How to Choose the Right Drum Capseal for Your Application
Drum capseals provide an important layer of protection by helping secure drum contents and offering visible evidence of tampering. Used with steel and plastic drums across industries ranging from chemicals and lubricants to food and pharmaceutical applications, capseals help maintain product integrity during storage, transportation, and handling.
Selecting the right capseal depends on several factors, including drum material, bung size, plug style, and application requirements. This guide explains the different types of drum capseals, their benefits, and key considerations to help you choose the right solution for your operation.
Q: What is a capseal?
A: A capseal is one type of security seal designed for containers with drum-type fittings such as bungs or screw plugs. It’s a CAP and a SEAL. It’s used to prevent unauthorized access to a filled container. Addionally, capseals provide an extra layer of protection from water and dirt that may collect on the top of a container.
Q: How does a capseal work?
A: Typically, capseals are molded plastic and snap over a drum closure, or they are stamped from light-gauge metal, such as steel or aluminum, and crimped over the closure with a special tool. They can only be removed by tearing or breaking them, providing deterrence and positive evidence of tampering.
Q: What’s the difference between“tamper-evident” and “tamper-proof”?
A: There’s really no such thing as a “tamper-proof” seal because it can’t stop someone who’s determined to get inside your drum. A “tamper-evident” seal gives positive visual evidence that the container has been tampered with, alerting you to possible contamination.
Q: How do I know if my containers need capseals?
A: High-value or high-sensitivity products, such as food ingredients, colorants, expensive coatings, lubricants, or sealants, will provide extra security and peace of mind.
| Plug Type | |||||
| Round Steel | Hex Steel (VGI®) | Hex Steel (VGII®) | Round Poly | Hex Poly (VGII®) | Round Buttress |
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Round-Head Steel Plug |
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| Capseal | |||||
| Snap-on | SAMBA20* | TG200 | VGP200 | BCS1 | |
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| Crimp-on | TCL20 | RC200 | VGC200 | TCP20 | RCP200 |
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| *These are dust caps only. Not tamper-evident. | |||||
Q: My drums are made of steel. What capseals do I need?
A: Steel drums can be equipped with either of two different types of closures. The most common is a round threaded plug in an octagon-base flange in the top of the drum. This is sometimes referred to as TriSure®-type. The other style is a hexagon plug in a round-base flange, often referred to as Rieke®-type. There are two versions of the hex-head plug, the original VG1® and the newer VGII®, and they take slightly different capseals. The plugs are usually steel but sometimes they are plastic. Your drum will be equipped with either two larger plugs, (2” thread) or one larger and one small (¾” thread). Check the selection chart above for the 2” size. All capseals except the BCS1 come in both 2” and ¾” sizes. Each size takes its own size capseal. Crimp-on capseals require a crimping tool for each size capseal.
Q: I ship my products in plastic drums. What capseal should I use?
A: Both snap-on plastic seals, like our BCS1, and crimp-on seals like our RCP200, will work on almost all plastic drums. The snap-on seal has a wide skirt that provides tamper-evidence and installs without tools. The crimp-on capseal has a plastic body and an aluminum crimping ring and requires a crimping tool to apply.
Q: Are all snap-on capseals the same?
A: Definitely not. They may look similar, but many “snap-on” caps simply help keep dust and water off the closure. But because they can be snapped off and snapped back on without a trace, they don’t offer the security of tamper-evidence.
Q: I ship my products in intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). How can I protect them?
A: Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) have large threaded caps at the top and valves at the bottom that should be protected with wire-type or padlock seals. If the large cap has a buttress-type plug, it can be made tamper-evident with BASCO’s DRS62R Container Seal Tape. The tape leaves a tell-tale “OPENED” message if it is removed.
Q: I buy my raw materials in drums. Should those drums have capseals?
A: If you have any concerns about product contamination in transportation or even in storage at your facility, you can request your raw material supplier to apply capseals to your drums.
Q: My products are shipped in drums with removeable covers. Do capseals work on those?
A: If your drum cover has fittings in it, capseals will fit just fine. But you’ll also need a separate seal to provide indication of tampering with the locking ring that holds the cover in place, either at the latch or the lock bolt.
Wire-type Seals like our SEL12 are perfect for lever-lock rings on open-head steel drums.
Padlock Seals like our Model PL8R are like miniature padlocks. The loop snaps permanently into the seal. Great for IBC valves and drum locking ring bolts.
Q: What is a decorated capseal?
A: Most capseals are plain white, and it’s possible that they could be removed and replaced without indication. A decorated capseal can include your company logo and even a serial number. This makes it more difficult to replace the seal and shows your customer your concern for product quality and safety. Any style capseal can be custom decorated.
Selecting the proper drum capseal depends on your drum type, plug style, sealing requirements, and the level of tamper evidence needed for your application. Choosing the correct capseal can help protect product quality, improve traceability, and provide additional confidence during storage and transportation.
Not sure which capseal is right for your steel or plastic drums? BASCO can help identify the best sealing solution based on your drum configuration, closure type, and operational requirements. Our team can also assist with compatible drum plugs, wrenches, faucets, and other drum accessories to help support safe and efficient drum handling.
Looking for a product we do not currently stock? BASCO can help source drum sealing products and industrial packaging solutions that meet your specifications and operational goals. From standard capseals to custom-decorated tamper-evident seals, we are committed to helping you find the right solution for your facility.
With 80+ years of industrial packaging expertise, BASCO is a trusted source for drums, drum accessories, closures, and workplace safety solutions.
Need assistance? Call 800-776-3786 to speak with a BASCO specialist.
