
Handling Fiberoptic Components and Cables 1 9
Do not bend the fibers at the
exit of the connector strain
relief boot. The fiber will
break if stressed at this point.
FIBEROPTIC
COMPONENT
CONNECTOR
FIBER
PIGTAILS
Do not bend the fibers at the
exits of the switch housing.
The fiber will break if
stressed at these points.
Figure 13: Fiber-Optic Component, Connectors, and Fiber Pigtails
Cleaning Optical Connectors
Clean any exposed connector using a cleaning kit supplied by the connector
manufacturer or high-grade isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab. To clean with
alcohol and a swab, dab the tip of a cotton swab in alcohol and then shake off any
excess alcohol. The tip should be moist, not dripping wet. Stroke the swab tip
gently across the surface of the connector and around the connector ferrule.
Either allow the connector a minute to dry, or blow-dry the connector using
compressed air. Be careful when using compressed air: improper use may deposit
a spray residue on the connector.
Mating Optical Connectors
Follow these instructions when mating optical connectors.
• Clean both connectors prior to mating. A n y small particles trapped during the
mating process can permanently damage the connector.
• Smoothly insert the appropriate connector ferrule into the adapter. D o not allow
the fiber tip to contact any surface. I f the tip accidentally contacts a surface
before mating, stop. Reclean the connector and try again.
• Tighten the connector until it is finger tight or to the torque specified by the
connector manufacturer. D o not over-tighten the connector as this can lead to
optical loss and connector damage.
• Check the optical insertion loss. If the loss is unacceptable, remove the
connector, reclean both ends of the mate, and reconnect them. You have to
repeat this process several times before a low-loss connection is made.
• After you make the connection, monitor the stability of the optical throughput for
a few minutes. Optical power trending (slowly increasing or decreasing) is
caused by the slow evaporation of alcohol trapped in the connector. Continue to
monitor optical power until it stabilizes. I f the loss is unacceptable, reclean the
connectors and start again.
91507 Revision A3
March 11, 2005