troytempest0

Hi there everyone,

I appreciate this may have been addressed several times before but having searched the forums I cannot find anything that relates to a recommended relamping process.

I have seen recommended tubes, recommended time to change, drop exposure time, etc, but not on methods of relamping.

We have taken over a salon in the UK last November and some of the beds need retubing.

Seems everyone has different ideas over here :( .... I have been told

1. Drop the top to the bottom and relamp the top canopy only - the reason for this is not only cost saving but also stops people burning their backs?

2. Replace the top and bottom but this can mean some customers burn there backs.

3. In Verticals replace every other lamp - but this may cause striping?

I would appreciate your comments please as I want to do the best thing for the salon, customers and the business . We have a really good customer base which has increased since we took the salon over and the last thing i want is to lose customers because I got it wrong.

Help appreciated

SandiGirl

Replace them all. When you get a new bed they don't have old lamps in the bottom. The bed is designed for an even tan. Just cut back their time when you replace them. Plus you don't know how old the old ones are and they may get NO colour on their backs and be dark on their front.

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ChristineE

^^ what she said.

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missyhot

I was going to do the "top drop" method also but chose not to. Like Sandi said just relamp the entire thing and be done with it. In the end it will be less work and worry. Also, when changing lamps, change the starters or when the starters burn out they sometimes burn the new lamp out. Just change them all at once starters and all. Good Luck!

SandiGirl

Unless they are electric starters...then they're okay.

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MatrixMan

I would just do the whole thing. I dont have a problem with my back burning with BRAND new lamps and im a 2A on skin typing chart, so i burn easily.

troytempest0

thanks everyone, advice appreciated :)

I'll bite the bullet and go with replacing top & bottom with starters.

thanks again

SandiGirl

If the starters are electric, you won't need to. But if it's in 100w beds, most likely they're not electric so yeah, just replace them.

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Sarge

dont replace everyother lamp and I really don't agree with top dropping. I think you are only cheating the customer doing this. The best thing to do, it relamp all of your beds (i know its very costly). Purchase a standard 5.0 uv meter. After you have relamped your beds run them a few sessions than do a lamp read on them. Also record the hours on the hour meter. Do a monthly read on your lamps. I would read them with the acrylics on as this is what the customer is receiving. After you lamps have depleated 30% of the original its time to start thinking of changing the lamps. Most lamp mfg have a rated life and normally they don't last this long. Depends on the bed, the voltage, cooling etc. The rated lamp life was is perfect running conditions at the mfg plant during testing. Start a maintenance book for all of your beds. One sheet for lamp reading and the other for any maitenance done on your equipment. This is only my opinion and other have a different idea, but this seems to work out very well to keep you customer happy and getting good even results. Good luck and hopefully things work out well.

Sarge

Oh, as far as replacing starters. This is a conerns that has been bounced back and fourth. Most company's and distributors recommend changing your starters every other lamp change. Well this is my opinion. If all of your lamps are firing up immediately without flickering etc and you voltage is correct, then I would save the mone and not replace them each lamp change or even every other lamp change. If one goes out, change it. Maybe after about 2000 hours then I would maybe change them. The reason, I don't know, just because it sounds good. If you have units with 160 Watt and above choke ballast, then I feel its imparative to put electronic starters in you units. This is a softer start on the lamp and helps with the end blackening considerably. Hope some of this helps you.