How do I find out what type of buckbboster my beds need?

[Robbie25]

Also, since we're on the topic. (I'm a little clueless) Is a buckbooster pretty much required for every bed? Or just certain beds at certain voltages? haha basically I'm kind of asking for a very brief BuckBooster 101 class. Thanks.

[Brian Oshman]

Buck boosters are required for all beds that incorporate choke ballasts and are operating on voltage below 220 or above 240. Most commercial North American electrical services are usually WYE 120/208 so the line to line voltage is too low for chokes that need 230 so you will need to boost the voltage. In certain instances you will find delta services which are 120/240 and in most cases are above 240 line to line. The voltage would need to be bucked on these services.

Buck boosters or autotransformers will do either function depending on how they are wired. The size and voltage change depends on the current that your bed draws and the incoming voltage to your building.

Buck boosters are available in 12/24 or 16/32 volt configurations. A 12/24 booster will raise or lower the voltage 12 or 24 volts from the incoming voltage as the 16/32 will do the same respectively.

The KVA size is determined by bed load. Here are the common booster sizes available and their max current ratings:

.5KVA good to 20 amps
.75KVA good to 30 amps
1.0KVA good to 40 amps
1.5KVA good to 60 amps
2.0KVA good to 80 amps
3.0KVA good to 120 amps

Select the KVA rating based on the beds current draw and the voltage rating based on how much you need to raise or lower the voltage to get as close to 230 volts.

Beds that use magnetic or electronic ballasts do not require boosters since magnetic ballasts are 120 volts and all North American electrical services provide this voltage directly and electronic ballasts are self adjusting to the line voltage so they are self regulating to the input voltage. Boosters raise or lower the voltage at a certain ratio, they do not regulate the voltage just change it and the output will fluctuate directly with the input.

[RobertK]

ok Brian answered longer and better.......

[trackerbuddy]

somebody needs to put this thread on a sticky in the Newbie Lounge

[JustTans23]

My brain can't process that for some reason

[trackerbuddy]

can't process all the e lingo I was slinging or the stuff about buck boosters?

[JustTans23]

the buck booster stuff, sometimes I feel like Brian speaks a different language, I'm not a very technical person.

Luckily at the moment, I don't need to know what kind of buck booster I use....I think

[Brian Oshman]

Added to the buck booster sticky in the Tannig Bed Repair Forum.


Buck boosters are required for all beds that incorporate choke ballasts and are operating on voltage below 220 or above 240. Most commercial North American electrical services are usually WYE 120/208 so the line to line voltage is too low for chokes that need 230 so you will need to boost the voltage. In certain instances you will find delta services which are 120/240 and in most cases are above 240 line to line. The voltage would need to be bucked on these services.

Buck boosters or autotransformers will do either function depending on how they are wired. The size and voltage change depends on the current that your bed draws and the incoming voltage to your building.

Buck boosters are available in 12/24 or 16/32 volt configurations. A 12/24 booster will raise or lower the voltage 12 or 24 volts from the incoming voltage as the 16/32 will do the same respectively.

The KVA size is determined by bed load. Here are the common booster sizes available and their max current ratings:

.5KVA good to 20 amps
.75KVA good to 30 amps
1.0KVA good to 40 amps
1.5KVA good to 60 amps
2.0KVA good to 80 amps
3.0KVA good to 120 amps

Select the KVA rating based on the beds current draw and the voltage rating based on how much you need to raise or lower the voltage to get as close to 230 volts.

Beds that use magnetic or electronic ballasts do not require boosters since magnetic ballasts are 120 volts and all North American electrical services provide this voltage directly and electronic ballasts are self adjusting to the line voltage so they are self regulating to the input voltage. Boosters raise or lower the voltage at a certain ratio, they do not regulate the voltage just change it and the output will fluctuate directly with the input.




All boosters wire the same. It is an industry standard. There are only 4 ways to wire them. +24/32, -24/32, +12/16, -12/16

And 8 total diagrams used for tanning beds.

















This one is for Dongan brand which is a two wire in and two wire out.



And let's not forget the 120 VAC in 12 VAC out to power T-Max timers from one transformer using a 12/24 buck booster.





Drawings courtesy of The Sun Doctor.

[trackerbuddy]

Originally Posted by JustTans23

the buck booster stuff, sometimes I feel like Brian speaks a different language, I'm not a very technical person.

Luckily at the moment, I don't need to know what kind of buck booster I use....I think

well he does speak a different language, usually it's however this is the best I've heard buck boosters explained in plain English

[Glowtanning530]

SO with this an ergoline which has a magnetic ballast shouldnt need a booster?

[Glowtanning530]

never mind its a choke CRAP

[Beach Bum]

I agree. Brian, that was excellent.

[Robbie25]

SO....for example....if I have a bed that runs optimumly at 240 volts, and my building is running 215, then I need at least a .75 kva booster to bring it up to that?

And is it possible to use a bigger booster then you need? For example, what if I only need 20 volt boost, butI have a 1.5, will that work too? Even though I only technically need a .5?

[sparky]

voltage change is in the following increments

12, 16, 24, or 32 volts.

for your situation, to achieve ~240v you would ADD 24 volts.

The Kw rating is based on the load, or # of amps the bed draws.

you would use a 12/24 booster, and wire for the 24 volt windings, as shown in previous diagrams.