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About Cable Ties

Cable ties are basically fasteners that let you neatly organise bundles of wires and cable. By bundling together, the wires that belong to the same category it will be much easier for you to identify cables if you want to make any modification or to carry out repairs.

A lot of people when they hear cable ties, they tend to bunch them all together into the same category. But like most tools and accessories, it is not as simple as that. Also, not all ties are just pieces of self-locking plastic strips. They vary in temperature rating, length, material, and a few other features. Moreover, there are a few ties that are designed only for special purposes. This article will give you a basic understanding of cable ties and how and where to use them. This will help you make the right choices and avoid making unnecessary mistakes when you are shopping for them.

A beginners’ guide to cable ties

You will see cable ties in a whole bunch of different colours, lengths, thickness, and materials. Depending on the type of cable and where it goes, you will need a different cable tie. Sometimes you might want to run cables through wet places or places that experience high temperatures. Just like the insulation of the cables, the cable ties as well should be able to withstand all these external factors. But to be able to choose the right kind of tie for the right place and right purpose, you need to know about the types of cable ties that exist out there. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.

Nylon ties

These ties are really popular for bundling up low voltage cables in residential and office buildings. For these ties, the ideal operating temperature is between 40 to 185 Fahrenheit or 4 to 85 degree Celsius. The reason why nylon cable ties are so popular because they are incredibly cheap. You can buy a whole bunch of them for a few dirhams. Also, they are available in a lot of different sizes and colours. These cable ties are for single use. If you undo one of them, then it is not possible to tie the cables with it again.

Stainless steel ties

You cannot use nylon ties for heavy and thick cable. Nor can you use them for high-temperature applications. Interestingly, these ties can withstand a very wide range of temperature from -73 to 530 degree Celsius. Another notable feature is its high tensile strength. They can hold a tensile strength of up to 100 lbs. These ties are essential in the aerospace industry and for automotive manufacturing. A typical aircraft requires about one hundred kilometres of cables. Stainless steel cable ties help in organising all of them neatly and securely.

Releasable ties

These are almost similar to nylon ties in their physical properties. However, they are a bit thicker and tend to have a tensile strength of up to fifty lbs. The major differentiating factor between releasable ties and regular nylon ties is the fact that the former is reusable. Their heads have a special design that consists of a release mechanism. By pressing this, you can undo the tie without breaking it. Similar to nylon ties, you can also find these ties in many different colours, sizes and thickness. If you want to tie cables that you want to access often, these cable ties are going to be more cost-effective than regular nylon ties.

Polypropylene ties

These ties can come as single-use ties and reusable ties with a Halar head. Therefore, the only way they differ from other ties is in the material that they use. The benefit of polypropylene is that they are very resistant to chemical substances. They can withstand corrosion from a wide range of harsh chemicals like neutral salts, basic salts, polyhydric alcohols, and acids. So, if you want to use cable ties in places that are exposed to these chemicals, you should always use polypropylene ties. These include the interiors of heavy machinery and automotive parts.

Tips on how to buy Cable Ties

Choosing cable ties can be harder than you might think. Because they come in so many different types and materials, it is easy to make a mistake when you are selecting one of them. But you have to be really careful while selecting them because, sometimes, using a wrong tie in the wrong place can have some disastrous effects. That being said, it is easy to select the right tie, if you know what criteria to consider while selecting them. Here are a few tips that you can follow when you are making the purchase.

Material – Unless you need materials with special features, it is always better to go for the most affordable one among all. Nylon cable ties will work in most cases that do not experience high temperatures or are not exposed to harsh chemicals. For high temperature uses you might need stainless steel or polypropylene.

Length of the ties – You can find cable ties that are 4 inches long all the way up to 52 inches long. In order to find the right length of tie that you need, you can measure the diameter of the cable bundle using tape or even a piece of thread. But instead of buying a tie that is exactly the same as the circumference of the cable bundle, you should keep a few inches of extra length.

Type – There are cheap single-use ties and reusable ties that cost a bit more. Depending on whether or not you will be untying the cable often, you can go for either of them. Also, if the tie is going to be exposed to the weather, you need to get a material that can withstand it.

Special features – Apart from whether or not the ties are reusable or not, there are other features to look out for in cable ties. These features include holes on the surface that allow you to insert screws or any other kind of hardware, vents to enable the air to pass through the bundle to help it cool faster, and labels to mark the type of cable.

If you are a DIYer who likes to take up home projects into your own hands, you will need a few other tool accessories apart from cable ties. These include nuts and bolts, washers, rivets, screwdrivers, and drill bits. The good news is that finding them is not difficult anymore. Use our product search engine to look for any kind of tool accessories that you want. It will also let you compare the prices and features of different items and choose the best one among them. Also, don’t forget to check out products from the DIY category as well.

Question & Answer

Can you undo a single-use cable tie?

Cable ties come in two different varieties: single-use ties and reusable ties. Cheap nylon ties are almost always single-use ties that you will need to cut open if you want to undo them. That means you cannot use the same tie more than once. However, there is a way to reuse single nylon ties. Instead of cutting the ties, you should insert a metal strip or pin inside the locking mechanism and press down. This will disengage the teeth of the tie. While pressing down, slide the tie out of the lock. But doing this for a few times can wear out the teeth, and it will stop working.

How to use stainless steel cable ties?

Stainless steel ties have a clasp at one end. The rest of the tie will be flexible and rollable. Most of these ties have a self-locking mechanism inside the clasp that only works in one direction. So, in order to lock the cable all, you have to do is to roll the tie and slide it into the clasp at the other end. Depending on the size of the cable and the bundle, you can tighten it as much as you want. However, keep in mind that if you tighten the tie too much, it can affect the exterior insulation of the cable. So, the tightness should be just enough to keep the cable from moving around.

How long does a nylon cable tie last?

If you are using a nylon cable tie in a place where the temperature always stays within the recommended range, without any corrosive chemicals or extreme moisture, a nylon cable tie can last for a long time. Although the exact life of a cable tie will vary depending on other factors, you can expect a lifespan of around fifteen years. This is a good enough lifespan for most cases. This is also similar to the lifespan of a regular insulated cable that is used for residential and commercial buildings and facilities.

If you are looking to buy cable ties online in the UAE, you are in the right place. There are more than 500 shops and brands offering them here on Shops.ae. They offer brands like Hellerman, Kinzo, Thomas & betts, Tool City, Terminator, and Home Box.