Troubleshooting Your Impulse Sealer: Tips and Instructions.
If you are having sealing machine problems, follow our troubleshooting steps to help determine the problem. Virtually all brands of sealers are made up of the same type of components with only the quality of those components being the difference or perhaps made a bit differently depending on the manufacturer. This guide should cover your unit.
UNPLUG YOUR UNIT BEFORE WORKING ON IT!
The two most common problems with an impulse sealer is the element wire breaking or pitting and the PTFE non-stick cover wearing through. Let's begin looking at these two situations.
When the cover begins to wear, it will discolor from tan to a darker color along the area that contacts the element wire. The cover needs to be replaced before it actually burns through and shorts out the machine. If you continue to use the unit with a bad PTFE cover it will cause the material being sealed to not seal properly or to stick to the damaged area and will shorten the life of the element and your machine.
If you impulse sealer is not working at all:
- Check the element. Remove the PTFE fabric and check the condition of the element wire. The wire must run from post to post. Most units have the elements mounted on spring loaded posts while a few use a post on one end and a fixed position with a screw on the other end. If the wire is broken, check the tape strip under the wire and you will most likely find a hole in it. This allows the unit to short to ground through the unit's housing, wearing out the machine.
When replacing the PTFE fabric tape make sure that it is applied straight and centered to provide maximum insulation protection. Also, make sure that the ends hang over the edges of the unit or that the entire path from post to post is covered. *Note: There are some brands of impulse sealers that have a thin plastic strip under the element instead of the tape strip. When this wears out, it can be replaced with that manufacturer's strip that comes with the element kit.
The cover, tape, and element wire are considered consumable parts and are expected to go over time. The frequency of wear depends on the material your are sealer, thickness of the material and how often you use your sealer. The higher the setting, the shorter the life span of these parts.
- If these parts are in good shape, we will have you check your timer, this is the unit that controls the seal cycle duration. It is a solid-state unit with an indicator light on it that signals when the timer is energized. If the light does not come on while attempting to make a seal, then the unit is probably bad (assuming that there is electrical power at the outlet and the unit is plugged in). Replacing the timer is fairly simple.
If you are still having issues with your machine after checking out the timer, we will have you check the Microswitch.
- The Microswitch is a small switch that completes the electrical circuit when the movable arm is brought down and allows the sealing cycle to begin. You should be able to hear a "click" when the switch contacts are opened and closed. This is another part that is easy to replace.
Sometimes the switch or the mechanism that engages it gets out of adjustment and needs to be corrected.
- On Hand Operated Impulse Sealers there is a metal tab that pushes the switch plunger to close and activate the unit. Accessing this tab can be done by removing the bottom cover of the unit. It is located at the back of the unit and is attached to the sealer arm. Carefully bend the bar slightly so that the switch is closed when the silicon pressure pad is barely above the element.
- On Foot Operated Impulse Sealers there is a small adjustable bolt that needs to be properly set to make the right contact with the microswitch.
If you continue to have issue, please contact us at 888-511-7225 and select our Tech Support extension.
