How To Buy A Tanning Bed
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Ability to Tan
Two basic components comprise a tanning system’s capabilities.
An electrical system powers an array of lamps, which in turn generate
ultraviolet rays in specific wavelengths. These rays optimize
the generation of melanin in the skin, and the oxidation of that
melanin shows color.
Electrical System
The design of the electrical system has had few innovations in
recent years. The desired result is a system that drives the lamps
in an efficient manner and operates within limits that allow components
to be reliable and long lasting. It is important to survey the
need for extra electrical devices, such as a “buck booster”
transformer, when installing in your locale. Excessive heat is
the enemy of any electrical component. Inefficient (low or high
operating voltage) will cause frequent down times due to component
failure. A well-designed cooling system that operates effectively
will tend to have a high reliability factor.
Tanning Lamps
The type of lamp that is assessed for a tanning system is the
second most important component, second only to how it is powered.
“Philips” of Einhoven, Holland is credited with the
development of the lamp that incorporates both ultraviolet “B”
rays (UVB), and ultraviolet “A” rays (UVA) in a single
lamp. Some equipment manufacturers designate “Wolff”
on their tanning systems. This refers to the lamp/reflector, not
the bed design. There are lamps that emit mostly ultraviolet “A”
rays. These lamps are better known as “facial” lamps.
In these lamps, all of the UVC, and most of the UVB, light is
filtered out. The combination of these two types of lamps is varied
in today’s tanning systems. Your selection of lamp combinations
is based on the preference of tanners in your area.
Warranty
No company manufactures a tanning system that does not require
service from time to time. The investment in a tanning system
is considerable, and warranties say little but tell you volumes
about how a manufacturer feels about their system. Different components
will have different warranties. You will find different coverage
for different construction, electrical components, lamps and acrylics.
These warranties will vary from lifetime, which is highly favorable,
to a 30-day limited warranty.
Service
Knowing what your warranty covers and the service you receive
may vary from company to company. It may be more important to
check references and consider how the manufacturer responds to
a warranty problem than why the problem occurred in the first
place. However, chronic problems will only cause you expensive
down time and a loss of revenue. The question of service when
the system is out of warranty is important. Ask questions about
prices of parts and their availability from more than one source.
It is important to also find out if the equipment is foreign or
domestic when purchasing.
Maintenance
Check on the ease of maintenance tasks such as changing lamps,
installing acrylics and cleaning. The degree of difficulty and
strength needed relates to the ability of your employees to perform
them on a periodic basis. If a task is too difficult, it will
generally be avoided. The system must be maintained at peak performance
at all times to insure customer satisfaction.
Aesthetics
How does the bed look? Is it attractive? Remember, when the client
is deciding which salon is right for them, their first influence
is the impression made by the tanning system. Every facet of the
system will be part of the decision. Besides the tanning function,
a tanning system is your primary sales tool. In today’s
market, your equipment will cause a prospect to become a client.
Construction
This is a basic part of any buying decision. As a purchaser of
a tanning system, your goal is to buy a unit that is built like
a battleship but does not look as such. The materials are important.
Plastic discolors and does not have the strength of aluminum and
steel. Welded units tend to be more stable than structures that
are bolted together. A well-built piece of equipment with proper
maintenance should last for years. This eliminates costly overhead
and loss of income since it does not have to be constantly replaced.
Dimensions
All salons have a limited amount of space to work with. Important
details include room design, layout and system size. System dimensions
are important, but overall space allocation needed must be considered,
too. Clients need space to move about a room freely and comfortably.
If you are going to have accessories available, you must allocate
space for them. Some manufacturers have space-saver designs. Vertical
systems (booths) are an option to consider when maximizing the
available area is a necessity
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