Tips to VHO Indoor Tanning Industry Lamps: Optimize Output and Cooling for Maximum UVA, UVB Output

In general, “VHO” (160W to 220W) tanning lamps and other lamps in this category may exhibit noticeable differences from other types of lamps with which you may have experience.  In order to help you better understand VHO tanning lamps we offer the following technical information.

Electrode Assemblies:

VHO tanning lamps use custom electrode assemblies, which have been designed and manufactured specifically for the tanning industry.  These electrodes are made for operation at up to 2.0 amperes.  In addition, they are designed and tested to withstand the constant on and off cycling typical of indoor tanning industry equipment.  Normal end-blackening seen during lamp aging can be greatly reduced through the use of special anode/filament combinations.        

Most VHO lamps employ large cooling chambers behind the lamp electrodes resulting in a dark area behind the filament.  Some salon operators have perceived the resulting dark areas near the lamp bases to be outward signs of some lamp defect; this is not the case!  The larger cooling chambers behind the lamp electrodes are actually there to enhance lamp operation.  Without them, it is very difficult to properly cool the heavily loaded lamps to optimize UVA and UVB output. 

Lamp operation:

During normal operation, VHO lamps produce a tremendous amount of heat.  If not properly cooled it is nearly impossible for any VHO lamp to reach its maximum ultraviolet output intensity.  By producing 160W – 220W lamps with a large cooling zone behind the filaments the VHO lamps can reach their optimum operating temperature and optimize UVA and UVB output intensity with minimal cooling air flow. 

Tanning customers may also see what they perceive as visual color variations, especially in new lamps.  This is caused during the lamps normal “break in” period while the lamps are stabilizing the mercury vapor pressure.  This variation will normally go away after one or two hours of lamp operation.  Customers should not relate visible brightness to UV output intensity.  In some circumstances it may take as much as 10 hours or more to reach full lamp stability.  Generally speaking the UVA and UVB intensity of VHO lamps will actually increase after the first few hours of operation.  Once the lamps have fully stabilized the VHO tanning lamps will remain stable in output intensity from session to session unless they are removed from the tanning bed or booth and positioned in a different orientation then they were in when installed in the tanning bed or booth.

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