Many Montego Bay, Tan America, SunDash and SunMaster beds used to require (or still do) a true 4 wire setup to work properly, but when people try to connect them to a 3 wire system, sometimes things get weird. What usually happens is the electrician will try to combine the neutral wire and the ground wire “because they are joined at the main panel anyway”. This is what we call “floating the neutral” and sometimes works, but is not practice. In theory, this would work, although it is not the safest way to wire it, as you lose the dedicated ground. Very likely, your old house had the proper 4 wire circuit, and the new house doesn’t.

The solution is to have an electrician add the 4th wire, the nuetral, for a proper 4 wire, 30 amp, 10 gauge circuit and hardwire the bed to the circuit. This is what is required according to the owners manual. Once you have that done, the bed should work fine. Fortunately, those old magnetic ballasts are very hardy (but finicky) and it is hard to blow them up, so likely no damage was done. This will also restore the dedicated ground, which is a safety feature that you should always have with a tanning bed.

This is based on several different emails I have received over the years, and yes, a loaded question. Let me first start by saying that in most states, it is illegal for a tanning salon to allow someone under 16 (or 18 in some states) to use a tanning bed without written approval from a parent or guardian. In our opinion, this is a good thing as this is a decision that should be left to the parent.

Everything in life has risks, whether you are driving to the store, jogging in the park, or tanning in a tanning bed. Obviously the main risk with tanning, indoors or out, is skin cancer. Before you read on, please note that we are NOT doctors, but we do keep up with the latest research, and will share what we know.

The greatest risks from UV from any source has been linked to overexposure, particularly as a child. A child’s developing system copes less well with overexposure, and their risk of skin cancer is much higher late in life if they suffered from overexposure, EVEN IF THEY DIDN’T TAN AS AN ADULT. The key to the risks are overexposure, and overexposure as a child. There are also links to skin cancer from people who get NO ultraviolet exposure, so it seems that too little or too much is a problem.

Moderation is the formula for getting a healthy looking tan with minimum risks. This includes never tanning to the point of getting a burn, even a minor burn. This would also include not letting someone who is under 16 tan indoor or out, as they are much more susceptible to overexposure and problems later in life. We think kids need sunscreen when outdoors and should not use a tanning bed. Let them grow up first. When they are old enough, they need to be taught that sunburns do NOT turn into tans. As a matter of fact, it is proven that when you burn, you destroy melanin and LOWER your ability to tan.

But don’t be afraid of getting some rays. Again, studies have shown that people that get no UV or too little have a higher incidence of skin cancer. We evolved in a world that had UV, and our physical bodies can deal with in in moderation. That is exactly what a tan is, our bodies turning darker to block excessive UV. Too little may be almost as bad as too much. And there are other health benefits to moderate amounts of UV as well, including vitamin D production.

Tan slow and regular, don’t overexpose and put the SPF on the kids (and yourself) when outdoors for a long time is our advice. And wait until they grow up before using the tanning bed.

The length and end connector. Different beds use different size lamps, although most use F71 lamps. The “T12″ part just means it is 1.5″ in diameter, like all tanning lamps. Here is a quick breakdown of the most common sizes:

F71 Most common size. Bi-pin design (two metal pins on each end, you twist into place). Most are 100W but there are some others such as 160W VHO or VHO-R used on more expensive commercial beds.

F72 Very rare, but used to be common. Uses an RDC cap over the two metal pins, so they “spring” into place using telescopic ends. Much harder to find lamps in this size. Plenty exist, but not all models or brands carry F72 sizes. Very similar in size to the F71 but with the cap. In most applications (but not all), you can cheat by buying F71 lamps and a set of RDC caps (two per lamp) and make them fit. All are 100W.

F73 Somewhat common, but only in more expensive, American made commercial beds like older SunDash, Montego Bay, Tan America and others. Has the RDC cap but is longer than F71. Nominally 73 inches. Almost all are 100W

F59 Used in front of face tanning buckets in beds with F71 lamps. Usually, it is a 24 lamp bed that uses 20 F71 lamps, 4 F59 lamps and one 400W facial bulb. Usually 80W, except when paired with 160W lamps (rare) then they would be the 140W variety.

There are other sizes as well, from F74 to 2 metre, but these are very rare and only found on commercial type beds.

Yes! If you use the “Email Us” form on the right side of the page, you will get a response. I get lots of email every week, but I answer every one, usually within 24 hours. Even on the weekends or when out of town. Keep in mind, I do work for a company that sells tanning products, but I keep this site and my replies neutral, and don’t try to sell you anything. The site is an outlet to share my experience without having to sell anything.

You can ask about anything tanning or site related, lamps and bulbs, beds, lotions, etc. and I will try to help you out. Now, I am not an expert at everything, but I will tell you if I am not sure about a subject. For example, I can’t tell you what is the best new lotion for 2007, since I’m kinda old fashioned and have used the same lotion for a few years now. (I tan pretty easy and mainly use moisturizer)

Also, I write for Wikipedia on tanning related issues as well. If you head over there (link to the right) and search on tanning beds, lamps or other tanning topics, you will likely find some of my handy work. Of course, I am just one of hundreds who write about tanning there, but I am glad to do my part. I won’t tell you my login name there, but if you are really persistant, I bet you can figure it out ;)

It depends on several factors. For the average person who doesn’t have any experience with tanning beds, it is usually NOT less expensive, and I will outline why below. Here is what to look for and what you will need to do to come out on the ‘clean end of the stick’ with used tanning beds.

1. Can you disassemble, reassemble, take apart, clean and relamp the bed yourself? If no, then get a new bed. If yes, then a used system MIGHT be the ticket. The reason is that a used beds is usually in someone’s home, so you have to find a way to get it in your home, by yourself. Also, the vast majority will need new lamps. Figure on spending $300 to $350 for a new set of 24 lamps, including shipping. Also, you will probably need to recondition or replace the acrylics.

2. Does the bed need acrylics? If the bed needs acrylics, don’t buy it. The problem is shipping, where it costs an average of $100 just to ship an acrylic, plus the cost of the acrylic, which is over $100 and can get into the mid $200 range, depending on the bed.

3. Are you comfortable with replacing electronic parts if you need to? If you are not at least partially handy with tools and electronics, then don’t buy used. This is one advantage of a warranty, and because most manufacturer’s only offer support to the original owner or during the warranty period.

4. Do you know the seller very well? Strangers are less likely to give you critical information about the tanning bed. It’s just a fact of life. Knowing the person who is doing the selling is always better.

5. Is the price right? This means, half or less than what a similar bed costs new. If not, you are paying too much. All to often I hear about people who pay $1500 for a used 24 lamp bed, then have to put $500 into it to get it running right. You can buy a new 24 lamp bed for $2000 or so just about anywhere. If you aren’t saving a lot of money, there is no point in buying used.

6. Is it a salon bed? Salon owners hate to hear me say this, but the truth is that salon owners do not sell perfectly working tanning beds. They sell their problem children. Also, tanning beds in salons get about 10 times more use than a home bed, so a 3 year old tanning bed in a busy salon has had more use than a 30 year old tanning bed in someone’s home! Unless you are getting it very cheap and are very handy, avoid used commercial beds.

7. Is the bed connected to power and can you see it running? Several times over the years I have heard from people who bought tanning beds that “work perfectly” but were in storage, just for them to find out that the bed doesn’t work at all. This is also why it helps to know your seller. If you can’t see it run, assume it doesn’t and price it accordingly.

8. Does the bed need a buckboost transformer? Most 230V bed do, and you might not be able to use the one that the seller is using, since they are dependent on the incoming voltage. This may add $150-$200 to the actual price to get it running in your home. If it is coming from a salon, then the buckboost transformer will DEFINATELY not work in your home. Most businesses have 208V power and the transformer boosts in. In the home, you need to buck, or drop, the voltage instead. Use a 208V tranformer in a home setting, and you will likely do serious damage.

Again, for most people new is the way to go simply because not everyone wants to become an expert at working on tanning beds. If you ARE handy, AND you can get one for less than half of what a comparable bed costs new (under $1000) that doesnt’ need parts, then you might have a nice little project and a great future tan.

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.