Most tanning systems are equipped with glow-bottle lamp starters – when you turn the bed on, the lamps flicker a couple of times and then, light fully. Starters are fairly inexpensive and need to be replaced every other lamp change or at least every 6,000 starts.
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Here are some basic starter troubleshooting tips:
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Lamps are slow to start or do not light: If some of your lamps flicker on start-up but won’t stay lit, try turning the bed on and off once or twice to stabilize the lamps – replace starters if the flickering continues. If your lamps are not lighting, this is also a sign that it may be time for starter replacement. Take the lamp that is not lighting out of the unit and replace it in a space where the lamp is lighting. If it now lights, it’s time to replace the starters.
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Replace worn starters before they cause re-strikes or fail entirely. A worn starter can destroy a good lamp very quickly: a glow-bottle starter is rated by the manufacturers for about 6,000 starts – in a 20-minute bed, this is about 2,000 “bed on” hours. Maybe replace starters every second or third lamp change, depending upon the hours you run a set of lamps. In a ten-minute unit, you should consider 1,000 hours as the replacement interval – perhaps every other lamp change.
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Remember, a bad starter can quickly destroy a good lamp!
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End-Darkening: This is more noticeable in 160+ watt lamps, and results from the deposit of certain materials from the lamp’s cathode onto the interior bulb wall at start-up. There are two reasons for this:
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There is more power compared to 100W lamps and the start is often “harder,” and higher-wattage lamps are almost always operated with shorter tanning sessions. In 100 hours, the higher-wattage lamp will start twice as many times as the 100W lamp in a unit with a longer maximum session time.
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Note: To minimize this lamp end-darkening, lamp manufacturers have developed shields designed to capture most of the cathode material throw-off and keep it off the bulb wall.
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Electronic Starters: Just as with sunlamps, not all electronic starters are created equal. Look for electronic starters from a reliable supplier. Properly designed and used, an electronic starter will reduce end-darkening and last for ten years or longer – possibly the last starter you’ll ever need to buy.
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With an electronic starter, the power builds up and then the lamps light without flickering. Electronic starters are gentler on the lamp and can reduce some of the end-darkening. While electronic starters may cost a little more than the glow-bottle type, you can expect a minimum life of ten years, so the benefits far outweigh the expense.
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Remember, a bad starter can quickly destroy a good lamp! You’ve spent a lot of money on your lamps, so why risk trying to save a few bucks by not changing starters when needed?
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Please email sales@wolffsys.com if you have questions about this topic or other topics.
