1. Optical Fiber Cables Ch 4 Fiber Optics Technicians Manual, 3 rd. Ed Jim Hayes

2. Optical Fiber Cable Construction

3. Fiber and Acrylate Coating Optical fiber is covered by an acrylate coating during manufacture Optical fiber is covered by an acrylate coating during manufacture Coating protects the fiber from moisture and mechanical damageCoating protects the fiber from moisture and mechanical damage

4. Three Cable Types Tight-buffer Tight-buffer Loose-tube Loose-tube Ribbon Ribbon

5. Loose-Tube and Tight-Buffer A cable has: A cable has: Optical fiber (core, cladding, and coating)Optical fiber (core, cladding, and coating) Buffer (loose or tight)Buffer (loose or tight) Kevlar strength memberKevlar strength member Outer JacketOuter Jacket Image from commspecial.com (link Ch 4a) Image from commspecial.com (link Ch 4a)

6. Loose-Tube Cable Used for long distances and outside- plant Used for long distances and outside- plant Low attenuation Low attenuation Black jacket Black jacket High pulling strength High pulling strength Fibers are completely separated from environmentFibers are completely separated from environment Image from alphawire.com (link Ch 4e)Image from alphawire.com (link Ch 4e)

7. Loose-Tube Cable Tubes contain gel or absorbent tape to protect fibers from water Tubes contain gel or absorbent tape to protect fibers from water Image from alphawire.com (link Ch 4e)Image from alphawire.com (link Ch 4e)

8. Loose-Tube Cable Fibers must be terminated with breakout kits Fibers must be terminated with breakout kits Or fusion splicing to pre- connectorized pigtailsOr fusion splicing to pre- connectorized pigtails Image from fonetworks.com (link Ch 4d)Image from fonetworks.com (link Ch 4d)

9. Loose-Tube Cable Used Outdoor Used Outdoor Ducts or conduitsDucts or conduits Aerial lashedAerial lashed Directly buried (armored)Directly buried (armored) Weather-resistant Weather-resistant From alphawire.com (link Ch 4k)From alphawire.com (link Ch 4k)

10. Tight-Buffer Cable PVC Buffer is extruded directly onto the coating PVC Buffer is extruded directly onto the coating Diameter is 900 micronsDiameter is 900 microns Makes cable more flexibleMakes cable more flexible Easier to terminateEasier to terminate The most common indoor cable typeThe most common indoor cable type Not good for outside useNot good for outside use Because the buffer strains the fiber as temperature fluctuates, increasing attenuation Because the buffer strains the fiber as temperature fluctuates, increasing attenuation Image from mohawk-cdt.com (link Ch 4f) Image from mohawk-cdt.com (link Ch 4f)

11. Distribution Cables Distribution Cable Distribution Cable Several tight-buffer fibersSeveral tight-buffer fibers Kevlar reinforcement (Aramid)Kevlar reinforcement (Aramid) One jacketOne jacket Image from arcelect.com (link Ch 4g) Image from arcelect.com (link Ch 4g)

12. Distribution Cable Contains tight-buffered fibers in bundles of up to 12 each Contains tight-buffered fibers in bundles of up to 12 each Used for Riser and Office Cabling Used for Riser and Office Cabling Must be terminated inside a patch panel or junction box Must be terminated inside a patch panel or junction box From alphawire.com (link Ch 4i)From alphawire.com (link Ch 4i)

13. Breakout Cables Breakout Cable Breakout Cable Reinforce each tight-buffer fiber with Kevlar and jacket itReinforce each tight-buffer fiber with Kevlar and jacket it Each fiber can be broken out and individually connectorizedEach fiber can be broken out and individually connectorized Image from arcelect.com (link Ch 4g) Image from arcelect.com (link Ch 4g)

14. Breakout Cable Several simplex units cabled together Several simplex units cabled together Stronger, larger and more expensive than distribution cables Stronger, larger and more expensive than distribution cables Used for Riser and Office Cabling Used for Riser and Office Cabling Cables can be terminated individually and connected directly to computers Cables can be terminated individually and connected directly to computers From alphawire.com (link Ch 4j)From alphawire.com (link Ch 4j)

15. Ribbon cable Dozens of fibers packed together Dozens of fibers packed together Can be mass fusion spliced or mass terminated Can be mass fusion spliced or mass terminated Images from gore.com (link Ch 4b) and alcatel.com (link Ch 4c) Images from gore.com (link Ch 4b) and alcatel.com (link Ch 4c)

16. Cable Jacketing Chemical Resistance Chemical Resistance Kynar, PFA, Teflon, Tefzel, or HalarKynar, PFA, Teflon, Tefzel, or Halar Aerospace Aerospace Wide temperature range, ½ inch sustained bend radiusWide temperature range, ½ inch sustained bend radius

17. Fire Safety Inside cable must meet National Electric Code fire safety requirements Inside cable must meet National Electric Code fire safety requirements Horizontal Fire PropagationHorizontal Fire Propagation Dripping of flaming materialDripping of flaming material Irradiated Hypalon or XLPE meets these requirements (plenum rated) Irradiated Hypalon or XLPE meets these requirements (plenum rated) Use of black outside-plant cable in buildings is limited to 50 feet Use of black outside-plant cable in buildings is limited to 50 feet See link Ch 4lSee link Ch 4l

18. Five Standard Cable Types Simplex and Zipcord Simplex and Zipcord Distribution Distribution Breakout Breakout Loose-tube Loose-tube Hybrid or Composite Hybrid or Composite

19. Simplex and Zipcord Used For: Used For: Patch CablesPatch Cables Short Run Office CablingShort Run Office Cabling Test EquipmentTest Equipment From alphawire.com (link Ch 4h) From alphawire.com (link Ch 4h)

20. Hybrid or Composite Cable Hybrid cable Hybrid cable Contains both singlemode and multimode fibersContains both singlemode and multimode fibers Composite cable Composite cable Contains both copper wires and fiber opticsContains both copper wires and fiber optics The two terms are often confused The two terms are often confused

21. Choice of Cables

22. Choosing a Cable Cable TypeApplicationAdvantages Tight BufferPremisesMakes rugged patch cords DistributionPremisesSmall size for lots of fibers, inexpensive BreakoutPremises Rugged, easy to terminate, no hardware needed Loose Tube Outside Plant Rugged, gel or dry water-blocking Armored Outside Plant Prevents rodent damage Ribbon Outside Plant Highest fiber count for small size From lanshack.com (link Ch 4m) From lanshack.com (link Ch 4m)

23. Factors to Consider when Choosing Cable Bandwidth Bandwidth Attenuation & Length Attenuation & Length Cost Cost Mechanical & UL/NEC Requirements Mechanical & UL/NEC Requirements Signal loss Signal loss Connectors Connectors Cable Dimensions & Environment Cable Dimensions & Environment Existing systems Existing systems

24. Installing Fiber Optic Cable Never pull on the fiber itself Never pull on the fiber itself Pull only from the strength membersPull only from the strength members Maximum pulling force 300 lb.Maximum pulling force 300 lb. Never exceed bend radius Never exceed bend radius 10 x diameter without tension10 x diameter without tension 20 x diameter under tension20 x diameter under tension Images from Lennie Lightwave and bwcecom.belden.com (Link Ch 4n) Images from Lennie Lightwave and bwcecom.belden.com (Link Ch 4n)

25. Vertical Installations Clamp the cable to distribute weight evenly Clamp the cable to distribute weight evenly Every 50 feet indoorsEvery 50 feet indoors More often, up to every 3 feet, outdoorsMore often, up to every 3 feet, outdoors Fiber migrates down, increasing attenuation Fiber migrates down, increasing attenuation Place 1 foot loops at the top of the run, bottom of run, and every 500 ft in betweenPlace 1 foot loops at the top of the run, bottom of run, and every 500 ft in between

26. Pulling Cables through Conduits Loose-buffer cables work best Loose-buffer cables work best Video from American Polywater (link Ch 4o) Video from American Polywater (link Ch 4o)

27. Direct Burial Armor is desirable to protect the cable from gophers, construction digging, etc. Armor is desirable to protect the cable from gophers, construction digging, etc. Gel filling is a water barrier Gel filling is a water barrier

28. Aerial Installation Supported by messenger wire, or Supported by messenger wire, or Self-supporting Self-supporting Images of self-supporting cable from ericsson.net and Arcelect.com (link Ch 4p & 4g)Images of self-supporting cable from ericsson.net and Arcelect.com (link Ch 4p & 4g) OGW (Optical Ground Wire) cables carry both electricity and fiber optic signals OGW (Optical Ground Wire) cables carry both electricity and fiber optic signals

29. Blown-in Fiber Fiber is blown through plastic tubes with air Fiber is blown through plastic tubes with air Faster than pulling Faster than pulling Image from fpnmag.com (link Ch 4q )Image from fpnmag.com (link Ch 4q )

30. Fire Code Ratings NEC RatingDescription OFNOptical fiber non-conductive OFCOptical fiber conductive OFNG or OFCGGeneral purpose OFNR or OFCRRiser rated cable for vertical runs OFNP or OFCP Plenum rated cables for use in air- handling plenums OFN-LSLow smoke density See link Ch 4r for details See link Ch 4r for details

31. NEC Requirements OFC cables have noncurrent-carrying conductive elements OFC cables have noncurrent-carrying conductive elements Must be groundedMust be grounded Cannot share a raceway with electric power linesCannot share a raceway with electric power lines Can share with communications linesCan share with communications lines Abandoned cables must be removed Abandoned cables must be removed