What does this thing do?

[Skooterj]

Help. My wife got a tanning bed. I found the instructions online. I was going to run a new 220Volt, 30 amp service for it. But the instructions don't mention this thing.

 

[cybrdyke]

looks like it changes line voltage to low voltage. is there something on the bed other than the tanning lights? like a radio or led lights, or some kind of controls?

 

[Skooterj]

It has fans and a timer. It was wired to 220 at the salon. 3 wire, black, red and green. Was also hooked to a timer control, but the instructions show how to use it without the control.

 

[Stuart in MN]

It's a step down transformer that converts 240vac to 24vac. Most likely the tanning bed has some control components that run on 24vac.

 

[Skooterj]

So how does the bed actually get 240? Or does it just run on 24v?

 

[nadogail]

If you study the schematic of the Tanning Bed, the answer to your question should be discernible.

Time to call your Electrician Buddy and have conversation while sharing a few.

 

[Bert_]

It's a buck boost transformer. It's not creating 24 volts. These things usually confuse people that don't know how to use them.

Check the name plate on the tanning bed to see exactly what voltage it calls for. If the salon had 208 they may have used this to boost the voltage to 240.

 

[sparky 1971]

It's a buck boost transformer. It's not creating 24 volts. These things usually confuse people that don't know how to use them.

Check the name plate on the tanning bed to see exactly what voltage it calls for. If the salon had 208 they may have used this to boost the voltage to 240.

This^^^^^. The tanning bed is more than likely going to be 240 volt. If that's the case, you won't need the transformer.

 

[Lightning rod]

sorry Bert

the nameplate clearly states 120/240v PRI and 12/24 V SEC
This is a control Tx as others have said
Also the manual show a 24 v input to the power board on page 40
Seems like something to do with the timer board

 

[Skooterj]

Here is the name plate on the bed.

 

[Lightning rod]

the model number on the nameplate 134 "8" or "S" doesn't come up anywhere
Maybe call the manufacturer to confirm manual for this model

 

[Skooterj]

I'm going to call them Monday before I wire it up. The manual does mention wiring up the "Power Supply"

 

[Bert_]

sorry Bert

the nameplate clearly states 120/240v PRI and 12/24 V SEC
This is a control Tx as others have said
Also the manual show a 24 v input to the power board on page 40
Seems like something to do with the timer board

I said they usually confuse people who don't know about them... Google buck boost transformer if you don't believe me.

It gets wired to either add or subtract 12 or 24v from the line voltage.

Normal use would be 240v equipment on a 208v service. 208v + 24v = 232v

 

[wyliesdiesels]

sorry Bert

the nameplate clearly states 120/240v PRI and 12/24 V SEC
This is a control Tx as others have said
Also the manual show a 24 v input to the power board on page 40
Seems like something to do with the timer board

Its a buck boost transformer.

you wouldnt feed internal controls on the tanning bed w/ a different source of power. that would be a waste of wiring and efficiency. the tanning bed would have its own internal transformer or power supply for the controls. and the controls wouldnt need .75KVA of power either. thats a lot of current- 31.25a @ 24v

Furthermore, if you look at the ballast box wiring schematics towards the end of the manual, you'll see the only power input called for is 220v(240v). there is no 24v input...

EDIT: looked at the wrong rating. its .75KVA

 

[Lightning rod]

Hi Bert
sorry , I misunderstood your original comment and your description clarifies your comment

Yes, I have used transformers in this way in my old testlab days

I guess that i was thinking that it was more likely a control Tx but certainly can be used as you described.

thanks Bert

 

[Lightning rod]

Its a buck boost transformer.

you wouldnt feed internal controls on the tanning bed w/ a different source of power. that would be a waste of wiring and efficiency. the tanning bed would have its own internal transformer or power supply for the controls. and the controls wouldnt need 1.5KVA of power either. thats a lot of current- 62.5a @ 24v

Furthermore, if you look at the ballast box wiring schematics towards the end of the manual, you'll see the only power input called for is 220v(240v). there is no 24v input...

WD

yes, I would agree normally; I guess I have never seen it done at 220 v ; only 600 v and above

The 24v input on the timer board page 40 of the manual skewed my thinking a little

Your eyes are better than mine. I couldn't see the KVA number

or did you look up the model number?

thanks WD

 

[Bert_]

If the thing actually calls for 220v then you might need the transformer. I have run into things like this before that the manufacturer doesn't want wired to 240v.

You could call and ask what range of input voltage it accepts.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

WD

yes, I would agree normally; I guess I have never seen it done at 220 v ; only 600 v and above

The 24v input on the timer board page 40 of the manual skewed my thinking a little

Your eyes are better than mine. I couldn't see the KVA number

or did you look up the model number?

thanks WD

actually i looked at the wrong thing.

the model number reveals its .75KVA

still a lot of current for controls. 31.25a @ 24v would not be needed for a timer

 

[Walkers]

If you were smart you would connect a hot wire to every wire in there and flip the switch. Hopefully it will burn up to the point of being unusable, thereBay saving her skin for later in life.

 

[Terry D]

Actually everyone is right. If you wire the windings as shown on the transformers plate, you will get 12 or 24 volt out of the secondary. What the plate doesn't show you is all the different connections for buck and boost. With a buck boost transformer, you can wire it as a single winding transformer, depending on what part is series and parallel, and where to tap off for power, this is how it will buck or boost only a few percent from the input voltage. But on this application, if it was wired to the tanning bed, it was used as a buck boost.

Here are the connection diagrams for buck boost

 

[Norcal]

A lot of tanning beds are 220V the buck/boost transformer is there to buck the voltage down to 220V from 240V.

 

[Lightning rod]

yes, it all makes sense now

 

[Skooterj]

I talked to the salon owner I bought it from. She said she has 240 in the shop and the transformer was wires to drop the voltage as close to 220 as possible because that is what the bed wants. So in this case, it is wires to "buck" the voltage. And as for blowing it up, she is either going to tan here for cheap or tan at the salon for not cheap. I just don't get why they don't build the beds to accept 240 to start with.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Optimal voltage to try to **** as much life out of those expensive-as-hell UV bulbs... 20 volts doesn't seem like a lot, but to fluorescent bulbs it makes a difference whether the tubes only a year, or they can squeeze another year out of them...

 

[rburke65]

I dont know….I’ve been told a hundred times on here that there is NO 220v……it’s all 240 volt. So why then would a mfg. make a tanning bed, requiring 220v and necessitating an additional expense of a transformer?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I dont know….I’ve been told a hundred times on here that there is NO 220v……it’s all 240 volt. So why then would a mfg. make a tanning bed, requiring 220v and necessitating an additional expense of a transformer?

thats not quite what youve been told.

what you were told was there is no PoCo supplied 220v in the US

 

[Norcal]

I dont know….I’ve been told a hundred times on here that there is NO 220v……it’s all 240 volt. So why then would a mfg. make a tanning bed, requiring 220v and necessitating an additional expense of a transformer?

A lot or most of the tanning beds are foreign, hence the 220V, they should never even be allowed off the ship.

 

[Skooterj]

Well, it is all wired up and it works...except the remote fan. Have to figure that out.

 

[Terry D]

Well, it is all wired up and it works...except the remote fan. Have to figure that out.

When you say remote fan, is this not part of tanning bed? is this something that was added on? Can you post a picture of the fan

 

[Skooterj]

It is controlled by the tanning bed. It has a connector on the back of the ballast box of the bed.

 

[grounded-b]

sorry Bert

the nameplate clearly states 120/240v PRI and 12/24 V SEC
This is a control Tx as others have said
Also the manual show a 24 v input to the power board on page 40
Seems like something to do with the timer board

it's a buck transformer