Sunday, June 29, 2014

Enhancing An Effective Fibre Optic Cable Installation

By Sherry Gross


In an attempt to enhance reliability and performance of optical fibers, special care is paramount, especially in the process of installation. Some crucial guidelines regarding tensile loads, squeezing, minimum bend radius, and twisting must be considered. As a matter of fact, connectors must be protected free from scratching and contamination at all times. Close attention must be paid to these factors as violation of any parameter causes profound attenuation and damage to the conection. It is therefore worth considering the following insights on fibre optic cable installation.

To begin with, ensure to conduct a site survey. A site survey is simply a preliminary visit of the site in order to have insights on the nature of the work to be undertaken. The survey enables you to come up with probable challenges and providing the solutions thereof. During the survey, the site is analyzed for areas demanding special concern while making estimates of the effort and time needed to carry out the duty. This information is particularly important in planning for cable routing.

After surveying, you then develop an effective cable pulling plan. The plan ought to communicate to the fixation team the considerations noted in the site survey. It entails logistics on cable let-off or pulling equipment, splice and intermediate access point locations. In addition, the plan must outline the particular responsibilities of each and every member of the team involved in the fixation.

The actual process of connection entails specific systematic procedures. When laying out the fiber optic, it is worth knowing that they are sensitive to moisture, and hence ought to be enclosed by a heavy tape or end cap always. There are numerous techniques applied in pulling, but whatever the method employed, always attend to the let-off reel.

The effectiveness of the connection largely depends on the length of the bend radius. There is always a minimum value specified for the bend radius; ensure to observe this value. Bending them to smaller radius than this value is inappropriate. The same value applies when coiling or wrapping the cable. There is no significant limit with regards to coiling, but be sure to do it within the constraint of the minimum bend value.

Remember to observe the maximum cable recommended length. Though fiber optics are stronger than copper wires, the maximum tension pulling should not be exceeded in any phase of installation. As a general rule, most wires for outdoor application have a strength ranking of 2700N. There is also a maximum load value for fiber optic that is recommended for long term application.

The maximum load value is also a matter worth your concern for long term application. There is a set upper load value for long term performance. Always ensure that the remaining tension after connection is less than the maximum value. For those engaged in vertical clamping, clamp the cables such that the interval between them is regular and sufficient to ensure that the weight remains within the set limit.

Ensure to document each phase of fixation. Documentation of the same provides a record for future reference and maintenance. The task of documentation should be done systematically to enhance flow and order. When in need of whatever type of connection, remember to check out on the above points.




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