ETS Tanning Bed Blog

One question that our sales people get a lot is “should I buy new or used tanning beds?” For many home tanners, used beds can mean significant savings. However, there are a few things to consider when buying a used tanning bed :

1. Ballast Life

A ballast is a device designed to limit the amount of current in an electric circuit. In a tanning bed, ballasts are used to control the amount of power needed to start and operate the lamps. And, like other tanning bed components (the bulbs, acrylic, etc), they have a finite life span.

If you’re buying a used tanning bed, find out from the seller what ballasts are installed and how much use they have left.

1. Bulb Life

Like ballasts, the bulbs in a tanning bed have a rated life span. For example, a good set of bulbs will last between 800 and 1,000 hours. However, tanning bed bulbs aren’t cheap – a basic replacement set of 24 bulbs will cost you around $300-$450. So, if you buy a used tanning bed that’s on its last bulbs, you may be in for an expensive surprise.

1. Cracking

Over time, UV rays can make plastics and acrylics brittle, eventually causing them to crack. This is dangerous as it poses a cutting hazard. Acrylics also lose their ability to transmit UV rays over time, reducing the tan you can achieve. Not something you want to worry about while lying comfortably in a tanning bed.

Buying used tanning beds can save you money, but they can also end up costing you significantly more if you happen to purchase a bed in need of new ballasts, bulbs or acrylics. And, our final tip: always get a bed’s full statistics, including total usage, before you buy</em>.