Maintain Transceivers and Optical Cables
Transceivers and fiber-optic cables must be kept clean and free of dust to maintain high signal accuracy and
to prevent damage to the connectors. Attenuation (loss of light) is increased by contamination and should be
below 0.35 dB.
Consider the following maintenance guidelines:
• Transceivers are static sensitive. To prevent ESD damage, wear an ESD-preventative wrist strap that is
connected to the grounded chassis.
• Do not remove and insert a transceiver any more than is necessary. Repeated removals and insertions
can shorten its useful life.
• Keep all optical connections covered when not in use. Clean them before use to prevent dust from
scratching the fiber-optic cable ends.
• Do not touch the ends of connectors. Touching the ends would leave fingerprints and cause other
contamination.
• Clean the connectors regularly; the required frequency of cleaning depends upon the environment. In
addition, clean connectors if they are exposed to dust or have been accidentally touched. Both wet and
dry cleaning techniques can be effective; refer to your site's fiber-optic connection cleaning procedures.
• Inspect routinely for dust and damage. Clean and then inspect fiber ends under a microscope to determine
whether any damage has occurred.
Cisco NCS 540 Router Hardware Installation Guide
39
Install the Device
Maintain Transceivers and Optical Cables
