Skip to main content

Common Fiber Optic Cables Problems


As Clint Eastwood quoted, “Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it.” However this quote does not apply to the fiber optic cables or any cable in general.


Image result for Fiber Optic Cables

Some fiber optic networks have now been in use for more than 20 years, a tribute to the inherent capabilities of optical fiber. In that same time, copper cabling for premises networks has been through two generations of coax and at least four generations of unshielded twisted pair cabling.

Why do the Old Fiber Optic Cables still Works so Well?


·         One reason is the extreme care that went into its design. Telephone cable engineers already knew how to make cable that would survive for long times buried underground or suspended from poles. Adapting that technology to glass fibers, while adding plastics to protect the fiber from the environment by hermetically sealing the glass, and using the then new technology of aramid fibers to prevent stress on the glass itself, led to the creation of fiber optic cables that have lifetimes well over the 20 years of current use.

·         Another factor in the lifetime of fiber is that it needs no maintenance. Connectors are effectively sealed from dirt in patch panels, and splices are sealed in enclosures that prevent moisture from entering. There is no need to disconnect terminations to clean, inspect or test them.

If we focus on the problems encountered by fiber optic cable as listed below. This information will help you be better equipped to prevent and even rectify any problems should they arise.

External Damage

A thorough visual inspection of the fiber optic cable will be sufficient to highlight any prominent defects that have affected the casing or the conductors. It doesn’t take a significant amount of damage to affect the ability of the cable to work properly. It is prudent to replace the cable if any issues become apparent from the inspection, such as splits or scratches.   

Too Long

A fiber optic cable that has excess length after a connection has been made will at risk of bending, twisting or winding around itself. These actions can result in permanent damage to the fibers and components within the cable. Cables are available in a range of different lengths and you should ensure that you get the correct one with the use of a measuring tape. Position all the equipment that you intend to connect with the cable measure the distance between them to get an idea of the approximate length. There are some varieties that contain a rod to prevent it being bent and these can be used to prevent a recurrence of the same problem.   

Stretching

The components within a fiber optic cable are delicate and can be damaged if stretched across a distance that it cannot comfortably accommodate. Avoid the risk of the fibers within the cable becoming damaged by moving the items closer together or obtaining a cable of a more appropriate length. Stretching can also occur from pulling at the jacket of the cable rather than using the grips at the connectors designed to be used to fit and remove them. Always use the grips to remove the connector from the socket that holds it.

Connectors

Performance problems can occur in the event that the connectors of the fiber optic cable are not fitted properly. Check each of the connectors to determine whether this is the case and rectify it by inserting them properly. If the problem continues to occur, replace the cable with a version that makes use of spring loaded connectors that fit securely without slipping out of place.

Fibers

Where the fibers within the cable are broken or damaged in some way, this will not be immediately evident when simply considering it with the naked eye. In order to check this, a fiber optic tracer can be utilized to highlight any faults within the cable. This implement resembles a miniature flashlight that uses an LED and can be fitted to the cable connector for the purpose of checking continuity. If the fibers are all intact and working correctly, the light that is shone at one of the cable should be visible at the other end of the cable.
This information will help you be prepared for the unexpected situation. LAPP, cable manufacturers in India, provides quality tested cables, which reduces the problems which you may encounter.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The future with Fiber Optic cables

Internet penetration in India is a major concern and will be for a while. Only 400 million of India’s 1.2 billion strong population is online, after all. As fiber optic technology continues to revolutionize the telecommunication and data capabilities of a range of industries, the average individual may not understand the advantages that fiber optic technology provides for us in our everyday life. To better understand the advantages and capabilities of fiber optic technology, we’ll outline a few basics touch points of fiber optics and their contribution to our everyday lives. Let us catch up on the benefits of optical fiber over traditional metallic wire. Benefits of Optic Fibers Vs. Traditional Metallic Wiring? Besides the fact that conventional metallic wiring is far more expensive to produce, fiber optics deliver a superior amount of quality, convenience, and durability currently unmatched in telecommunication technology. Although the majority of our practical ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oil Resistant Cables: Know How Important They Are!

Demands of the industrial environment are ongoing, with ever-changing trends. Cables that were able to sustain functional and operational integrity a decade ago would not be adequate to survive in the environment of a present day manufacturing site. Everywhere, from the renewable energy industry and automotive assembly plants to the factories that manufacture small office machines, and even in some commercial buildings, oil resistant cables have become increasingly important. Oils serve a dual-purpose in industrial applications, both as a coolant and lubricant, depending upon the requirements mandated by the end use application. Sustaining trouble-free cable operation under harsh chemical and environmental conditions reduces costly manufacturing downtime and helps to eliminate or minimize periodic maintenance and costly cable replacement. All of the factors mentioned play a major role that is critical to a consistent, smoothly run manufacturing operation, which in the end res...
Post a Comment
Read more

Overview of LAPP as Company

Here’s where it all started… In the early 1950s, the revolution in industrialization led to a massive demand for cables and conductors. When Oskar Lapp witnessed this development, he posed a question to himself: "How can I optimize the current method - the time-consuming manual inserting of single cores and switching strands into the outer sheaths?" In a while he got his answer. Thus the idea of the world’s first ever industrially produced flexible, colour-coded signal cable - ÖLFLEX® was conceived by Lapp and LAPP Group came into existence. When it was still something new, in 1959, LAPP gave his products brand names and it quickly allowed them to be distinguished from their competition. Even in this, Oskar Lapp became a front runner to become the first person offering catchy branding that are still very much in use. LAPP’s most well-known brand is ÖLFLEX®, that has secured a place in the history of cable manufacturers India and the rest of the world. In 1979, LAPP...
Post a Comment
Read more