10
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 IMC Networks to ensure factory-clean optical devices.
These protective caps should not be removed until the moment of connecting
the fiber cable to the device. Should it be necessary to disconnect the fiber
device, reinstall the protective dust caps.
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.
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.
