Paper emphasizes both the importance and ease of fiber inspection and cleaning

A white paper available from Fluke Networks emphasizes both the importance the ease of inspecting and cleaning fiber-optic cabling during the installation process. In describing the document, titled “Best Practices for Fiber Optic Installation Start with Inspection and Cleaning,” Fluke Networks says, “While inspecting and cleaning fiber connectors is not new, it is growing in importance as links with increasingly high data rates are driving decreasingly small loss budgets. With less tolerance for overall light loss, the attenuation through adapters must get lower and lower. This is achieved by properly inspecting and cleaning when necessary. Yet there is no reason to feel intimidated by these tighter loss budgets because inspecting and cleaning connections is straightforward and easy.”

Within the paper itself, Fluke Networks further describes: “In a survey commissioned by Fluke Networks, dirty endfaces were found to be the number-one cause of fiber link failure for both installers and private network owners. Contaminated endfaces were the cause of fiber links failing 85 percent of the time.” After describing what to look for and when to look for it, the paper discusses some details of cleaning. Pointedly, it reminds, “Beware of bad habits as many have developed in the industry over time.” It explains when to use and when not to use canned air, then provides how-to information on dry cleaning, the use of solvent, solvent selection and cleaning tools.”

You can register for and download the white paper here.