Problems With a Tanning Bed Not Working in Cold Weather

Tanning beds provide a quick and effective method of tanning for those who do not want to spend hours in the sun. In order to make use of a tanning bed during the winter months, it is important to keep the bed in a warm, temperature-controlled climate. If you are experiencing problems with your tanning bed, the troubles may be due to cold temperatures. Does this Spark an idea?

Fluorescent Bulbs

Tanning beds produce light using fluorescent bulbs. According to lighting manufacturer Osram, fluorescent light bulbs function by trapping gas inside a glass tube with a small amount of mercury and then running electrical current across a filament on either end of the bulb. The electrical current causes electrons to be released into the gas and the mercury to radiate ultraviolet light that is absorbed and emitted as visible light by a phosphor coating on the bulb.

Temperature Restrictions

According to Frank Durda, author of "The Fluorescent Lighting System," typical fluorescent bulbs begin to lose brightness and flicker at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 degrees Celsius. As the temperature of the bulb drops, more problems will be experienced and less less will be generated. When the bulb is in a fixture without insulation, such as a tanning bed with a crack, hole or unsealed seam, or in temperatures much colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the heat from the bulb itself will never raise the temperature enough to provide stability, and the light will continue to flicker or die.

Signs of Trouble

When a tanning bed is turned on, the bulbs light up. If the temperature around the bulbs is colder than their optimal operating temperature, they will be noticeably dim, flicker and have pulsating rings of light moving across the bulb. This is the first sign that your area is too cold. If the bulbs are left on for a short while and allowed to heat up and still have a dim or flickering appearance, the temperature is too cold for operation.

Solutions

Ensuring that the tanning bed glass cover is not cracked or punctured and is sealed properly along the seams will help insulate the bulbs, allowing them to generate enough heat to operate. Durda also recommends the use of plastic lamp sleeves. These sleeves are clear plastic tubes designed to fit around a fluorescent bulb. The sleeve stays on the bulb while in a fixture and provides additional insulation to contain the bulb's heat and further improve operation in cold temperatures.