I was wondering if there was an easy way to troubleshoot a dead lamp in a tanning bed. A capacitor blew and 1 out of 20 lamps went dead but the bed continued to work. I purchased a new capacitor and replaced it, purchased 20 new lamps, but still the 1 location would not light up. I moved a ballast from a working lamp to the position, as well as a starter but still it would not light. I purchased a new ballast, new starter and new lamp holder, but am unsure how to proceed. Is there a way to test the wiring with a simple tool to see if the lamp holder is getting electricity? Any advice on how to troubleshoot is appreciated. I called our local electrical business and the electrician that showed up just shrugged his shoulders.

Christine,

Do you have any idea how to safely work on electrical circuits? I ask this because to run the sort of test you need, you need to know how to trouble shoot a circuit.

It would be prudent for you to have a wiring diagram and a schematic of the tanning bed before you start. It would be really nice to know that you know how to read and interpret these tools.

I am not trying to be a smart Alec here. I am trying to level set your skill level because to make the test you have to have power on.

If I were shooting this failure, I would find the failing bulb on the schematic and trace the circuit back to its power source.

Then I would determine which points along the circuit I could test with a Multi meter. The goal is to have the test points cut the circuit search down for you.

I would start at the supply source. Look at the schematic to see if there was a fuse in the circuit protecting the circuit. Then using the meter I would check the output of the fuse to see if there is voltage. If there is none, I would turn off the tanning bed and remove the fuse, then turn it back on again and test the circuit from the power supply to the input side of the fuse. If there is voltage, then I know at the very least I need a fuse. If there is no voltage, you have just isolated everything after the fuse. Time to move to the power supply for that circuit. Test the inbound side of the power supply for voltage If there is voltage, then check the output side of the supply.

Once you get the supply side fixed, you can move back to the circuit. You said the cap blew out. You need to find and identify the failing cap then find out how and why the cap shorted.

None of this is trivial stuff.

Is this an HID lamp? What is the lamp # and ballast #.

Thank you for your reply... no, I am not an electrician - far from it! I live in a pretty rural area and the one electrical business that is 20 miles away did not want to mess with it. I do have the schematics of the tanning bed and am able to trace the dead bulb back to the specific capacitor, ballast and starter... I do not believe there are any fuses? Is that possible? I do have a multimeter, but I do not feel comfortable stripping the wires to test the circuits... I was thinking I had seen a "non-contact" circuit tester that I could use to see if the blown capacitor had ruined the wiring in any places. I was able to locate the failed capacitor (since the top blew off and "oil" leaked out of it) and I did replace that... but it didn't correct the problem. I cannot figure out why the bed continues to run? I think maybe I will call another electrical business and see if I can get them to do this. I do appreciate your reply and advice... I wish I was capable of doing what you are suggesting, but I just don't think I am comfortable with it. Hopefully, I can get a qualified electrician to look at it for me. Thank you very much.

Christine,

If the WV sands for WV, I was in Lewisberg, yesterday.

Can you scan the schematic of the failing circuit and send it to me?

Also, I would look for any type of fusible link in the circuit. More than likely, when the cap went, it took the fusible link also.

Yes, I am in WV - up near the northern panhandle. I will scan the schematic and send it... if I can figure out how to do it... I have tried several times to upload an avatar and it simply will not take it although it is a jpg and way under the 2mb size limit. I do not know what a fusible link is... but will take pictures if that might help.

http://myplace.frontier.com/~mcmitchell/100_2328.jpg

Chris,

I did not see any fuse protection in any of the circuits.

I am curious though about the one empty block that appears as though it should have a lamp holder. Did you remove the lamp holder?

Also, I can see the neutral (white return) sticking through the frame.

Where is the black (supply side) and what is it connected to? Pictures 12 and 13.

Ok, fluorescent lamps.

The cap probably blew because of a loose connection or crimp.

You really should start by taking the lamp out and with power turned off:

1. Do an inspection of the terminals. Look for heat, corrosion & loose connections.
2. Do a resistance check between all of the connections.


3. check for power at the ballast.

Remember it is possible to have a part that's DOA.

Thank you for your advice; I do have the lamp out and I have visually inspected all wiring/connections but cannot see anything that looks suspicious; I am not qualified to do any type of resistance checking and I do have 3-4 calls into electricians b

Who is the manufacturer of the "Summersun" tanning bed.

I want to check their website to see If I can get a manual for your bed.

Just curious, is this a residential tanning bed or a commercial tanning bed?

donf:

The ballast, is effectively a saturable reactor and limits the current by design, so consider the ballast being a current limiting device for each lamp.

You don't see fuses on each fixture in a room, and you won't see it here.

The caps' are effectively a starter. A simple one, but nonetheless a starter.

The lamps assuming the ends are labeled A and B and they have two terminals 1,2 on each side basically look like.

A1 ++++ B1 Tube A2 ++++ B2

Where ++++ are filiments.

Two of the ends get the saturable reactor. A high open circuit voltage and he goes into current limiting once the arc strikes.

The leftover terminals, one from each end can be briefly shorted together and cause emission from a filiment to aid starting.

Lamp types matter here and the ballasts are lamp dependent. Rapid start lamps generally don't use starters.

It's intersting to look at the real-time light intensity of a fluorescent lamp. It peaks and decays.

Christinene

Here's a reprint of your schematic. Please forgive the typo on the two Test Point "2" points/

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