For your fiber optic cables to function efficiently and last for long, you need to take good care of them. Here are some of the things that you can do to take good care of the units:
How to handle fiber optic cables
How you handle the cables has a great impact on how they function and last. One of the things that you should do is protect the exposed fiber end from getting into contact with all surfaces. This is to prevent the chip at the end of the cable from getting scratched when it gets into contact with the hard surfaces. Also, avoid touching the exposed fiber with your finger in order to avoid leaving an oil residue.
If your cable is fastened using tie wraps, avoid over tightening it. This is to prevent the cables from resulting in micro-bends and undergoing excess attenuation. If you don’t know how tight is tight, ask a professional to help you out.
During installation or when making changes, it’s common for you to pull the cable. When pulling the cable always use the strain relief. You should never pull on the cable directly to prevent the glass from breaking.
It’s always recommended that you regularly inspect the cable for defects. When doing the inspection avoid doing it while looking directly into the fiber end while the cable is still connected to the laser source. This is to avoid damaging your eyes. Before you do the inspection, ensure that the fiber is disconnected from the laser source.
Once you are done with fiber installation, don’t use your bare hands to clean the work area. The reason for this is to avoid the piece of glass from getting lodged in your hands. Due to its small size, it might be impossible to get the glass out of the hands. This makes it impossible for you to do your work.
Fiber optic cable cleaning
One of the most important things that you should do to your cables to keep them working effectively is to regularly clean them. There are many ways of cleaning the cables: you can use compressed air, isopropyl alcohol, or lens paper. When doing the cleaning ensure that the cable doesn’t get into contact with your fingers and surface. Also, ensure that you don’t bend the cable as bending it causes internal breaks. Once you have used a cleaning product, you should never reuse again. This is to avoid contamination.
BY by GAHZLY
#Guide #Care #Fiber #Optic #Cables
