Tanning Bed/Buck booster?

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
An old tanning bed came with no manuals, no info.
There's a GE .5 kva auto transformer that is wired
in series with the power cord. Online they call it
a buck booster. What is the purpose of a Buck
booster?

This is a first for me. Someday I'll have to learn
to tell people NO. Neighbor was given the tanning
bed and wanted me to wire it. I opened the end
plate on transformer and one wire was not
connected. Got to looking at the info on
transformer, scratched my head and need some help
starting with what is the need for the
transformer?
George
 
Thanks,
The old tanning bed calls for 220v. I think my 220
is closer to 240v. So, I think I saw a way to use
transformer to knock my 240 down to 220.

So is it critical the voltage be exactly 220V?
230V? or 240V?
george
 
It matches the line to the tanning bed input voltage.

The ballasts are wired in series. If the input line voltage is too low, some lamps may not always start.

Leave it in place.

Dean
 
The thing is it's not wired properly. One wire H4 isn't connected to anything, bare wire could cause some excitement.

So, I'm asking what is the purpose of having it? I already have 240v. What will it hurt to use 240v?
 
Don't know.

It depends upon the line voltage at the receptacle and the rated input voltage of the tanning bed.

The buck boost transformer is intended to match the line voltage to the required voltage. Too low and some (or all) lamps will not reliably start. Too high and lamp life will be shortened.

Had one once with a buck boost transformer.

Dean
 
The buck-boost transformer was in there should the tanning bed be installed in an industrial location with 120/208 three phase instead of 120/240 single phase.
Probably just a plain boring 500va 240V to 24V transformer wired as an auto transformer to boost the 208V line voltage up to 228.8V.
 
buickanddeere,
This transformer is a first for me. The 500 va GE transformer says something about 120v/240v to 12v/24v. You may call it boring, but for me it's confusing. The inputs are labelled H1, H2, H3 AND H4. The secondarys are labelled X1, X2, X3 AND X4

It says on the transformer how to make connections, which if I understand what you are saying is a way to increase my 240 v by 12 or 24v?

The tanning bed was made in W Germany and it says it needs 220v. So can I use the transformer to lower my 240v by 12 or 24v? Or will the tanning bed work on 240V?

I was reading that if the voltage is too low, the bulbs won't fire up.

What will happen if I don't use transformer and give it 240v? Will it increase the radiation and give them skin cancer sooner instead of later? Or could 240v damage the ballast transformers?

Thanks,
george
 
I have read that tanning doubles your risk of skin cancer. Females who smoke and tan quadruple their risk of skin cancer. This female does both.

Some people want to look good in the casket.

Just like some people riding motorcycles without a helmet. They want people to see them and look cool on 2 wheels. Some even remove their mufflers, straight pipes. The want to be heard and look cool without a helmet. Go figure.
George
 
Jessie,
Thanks, This transformer is an auto transformer.
I've found diagrams in line that show how it's
wired. The way it's shows is confusing and it's not
like the way it's currently wired.
Going to play with it a little more.
george
 
Nice to know, too low lights won't fire off. I'll shoot for 220 or a little higher, not 240.
 
(quoted from post at 22:32:33 04/08/14) buickanddeere,
This transformer is a first for me. The 500 va GE transformer says something about 120v/240v to 12v/24v. You may call it boring, but for me it's confusing. The inputs are labelled H1, H2, H3 AND H4. The secondarys are labelled X1, X2, X3 AND X4

It says on the transformer how to make connections, which if I understand what you are saying is a way to increase my 240 v by 12 or 24v?

The tanning bed was made in W Germany and it says it needs 220v. So can I use the transformer to lower my 240v by 12 or 24v? Or will the tanning bed work on 240V?

Bed will run just fine on straight 240V without bucking or boosting.

I was reading that if the voltage is too low, the bulbs won't fire up.

What will happen if I don't use transformer and give it 240v? Will it increase the radiation and give them skin cancer sooner instead of later? Or could 240v damage the ballast transformers?

Thanks,
george

Bed will operate just fine on 240V line without bucking or boosting.
I suppose for use at temps below freezing. The boost could be used to apply 264v to the ballasts. Could be kinda cool laying on the plastic bed at those temps.
 
Brad,

Buick explained it, and for more diagrams you can check out the pages near the end of the .pdf linked below,how showing how the primary and secondary windings can be connected to "buck" (decrease) or "boost" (increase) the output voltage.


BUCK it
buck_zps89b598a6.jpg
 
Bob,
Thanks for telling what buck and boost means.

How do I wire it if I only want to decrease the voltage 12v?
george
 
You would parallel the secondary windings like THIS:

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Stuff/buck2_zps0c74378a.jpg">

(Diagram C1 on .pdf page 18, at the link below.)

BTW, if, for some reason, two windings get connected in parallel out of phase (reversed), the transformer will get darned HOT, real quick, or WORSE!
BUCK it
 
Bob, Thanks again. Neighbor has already had her first cancer treatment. Tanning bed works great. I had to knock my 220v, which was closer to 250v, down to 225v. All bulbs fired right up. Amp draw is exactly what it's specked at.

I never seen or heard of a buck booster. Glad you told me what it is.

I looked at how the transformer was wired. Sparks would have flown had I not used your diagram and rewired it.

Thanks again.
George
 

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