Sam James

Matt,

I respect your decision to delete my comment. I used to be a moderator on this board and I don't recall post being deleted just because a person isn't paying for a banner. Magazines run articles all the time for companies about people that don't have ads. They email me almost every month and ask me if there is any news about Black Sun. And if there is, they print it and never charge me for reporting news. I don't think any sponsors on here would give a hoot if somebody buys 48 lamps from a company that isn't paying for a banner. Especially if the lamp was a good choice. Some 160w lamps are designed to used only in beds with magnetic ballast. Some 160w lamps are designed to be used only with choke ballast.

Some manufacturers and some distributors will take a FR71 lamp that is designed for a choke ballast and they will put a RDC cap on it and sell it as a FR73, when it is acually a FR71 with a extended RDC cap. I learned the difference a long time ago, before Cosmedico even offered a lamp in F73 VHR. Lots of people argued with me that puting RDC caps on FR71 lamps was the same as using a FR73. Now most companies make a true FR73 and the lamps are built to work with magnetic ballast, which requires different components, so they are admitting there i s a different in the way the work. It just took them 5 or 10 years to come around.

With that said, my post should have just simply said, make sure you buy a lamp that had the inside components specifcally designed to be used with a magnetic ballast if you are going to use it in a Tan America SunUp.

I have owned 3 Tan America Sun Ups. I bought the first one that was made about 15 years ago. Peter built it and shipped it to me and I displayed it in the Atlanta trade show when I was a repersentative for Tan America. Afte the show I used in it my salon for about 10 years and then sold it for about the same price I paid for it. I immediately purchsed a new one to go right back it the same salon.

So, I know this unit pretty well and when I have lamps made that are FR73 160w, I I don't just take FR71's and put RDC caps on the bi-pins, and I never have.... ever...! But some have done it and some still do it just to sell lamps. It shortens the lamp life and lowers the lamps ability to perform like it would if it was used in a choke system.

It is a shame that someone has such a nice unit as the SunUp and they get sold a lamp by some commissioned salesperson that don't care or maybe don't know that the lamps won't work right.

Tan America has always used top performing lamps in every low pressure unit I ever known them to make. I don't know if they pay you guys anything, but if they do, maybe somebody from their company could suggest a good lamp for the Sun Up.....

bronzeman11

I understand that running a higher wattage lamp will give you no more output than the ballast that is driving it. However , i don't think that was what the original question was. I think sometimes you can solve premature burnout with a higher wattage lamp. (160W ballasts & 200W lamps) It seems as though a 200W lamp has a "heartier, more robust cathode" and combined with electric starters i've gone from 300 hrs. to literally 800+.....and the lamps are still kicking butt. JMO.

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mikejones

Oh, well if you've done this and gotten good results then I guess you'd be the "authority" on this. 800hrs eh? Cool.

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clubtan1

bronzeman11 - I think sometimes you can solve premature burnout with a higher wattage lamp. I don't think one can do that in a regulated state. The only bulbs that may be used, without voiding the bed warranty and/or violating state regs, are the one denoted on the bed sticker.

bronzeman11

Yeah , i just was so frustrated with the situation. It's a perfect 10 suncapsule & EVERY 300 hrs. i'd get the "orange glow" and that'd be the beginning of the end. I made sure voltage was correct, tried many different style bulbs an this was the only combination that worked.

Mike, yeah 800 and i think i could have gone 900. It really does make a big difference. Club, i hear you. We're not (yet) a regulated state so, so far so good.

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mr belvedere

Tan America doesn't make their own lamps. Their beds are topflight though.

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Sam James

Mr. B.,

I don't think any bed manufacturer makes their own lamps. Just like lamp manufacturers don't make beds. Lamps are pretty much a private label industry with most manufacturers also marketing lamps with their brand name on them too. But hey, Wolff Systems don't even make lamps (or beds) as far as I know, but probably 1/4 or more of the people reading this think they do.

Everybody that thinks Wolff Systems makes lamps or beds, raise your hand......

This post is a simple question about what is the best lamp for a Sun Up. I was out of line by mentioning the name of a lamp I sell since all the banners that I paid for, for many year on this site have now expired. At one time, I think I had 3 or 4 banners running at once on this site, and several others running on 3 other sites. So I understand how the game works.

My intention was to help somebody get the right lamp for the Sun Up. I should have just said, get a real FR73 VHO/R that will produce between 3 and 4 MED's in the MTI and also try to pick one that has lots and lots of UVA too. But what ever you buy, don't pick a lamp that has been designed to be powered by a choke start ballast, and alter it by adding a RDC cap to make it fit in a bed it don't belong in.

I think the same thing that happened to summrtan is the same thing that happened to me recently when I tested some of LET's Rio Bronze 100w lamps in the Tan America VIP Gold 3200's. At 500 hours, we had bulbs blowing every few hours about 2 weeks ago and I had to relamp 15 beds after dealing with that issue for a couple of days. All I can say is, thank goodness the acrylics snap in and out so easy in Tan America beds.

So, the bottom line is this.... Mike hit the nail on the head about lamps for choke vs magnetic ballast. If your lamps in a Sun Up burn out at 300 or even 400 hours with that red glow and the poof... it's probably because the lamp was not made to run on a magnetic ballast. It was probably a european built lamp that the manufacturer designed to be powered by a choke ballast. They refer to them as Pre-Heat Bi-Pins that should have starters and capacitors like all european equipment has. I don't think you will find any beds made in Europe that have magnetic ballast. But.. There ARE lamps that ARE made for magnetic ballast in a 160w version with the built in reflector (preferably 235 degrees).

But Mike, the 72 degree suggestion on the Tan America site is not the tempeture they are saying to run the lamp at. I think they are saying, try to maintain a tempeture of 72 degrees in your salon. The tempeture under the acrylic right where the lamp is, will probably be about 105 degrees, if your salon can provide 72 degrees in the salon. If it is 90 degrees in your salon, you lamps probably have 120 degree air blowing across them and that is a bit too hot for maximum output and lamp life.

Ed's suggestion of the LSI lamp is a good choice but I wouldn't aleternate every other lamp with the Beach Sun's like he suggest. This will cause you problems with the ballast having 2 differents lamps on the same ballast. Maybe Ed meant to say, alternate them in pairs of 2. But to be sure it's clear, I hope you don't mind if I suggest this. If you want to alternate with half Sigs and half Beach Suns, to add some UVB to the unit, put in 2 Sig Series on the same ballast side by side, then put 2 Beach Suns on the next ballast. Do that all the way around and it should work great. Good luck!

sunsally

Two great posts by Sam James - thanks!

brit-in-florida

YOU HAVE TO TURN THEM OVER!!!
I told you all this before and you wouldn't believe me, every one hundered hours flip them.!!! I have a Sun Up II, the signature series 160 w lamps have done 680 hours and I have just ordered replacements Friday. Tanners are still delighted but 2 blew, so I know they will all start now and I am happy with their life. This has taken 11 months use almost to the day.

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brit-in-florida

I have all Tan America beds but I HATE HATE HATE the acrylics with a passion. It says to remove and clean the acrylics once a month in their manual but it is such a performance, and if I get a note saying 'there is a hair/bug/cotton under the acrylic in room X it makes me sick to my stomach!!!

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