Fiber Optic Cleaning Guidelines
Fiber Optic transmitters and receivers are extremely susceptible to
contamination by particles of dirt or dust, which can obstruct the
optic path and cause performance degradation. Good system
performance requires clean optics and connector ferrules.
1) Use fiber patch cords (or connectors, if you terminate your own
fiber) only from a reputable supplier; low quality components can
cause many hard-to-diagnose problems in an installation.
2) Dust caps are installed at the factory to ensure factory-clean
optical devices. These protective caps should not be removed
until the moment of connecting the fiber cable to the device.
Assure that the fiber is properly terminated, polished and free of
any dust or dirt and that the location is as free from dust and dirt
as possible.
3) Store spare caps in a dust free environment such as a sealed
plastic bag or box so that when reinstalled they do not introduce
any contamination to the optics.
4) Should it be necessary to disconnect the fiber device, reinstall the
protective dust caps.
5) If you suspect that the optics have been contaminated, alternate
between blasting with clean dry compressed air and flushing with
methanol to remove particles of dirt.
Electrostatic Discharge Precautions
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can cause damage to your add-in
modules. Always observe the following precautions when installing or
handling an add-in module or any board assembly.
1) Do not remove unit from its protective packaging until you are
ready to install it.
2) Wear an ESD wrist grounding strap before handling any module
or component. If you do not have a wrist strap, maintain
grounded contact with the system unit throughout any procedure
requiring ESD protection.
WARNING! Integrated circuits and fiber optic components are
extremely susceptible to electrostatic discharge damage. Do not
handle these components directly unless you are a qualified service
technician and use tools and techniques that conform to accepted
industry practices.
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