How to Use an Impulse Sealer

Before the first seal

Put the sealer on a flat, firm table with the bar edge facing you and plug it into an ordinary 230 V socket. Look along the bar: the Teflon tape over the heating element should lie flat with no tears or burnt patches, because the bag is pressed straight onto it. Keep a few scrap pieces of the same bag you will pack – every new film is set on a scrap first, never on a filled pack.

Step 1: set the timer dial

The dial sets how long the element is heated when the arm comes down. It is numbered 1 to 8 on PackForge hand sealers. Thin film needs a low number; thicker film or two layers of laminate need a higher one. Start low – 2 or 3 for a thin poly bag – because a setting that is too high melts straight through the film.

Step 2: place the bag mouth on the bar

Lay the open mouth of the bag flat across the bar, a little below the top edge, with no folds or creases. Keep powder and liquid off the area that will be sealed; a pinch of masala in the seal line is the commonest cause of a seal that looks fine and opens later. The mouth must be shorter than the bar – if it is not, you need the next size up rather than two overlapping presses.

Step 3: press the arm down firmly

Bring the arm down and hold it with steady pressure. The indicator light comes on while the element is heating and goes off when the heat pulse ends. Do not lift the arm while the light is on.

Step 4: hold for about two seconds after the light goes off

The seal is still soft when the heat stops. Keeping the arm down for about two more seconds lets it cool and set under pressure. Lifting at once is the usual reason for a seal that is wavy or pulls apart.

Step 5: check the seal, then adjust one step at a time

Look at the seal against the light and press the bag firmly with your palm. A good seal is an even, clear band across the full width. If it peels apart, raise the dial by one number; if the film is burnt through or stretched thin, lower it by one. Change one step at a time and test on scrap until the result holds. Write the setting down for each bag you pack, so every operator uses the same number.

Safe habits

• Keep fingers clear of the bar when pressing; the element is hot during the pulse.
• Let the sealer rest between long runs on Standard models; Heavy Duty models are built for all-day use.
• Do not seal wet or oily bags; wipe the mouth first.
• Unplug before wiping the bar or changing the Teflon tape.
• Keep the cord away from the hot bar and the table edge.

When something goes wrong

A seal that is weak at the ends, a light that stays on or an element that has broken all have their own fixes, covered on impulse sealer troubleshooting. Changing the element and Teflon tape is shown step by step on how to replace an impulse sealer heating element, and choosing and caring for a sealer is in the impulse sealer buying guide. Every size and price is on the impulse sealer page.