Discount Tanning Bed Lamps & Bulbs

How to choose the right tanning bed bulb for you

To find out which tanning lamps are right for you, first go through a tanning salons inventory of equipment in the proper order.  Make sure the salon operator can give you the UVB %’s of all tanning beds in the salon and begin with a session or two in the 20 min beds with 5% UVB and then a few sessions in the 2^nd level beds with 15 minute high intensity lamps that have a 8.5% UVB. 

These 8.5% UVB tanning bed bulbs will turn your skin more “red” at first and then fade to brown.  If you are a person who buys tanning bed lotion with a “tingle” factor, which turns your skin red, then you will love the 8.5% UVB lamps and your search is over.

However, you should also try the 3^rd level of bulbs which are the 160 -220 watt family and usually contain 2% or lower UVB.  The beds may contain anywhere from 35 to 60 bulbs and are considered “bronzing” beds because of the low UVB.  Keep in mind; you must have a base tan or melanin present in your top layer of skin to see any results from a session with low UVB tanning bed bulbs.

Finally, you may be able to find a true “high pressure” tanning bed in your town to give a try.  These mega beds will have only the high pressure tanning bed bulbs, which are identified by the square blue glass which filters all UVB.  These are pure bronzing beds for advanced tanners who maintain a dark tan year round and are much more expensive to buy and to tan in a salon on a regular basis.

Most home tanning beds will contain 100 watt lamps and have 20 minute maximum session times with 5% UVB lamps.  If your tanning bed was originally a 30 minute bed, the new bulbs will now make it a 20 minute maximum session.  You may choose to install the high intensity 100 watt lamps with a 8.5% UVB and should expect to pay only $1 more than the 5% UVB bulbs.

Active Ingredients of Sunbed Lamps

European tanning beds generally use a different type of lamp as well, with UVB ratings in the 1% to 3% range (using US measuring methods) whereas most tanning beds sold in the US use 4.2% to 6.5% UVB ratings, and aftermarket lamps with up to 8.5% or higher being popular. Of course, these lamps have less UVA and will produce a sunburn quicker, but many Americans seem to like them because a short session produces a "reddening", or instant gratification. These lamps actually produce a slower deep tan (but a faster base tan) that fades faster, but are simply marketed as "hotter", although technically they have about the same amount of UV but with different ratios of UVA and UVB.

UVA vs UVB

A tanning bed bulb is basically divided between the % of UVA and UVB light in which the bulb emits.  A typical home tanning bed with a 20 minute maximum exposure time would have a 5% UVB and 95% UVB blend.  Keep in mind when selecting a tanning bed bulb, as the UVB goes up, the bulb becomes more burning or reddening. As the UVB goes down the bulb becomes more bronzing or browning.

When to change the bulbs in your tanning bed or sunbed

Most manufacturers recommend changing their bulbs when they reach around 70% of their original value as read on a UV light meter.  Conventional thought is that if the manufacturer says the bulb is good for 1000 hours, most owners will change the bulbs at the 700 hour mark if they do not have a UV light meter.

UV Light Meters

A UV Light meter is used to measure the UV output of a tanning bed bulb and can be purchased at most tanning supply providers.  The concept of working with a UV light meter is to first measure “baseline” data when the bed and bulbs are brand new and everything is dust free, etc.  Measure the same point 1 inch from both the top and bottom acrylic and record in a notebook.  Then, on a monthly basis, record the value and continue to monitor the UV light level until it reaches 70% of original value and then replace the bulbs!

A UV light meter is also a great way to see the improvement of tanning bed bulb strength after the bulbs and acrylics have been clean and serviced.

Tanning Bed Bulb Manufacturers

Wolff tanning lamps

Several companies continue to license the Wolff name and use their lamps because of the name recognition, although this has steadily diminished over the years as other lamp builders have created lamps that are arguably as good as or better. Licensing is not required to use Wolff lamps, but it is required to call a tanning bed a "Wolff System" and use the Wolff System logo, a yellow circle with horizontal bars and the name "Wolff Systems" in black. Tanning beds that use Wolff products but do not pay royalties can use only the term "Powered by Wolff," which is unique in the industry.