Help required from other Sunbed Salon owners

[Beachbums]

Hi all, I am in the process of starting a new sunbed shop in the Manchester area. This has been an idea I've researched for the previous 2-3 years whilst working on other projects and going off other sunbed salon owners in the North West area, it can be a profitable business, but I have encountered an issue.

A x6 bed salon will require 3 phase electricity supply, but this now looks as though a higher (90kVA) than standard (60kVA) 3 phase supply is required which could set me back circa £15,000 (standard 60kVA 3 phase circa £6000). As I've no experience in owning/running a sunbed shop, is this cost a standard requirement, have other owners encountered this cost, or am I missing something here?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I welcome your constructive feedback.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Assuming this is a standard, do your calculations on 3/4 sunbeds, not 6, with a view to upgrading later.

ALso, what have your electricians said?

 

[Beachbums]

Assuming this is a standard, do your calculations on 3/4 sunbeds, not 6, with a view to upgrading later.

ALso, what have your electricians said?

That was my initial thought too Paul, however the investment of 6k for basic 3 phase would quickly require (forecasted within 6-9 months) further investment to get North West Electricity back to complete upgrade work to 90kVA. The issue, as NWE have explained, is the underground cable required for 90kVA is significantly larger and would require an almost brand new refit (cable, amps, meter) and so the overall cost would be greater doing the work in 2 parts.

Fortunately for me, my friend is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and has provided, free of charge, his calculations on what supply is required for 2 - 20 beds. What he can't advise me on, is what other salon owners have done/potential work arounds.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

If you need the supply, you need the supply - not sure what safe workaround there could be.

Interested in other comments, though.

 

[BubbaWY]

What rating are the sunbeds?

 

[DontAsk]

What rating are the sunbeds?

Google suggests up to 10 kW each.

 

[FreddyG]

kVA is a measure used for generators. Fixed line supply is measured in amps and/or kW. If a sunbed has 40 tubes @ 100 Watts each, that is 'just' 4kW or at 240V supply, 9.6amps. So let's make that 10amps. Two beds would be 20 and three 30 amps - well within the usual 100 amp domestic or commercial supply and even within the 50 amp supply for small houses or commercial properties.

Three-phase would therefore not be needed, but the beds would have to be either hardwired into the supply or use a large 32 amp Amphenol plug (£11.59 at Screwfix and £11.94 for the wall socket).

The bigger commercial sunbeds use 40 x 200 Watt tubes - I would avoid those as a typical session should really not be longer than five mins anyway.

There are LED sunbeds that mimic the infrared rays from the sun.

I suggest the OP bones up on the whole market and on the technical side of this type of installation. If you do not, then some salesperson from a tanning bed company (or a dodgy electrician) is going to run rings around you. It's just middle-school Physics!

 

[BubbaWY]

kVA is a measure used for generators. Fixed line supply is measured in amps and/or kW. If a sunbed has 40 tubes @ 100 Watts each, that is 'just' 4kW or at 240V supply, 9.6amps. So let's make that 10amps. Two beds would be 20 and three 30 amps - well within the usual 100 amp domestic or commercial supply and even within the 50 amp supply for small houses or commercial properties.

Three-phase would therefore not be needed, but the beds would have to be either hardwired into the supply or use a large 32 amp Amphenol plug (£11.59 at Screwfix and £11.94 for the wall socket).

The bigger commercial sunbeds use 40 x 200 Watt tubes - I would avoid those as a typical session should really not be longer than five mins anyway.

There are LED sunbeds that mimic the infrared rays from the sun.

I suggest the OP bones up on the whole market and on the technical side of this type of installation. If you do not, then some salesperson from a tanning bed company (or a dodgy electrician) is going to run rings around you. It's just middle-school Physics!

kVA is the standard measure for incoming electrical supplies!

The UK voltage is 230V, not 240V.

4KW at 230V is 17.4A (even at 240V, your calculation is incorrect)

 

[FreddyG]

kVA is the standard measure for incoming electrical supplies!

The UK voltage is 230V, not 240V.

4KW at 230V is 17.4A (even at 240V, your calculation is incorrect)

Oops! Sorry about that - a brain fart happened! You are of course right except that the voltage varies - we are getting 241 right now. But I have only seen line supplies measured in amps and kVA used for gennies and it refers to something slightly different to kW. A bit like currencies and money are two different concepts.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Whilst I have no technical knowledge here, I do have experience of clients who have experienced similar - most recently a bakery.

Yes, do get a professional second opinion - possibly one that is paid for.

However, don't cut corners are look for 'work-around' - because it pretty much always costs both time and money - this type of installation can severely impact plans on both.

 

[DontAsk]

The UK voltage is 230V, not 240V.

It is, and was, 240 V nominal.

Europe is, and was, 220 V nominal.

What happened is the specifications were harmonised at 230 V+10%/−6% so that the allowed variation covers both territories.

No actual voltages were ever changed.

 

[NickGrogan]

Nope, you're confusing the fuse rating 60/100 amp with the capacity of the connection (in kva)

Yes, you can pull 60amps through a small commercial/domestic meter and 100amps through a larger one - briefly, and it will get hot, as will all the cables. Pull in continuously as you would with a sunbed, and expect a nice little fire to start.

A 60 amp fuse generally means about 15kva, whilst 100 amp means 20-25kva. In London, you'll get much less.

If you supply capacity is over 69kva, you'll be forced to fit an half hourly meter, unit rates will be slightly lower, but the standing charges will be much higher.

The real question is how many beds will you use at once, not just how many beds do you have.

You need to look at ways to have the beds used as many hours as possible, whilst reducing the peak demand.

Or find a site that already has a large supply, think commercial units/factory sites, not shops. Most shops have very low usage.

Unless you've already signed the lease?

 

[HFE Signs]

I'd suggest doing spray tans instead!

No electrical problems and much better for your health

 

[NickGrogan]

Or just stay your natural colour?

 

[Picture Bute]

You can easily make it profitable, even with that outlay, by doing what most sunbed salon owners do.

Launder the money you make selling weed and charlie through it.