[Jinxer]

I am installing a tanning bed for my wife, and it requires and 80Amp breaker which says #4 wire. I am putting a 100 amp disconnect box beside bed ( because cannot find an 80amp disconnect box) and I want to know if the neutral wire needs to also be #4 in size or can it be smaller? The spot in box to connect the neutral wires looks to be smaller then the hot wire connection spots. Can anyone with knowledge on this help me out?

 

[joed]

Neutral needs to be the same size as the hot.

 

[Jinxer]

Thank you for the quick reply.. but do you have any idea why the neutral connection in the box is smaller?

 

[Jim Port]

Most neutral bars will accept up to a #4,

 

[Oldmaster]

Neutral does not always need to be the same size as the phase conductors. Think of 100 amp cable. 2/2/4. It depends on the neutral (120v) load. I've only done a few tanning beds but they did not require a neutral. A picture of the nameplate would help.

 

[Jinxer]

nameplate of what?? All I know is its a 240volt 80 amp breaker with approx 64 running amps. Our old tanning bed was wired direct with no disconnect box. But I am trying to do it a little more saftey thinking this time. But since this bed is much bigger and requires more power.. The wires it is asking for is much bigger ( #4wire ) just trying to figure when I run the wires if the neutral could be a 6 for example or if it needed to be a #4. Is it possible to extrapolate the correct answer with available information. I might have the wrong box, it doesnt have a neutral bar on the inside side of box.. it has a seperate lug spot to connect neutral but seems a smaller connection spot then what is available for the hot wires. Just trying to figure how I will fit 2 #4 wires there etc. Thanks again for assisting.

 

[CodeMatters]

I'll admit to knowing nothing about tanning beds, and being to lazy too
look it up, but 80 amps at 240V seems...uhmm...unlikely. That's nearly
20kW. When it's twice the power of my oven, only thing I'd stick in there
is my ex-girlfriend.

 

[Oldmaster]

The question is do the tanning beds need straight 240v or 240/120v. The name plate on the bed should have that information. The ones I wired were 240 v. 2 phase conductors and an I equipment ground. I used enclosed circuit breakers instead of disconnect switches. Cheaper and can get most size breakers.

 

[Jinxer]

The question is do the tanning beds need straight 240v or 240/120v. The name plate on the bed should have that information. The ones I wired were 240 v. 2 phase conductors and an I equipment ground. I used enclosed circuit breakers instead of disconnect switches. Cheaper and can get most size breakers.

Ok I will check the name plate and get back with you.. and in reference to the previous post reply.. The bed generates 13,700 watts.

 

[Oldmaster]

That's just over 57 amps. Not sure where you got 80 amps.

 

[Jinxer]

THis is what is posted in the manual.....The unit will then have approximately 5 ft. of # 4 AWG wire (2 hots, 1 ground)
coming out through the 1- inch liquid-tight flex connector. It will then require a 230-
volt, 80 amp, (3 wire) circuit – Actual amp draw of 62 amps.

For some reason the formula they are using is 13,700 divided by 220volts = 62 amps.... and those are running amps.. I believe the initial start up jumps up higher and thats why they recommend and 80amp breaker.

 

[Oldmaster]

I divided by 240 v hench the difference. I'm not sure how you can have start up current on a pure resistive load unless motors are involved. It's a little confusing. 2 hots and a ground is a 2 wire circuit. But then you say 3 wire circuit which would include a neutral. I don't think you need a neutral. 2- #4 phase conductors and # 8 ground should work.

 

[Old Thomas]

A few years in the tanning bed and her beautiful tanned skin will look like an alligator.

 

[FrodoOne]

I am installing a tanning bed for my wife, and it requires and 80Amp breaker which says #4 wire. I am putting a 100 amp disconnect box beside bed ( because cannot find an 80amp disconnect box) and I want to know if the neutral wire needs to also be #4 in size or can it be smaller? The spot in box to connect the neutral wires looks to be smaller then the hot wire connection spots. Can anyone with knowledge on this help me out?

You are installing a (presumably) ultra violet radiation tanning "bed" for your wife.
Such devices are now banned in many if not most countries, because of the very likely possibility of producing skin cancer.

If you want to kill your wife by this means, you may wish to go right ahead !

However, please consider.

 

[curiousB]

It cannot be 240V at 64A running. That is as large as many electric furnaces. You would bake a human at those levels.

By comparison an 8’ baseboard heater is 2kW. Your tanning bed is 8x that... no way..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Let it Snow]

THis is what is posted in the manual.....The unit will then have approximately 5 ft. of # 4 AWG wire (2 hots, 1 ground)
coming out through the 1- inch liquid-tight flex connector. It will then require a 230-
volt, 80 amp, (3 wire) circuit – Actual amp draw of 62 amps.

For some reason the formula they are using is 13,700 divided by 220volts = 62 amps.... and those are running amps.. I believe the initial start up jumps up higher and thats why they recommend and 80amp breaker.

There is no Neutral. Run 4/2 with ground copper. Ground wire will propably be #6 in that cable.

 

[Let it Snow]

I don't doubt your specs. I'm just curious, what is the make and model of the bed?
The largest commercial tanning bed I've ever wired was 30 amp 240 volt.