Used Tanning Bed Concerns!

Thinking about buying a used tanning bed. Here are a list of questions that you should ask the seller before you purchase a used bed.

1.) Do you have an electrical wiring schematic?

Do not buy a used tanning bed unless the seller can provide you with a wiring schematic. There are a lot of used tanning beds on the market that were imported and the Manufacturer is no longer in business. Also, your local electricians will have a hard time troubleshooting your bed and at $50 per hour you could incur a $300 bill before you know it.

2.) Where was the bed manufactured?

Many of the used imported tanning beds available contain electrical components from their origin country. It is very difficult for your local electrician to retrofit a USA made electrical component for it’s foreign counterpart. Make sure you receive all the body parts! Body parts such as rails, end caps and skins are very expensive, if still available.

3.) How do you plan on shipping the tanning bed and what kind of shipping materials are you going to use?

Shipping a used tanning bed can be very difficult due to the size and weight of the bed. Most used beds are transported with home furniture moving companies which charge a premium for their services. If the tanning bed arrives with missing hinges, legs or other body parts you could be in big trouble, especially if the parts are no longer available. We get calls all the time from people looking for hinges, power packs and brackets that are no longer available, the bed is worthless if you can not hinge it together.

4.) How old are the acrylics, lamps, starters and gas springs?

These are all wearable items and will degrade through time. For a typical 24 lamp home tanning bed you will pay approximately $800-$900 to replace all these items so the tanning bed will perform like new. The Philips S12 starters should be changed every time you buy new tanning lamps. Acrylics degrade through time. Although it looks crystal clear, an aged acrylic can block up to 50% of the beds tanning power.

5.) Did this tanning bed come from a tanning salon?
If the tanning bed is a commercial model and came from a tanning salon it most likely was controlled by a front room TMAX timing system. Make sure you receive the original factory remote timer plug or the on board timer or the tanning bed will not function.

6.) When was the tanning bed last serviced?

If the tanning bed was not serviced recently be prepared for a little elbow work when it arrives. The tanning bed’s reflective system must be cleaned and the cooling fans must be free of all dust and dirt. If the tanning bulbs overheat the bed will not tan and your lamps will age quickly.

If you have any other questions or concerns about purchasing a used tanning bed, or would like to know the beds history and whether parts are still available please call 800-667-9189.