11 Compelling Reasons to Choose a Plastic Hose Clamp

Before You Decide on the Clamp That's Right for You... 

When selecting a hose clamp it can be intimidating to see the vast choice of solutions on the HCL website. However, in this post we will walk you through some of the compelling reasons to choose a plastic hose clamp, and to help you identify which type would be the best solution for your specific job.

HCL Fasteners manufacture and distribute a range of plastic hose clamps which will be referenced throughout this post:

Herbie Clip - The Original Plastic Double Grip Hose Clamp

Designed and manufactured by HCL to the highest quality the Herbie Clip is the original double grip plastic hose clamp.

It offers exceptional strength due to its unique double row of interlocking toothed jaws which deliver over twice the clamping forces achieved by similar toothed products.

The Herbie Clip comes as standard in a choice of Black or Natural colours and Nylon 6.6 material. It can also be supplied in Polypropylene material which is often used in the medical industry. The Herbie Clip is available in 37 sizes ranging from 5.4mm to 121.9mm (0.21inch to 4.8inch), so can fit almost any hose size requirement.

Ezyclik-P - A Low Profile Compact Plastic Snap Fit Hose Clamp

Ezyclik-P sit within HCL’s range of Snap Fit Hose Clamps and offer a number of unique alternative features to the Herbie Clip.

These include the low-profile head and a design solution that provides a perfect circle eliminating all leak paths.

Additionally, the Ezyclik can be manufactured from a glass filled nylon polymer which allows it to withstand higher temperatures than normal polymer hose clamps. The Ezyclik comes in 44 sizes ranging from 8.5mm to 45.5mm (0.34inch to 1.79inch).

Ezyclamp - The Only Nylon (Plastic) Worm Drive

Manufactured by HCL, the Ezyclamp is the world's only Nylon worm drive (worm gear) hose clamp.

Available in five sizes it covers a range of 25 to 150mm (1 to 6 inches) and is available in Nylon 6.6 or Nylon 12 material (for long life subsea use).

Ezyclamps can also be tightened in a variety of ways, by hand using the wing screw or by either an 8mm hex or 4mm Allen Key. (Note this feature not available yet but is coming)

Ezybond - BS951-2009 Electrical Approved Plastic Clamp 

Manufactured by HCL, the patented Ezybond® Earth clamp conforms to BS951-2009.

It is quick and easy to assemble, with an innovative design, including a double grip jaw, conductor guide vanes and security locking tabs.

Manufactured in Nylon 6.6, it also has excellent mechanical, chemical, heat resistant and self-extinguishing properties.

Whilst the Ezybond is not specifically a Hose Clamp, as it is more of a pipe clamp, it offers many of the same features and benefits and is ideal for production line solutions where earth bonding to pipes is required. The Ezybond comes in four sizes which cover standard pipe and cable sizes found in the Earth Bonding & Plumbing market.

Selecting the Right Plastic Hose Clamp or Clip

HCL have been working in the hose clamp industry since 1994, designing, manufacturing and distributing solutions worldwide. For almost two decades we have specialised in developing innovative clamping products and honed in on the nuances between the clips that other companies who have expanded into broader product categories have been unable to focus on.

All of this has led to HCL being one of the world authorities in all things hose clamp and the Global Leader in non-metallic hose clamp solutions.

So, with that in mind, here are 11 reasons to consider choosing a plastic hose clamp over the wide range of metallic clamping alternatives.

1. They are easy to fit

Many traditional hose clamps such as ear clamps, spring clamps or worm drive clamps require the clamp to be inserted onto the hose first and then insert the hose onto the spigot. This can be fiddly and time consuming can lead to a reduction in productivity.

If you choose a plastic or polymer hose clamp instead, you can either attach the clamp to the hose by wrapping it around once the hose has been inserted onto the spigot, or you pre-engage the clamp onto the hose as with traditional hose clamps, installing it with a loose fit and then tightening fully later.

By using one of the pneumatic plastic hose clamp tools it can be fastened very quickly. If you are installing numerous clamps this improved efficiency will make your life considerably easier.

2. The Plastic is Non-corrosive

Many low-cost clips are made of Zinc plated steel or W1 material, which leads to them corroding very quickly. Even higher quality clips made from steels such as 201 or 304 will still eventually succumb to corrosion.

However, since plastic hose clamps are made of nylon, they are 100% corrosion resistant, making plastic hose clamps attractive for use in many corrosive environments such as marine, irrigation or water flow industries.

3. Some Have a Low-profile head

The Ezyclik-P comes with a very low-profile head, matching such solutions as the Ear Clamp and the Clic or Cobra clamps.

This makes it ideal for installation in confined spaces where pipes may be very close together. It will also prevent snagging or catching of the clamp and provides a streamlined aesthetic finish.

4. You Can Achieve a Zero Leak Path

All hose clamps are striving for a perfect circle or seal, even the slightest notch or change in profile can create a leak path. What you are trying to achieve is uniform compression all the way around the hose or pipe.

The Ezyclik-P side-shut off design profile enables it to form a complete circle when installed which means no water can leak out.

5. Plastic is both Non-magnetic and Non-conductive

In certain industries and applications issues surrounding magnetism and electrical conductive can eliminate the use of metallic solutions. By their nature plastic or polymer hose clamps are neither magnetic or conductive and are often used in these niche applications.

6. They Offer Passive Intermodulation (PIM)

Passive intermodulation (PIM) is a growing concern among mobile network operators and can lead to an adverse effect of the performance of the network. Polymer Hose Clamps such as the Ezyclamp Nylon Worm Drive Clamp are often used as a replacement to the standard metallic solutions in the telecoms industry to reduce the effects of PIM 

7. They Can Offer High temperature Resistance

One of the limiting factors inherent in the plastic hose clamp is temperature resistant and ultimately it cannot compete with its metallic neighbours. However the Ezyclik-P can be made from a Glass Filled Nylon 6.6 material which enables it to be resistant to a higher temperature than normal plastic products and making it suitable to many higher temperature applications.

8. They Can Be Made in Different Colours

Plastic Hose Clamps can and often are made from different colours to the standard black. This can be simply due to aesthetic preference such as trying to match the clips with customers branding or in cases where similar clamps are being installed in a production line situation it is helpful to be able to quickly identify which clamp is being fitted.

It can also in situations where the application or product is made of dark material allows for easier visibility when installing the hose clamp.

9. They Offer a Low, High Performance Solution

This benefit is self-explanatory: our plastic hose clamps offer exceptional performance and are competitively priced against alternative metallic products. 

10. There are No Sharp Edges (safer to fit)

The last thing anyone wants to find out while installing their hose clamp is that it has left a scratch on their finger, plastic hose clamp are safe to install quickly because they have no sharp edges. The do not offer any risk to the operator installing the clamp and they do not cause any damage to the parts on which they are installed. 

11. Some are Removable and Reusable

Last but definitely not least, plastic hose clamps can be removed and reused for another job in the future making them better for environment as well as your budget. Removing them is easy, simply use the Herbie Clip Removal Tool for the Herbie Clip, a simple flat head screwdriver for the Ezyclik-P

Ready to Select Your Preferred Plastic Hose Clamp?

As you can see there are many benefits to using a plastic hose clamp over the traditional metallic alternatives. We hope this brief article helps you determine whether one of the plastic clamp ranges would benefit your project or application. If you'd like to see what we have for you, you can browse and select your preferred plastic hose clamp, or browse our full stock of hose clamps.

If you're not yet sure, or have a specific requirement, then we can help. To speak to someone knowledgeable about the range of options available, please email us via the website or call +44 (0)1761 417 714 to speak to one of the team. We look forward to hearing from you.