troytempest0

Hi all,

We took over this salon in November 2005 and have been getting to grips with some of the bad practices the previous owner had implemented.

I have retubed one of my beds today and do not understand why the current drawn from the mains has gone up from 52 amps to 61 amps. Is it because the lamps are brand new that they draw more current?

The bed has 21 x 2meter tubes on the top and 22 x 1.8meter on the bottom. There are also 30 facials in the canopy.

The ballasts are 180w for the top and 160 for the bottom.

The previous owner had put 225watt cosmedico's in the top and philips 160watt Philips in the bottom.

I replaced these with Wolff Bellarium Extremes, 180-225watt to the top and 160-200watt on the bottom, so that I brought the bed back to within the spec of the ballasts.

However the current has gone up by nearly 10 amps which I find strange....

any explanations welcomed ....

thanks

Brian

TanWorldOrder

lamps are only rated wattage. They don't dictate how much they are pulling. Putting a 100watt lamp in there isn't going to draw less amps. They are just going to be overdriven.

are you sure it's 30FACIALS????

troytempest0

Hi there,
yep 30 25 watt facials, these are the spagetti tubes, 3 banks of 10, not covering just the face but the central canopy.

I was advised that a 160-200watt tube will work properly with any ballast between 160 and 200watt. You will only work the lamp to 160watts though.

When working with ballasts tubes draw current relative to there wattage.

A 100w should draw about .4 amp on 240volts
likewise a 160watt, 0.66amp
and 200w, 0.83.

do you agree?

Sarge

No can't be 30 facial no bed made that way. As TW said lamps won't change your amp draw.

troytempest0

honestly 30 25watt low pressure Philips Cleo spagetti tubes.
The bed is a 73 tube bed similar to the Sunquest Zenith 73.
Don't get confused with these lamps, they haven't been changed so the extra current draw is from the new wolff bellariums.

Can't agree with you about the current draw. Basic electrics says higher wattage more amps. Watts = Amps x Volts therefore amps = watts divided by voltage.

Flounder

What you need to remembrer, a lamp is what you tell it to be. You could 22 lamps labelled 2,000watts, but they will only get 180w delivered as that is what the ballast is designed to provide.

troytempest0

Sorry guys but seemed to go off the subject a bit. Does anyone know why or if new tubes take more current,
cheers

sundude

Resistance is the only thing that will affect current draw
(Ohms Law) if it was just an idea or theory it would be called such
Measure the resistance in the bulbs and see if there is a difference between old and new


http://www.csgnetwork.com/ohmslaw.html

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TanWorldOrder

Yes, I answered your question for you. Unless the voltage draw was changed a lamp change is not going to pull another 10amps.

NOW, say those 30 spagetti facials were not running at the time of the initial amp reading and now that they are on you get a higher amp draw. OR you took the reading at start up, then took a reading a min into the tanning session.

The initial spike can be higher than the running amp draw.

caribbean tan man

then why are you asking us for help if your going to disagree with it!

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