According to Which field-termination method best fits your fiber-optic LAN? article over the past couple decades, as technologies in fiber-optic termination have advanced, it has become easier to install a connector. Several proven technologies are used to terminate an optical fiber in the field. The most common termination methods are no-epoxy/no-polish, epoxy-and-polish, and pigtail splicing.
Fiber Optic Termination Tutorial tells that manufacturers have come up with over 80 styles of connectors and and about a dozen ways to install them. Different connectors and splice termination procedures are used for single-mode and multi-mode connectors.
Here are some videos on fiber optic termination and splicing:
How To Splice Fiber Optic Cable Manually without using Electronic Splicing Machine
How to Terminate Fiber Optic Network Cable
How to Terminate Breakout and Distribution Fiber Optic Cables
DIY FiberOptics Kit we page shows how to design, make and share cheap kit for splicing fiberoptics (using reprap and commonly available items). Check also DIY: How to do a fiber optic mechanical splicing: steps and tips and DIY/Solved! How to Cut/Cleave Optical Fibers Without A Cleaving Tool
28 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Splicing a fiber drop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G0nfnrWdVA
Tomi Engdahl says:
How-To Install a Optical Fiber Splice-On Connector with ANY Fusion Splicer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9mJZnxjNPo
Wirewerks Optical Fiber Splice-On Connectors combine the performance and reliability advantages of fusion splicing with the flexibility and on-site termination benefits of field-installable connectors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Splice Fiber Optic Cable Manually without using Electronic Splicing Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZorJs7fzRHs
Incomplete process! how you managed to cleaver the fiber! cleaving the fiber is THE most important step to ensure it is straight cut and it will make good contact with the other fiber similarly cleaved, to ensure minimal Db loss.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fiber Optic Splicing Guide & Demo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xba2MThR9Ls
Part of UTEL’s Knowledge Base series of videos about fiber optics, this guide provides a thorough introduction to fusion and mechanical splicing as well as a demonstration of fusion splicing.
https://www.utel.co.uk/training-videos.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can you fusion splice multimode fiber?
Virtually all singlemode splices are fusion. Multimode fibers can be harder to fusion splice as the larger core with many layers of glass that produces the graded-index profile are sometimes harder to match up, especially with fibers of different types or manufacturers.
https://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/termination/fusion.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY: How to do a fiber optic mechanical splicing: steps and tips
https://www.overclock.net/threads/diy-how-to-do-a-fiber-optic-mechanical-splicing-steps-and-tips.1773121/
Mechanical splicing is the process of precisely aligning two fiber optics together using an alignment device and index matching gel that has a similar refractive index and covers the possible air gaps, helping light travel from one fiber to another with minimal loss and little back reflection.
However, they are still two separate optical fibers, which is why this method is considered temporary and is mostly use to rapidly restore short-haul single mode or multimode cables in FTTH installations.
Buy an expensive cleaver: Cleaving is the most important step when splicing because a bad cleave can increase signal loss. Economic cleavers generally need more practice and skills to achieve the appropriate cleave angle, so if you regularly do mechanical splices buy a cleaver that is generally used in fusion splices.
But what happens if you need to do an emergency restoration and don’t have a cleaver with you? Jim Hayes, president of the Fiber Optic Association (FOA) advises to use a scriber and an inexpensive cleave fixture that consists on a small piece of flexible plastic. Place the fiber on the plastic, scratch it with the scriber and it’s done.
The FOA suggest using the ULTRA splice device since it is easy to install, inexpensive and high performance. Its biggest advantage is that it has visible glass on top with pre-loaded index matching gel that allows you to see the optical fibers during the installation. The 3M Fibrlok is one of the most popular mechanical splices too due to its elegant design and good throughput.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Seven Deadly Sins of Fiber Optics
https://www.isemag.com/2016/02/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-fiber-optics/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lighter serves as temporary replacement for fiber cleaver
https://www.cablinginstall.com/cable/fiber/article/16468036/lighter-serves-as-temporary-replacement-for-fiber-cleaver
When testing unterminated fiber-optic cables, it is customary to use a temporary mechanical splice to connect the bare fiber to a test instrument, such as an optical time-domain reflectometer, light source, or power meter. But what happens if your fiber cleaver is unavailable or broken? You could rely on a hand scribe–a small tungsten or sapphire scribe that many fiber- optic technicians carry for backup. But what if you don`t have one?
Procedure
1) Run the flame from the lighter under the piece of fiber to be spliced, causing stress cracking at the surface (probably because of the uncontrolled heating and cooling). The purpose of scribes and cleavers is to induce a crack.
2) Draw the heated fiber over a very gentle bend, such as your thumb. Keep the bend limited to about 20o. At this point, the fiber will break, usually leaving a break that is flat enough for temporary splicing and testing.
This method is not recommended for permanent splicing because it will cause multiple cracks, and reliability of the fiber in the heated area is suspect (but it works in an emergency). Be more careful using this method because it is easy to break off small pieces of the fiber inside the splice.
Editor`s note: Special care should be taken to ensure that fiber splinters do not pierce the skin, and that all fiber fragments are properly disposed of
Strip back the jacket from the end of the fiber to be spliced, and heat the end with an ordinary butane lighter.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://community.fs.com/blog/how-to-repair-the-accidentally-cut-fiber-optic-cables.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Reduce Various Types of Losses in Optical Fiber?
https://community.fs.com/blog/understanding-loss-in-fiber-optic.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
“That’s one issue with using pre-terminated fibre, especially if the runs have not been measured correctly. Cheaper than paying for someone to terminate connectors on though, especially if you use a fusion splicer.”
Are those people who terminate the optical fiber very rare and expensive compared to ready made cable?
It Is not rocket science to terminate fiber optic cables especially when you don’t need the lowest possible attenuation and back reflection numbers.
There are nowadays fiber connectors and mechanical splices where you basically just push in the fiber cut with a cleaver. Done that and is not very hard.
Fusion splices have used to be expensive instruments (but there are now some cheap Chinese versions also). After short learning lessons you can make OK quality splices with a fusion splicer. Not many hours learning curve (done that also).
Links to more information
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2017/09/30/fiber-optic-termination-and-splicing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
VLOG#02 – Fiber Distribution Terminal (FDT) – ODF Cable Preparation and Splicing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmeCHAqZifQ
Fiber Distribution Terminal (FDT);
CORNING 2X28U Cabinet HD-FDT 768F – Optical Distribution Frame (ODF) Cable Preparation and Splicing.
- Fiber Distribution Terminal (FDT) Cabinet provides a reliable enclosure for connecting feeder cables and distribution cables via fiber optic passive splitters in Fiber to the Home network.
- Fiber Distribution Terminal (FDT) Cabinet is one of Optical Distribution Point (ODP), providing housing of fiber optic splitters for Passive Optical Network.
- Distribution Terminal (FDT) SMC Cabinet can perform fiber splicing and distribution functions.
- Distribution Terminal (FDT) is an enclosure that provides the connection between fiber optic cables and passive optical splitters in the outside plant segment of the network. It makes it easy and fast to service connections and reconfigurations and serves as a testing point in the outside plant network. If a cabinet is equipped with factory-preconnectorized feeder and distribution cable stubs, it helps ensure a quick, easy and reliable field installation.
- Fiber distribution Terminal varies in size and shape depending on the location in the network and the number of customers needing service.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fiber optic SC APC fast connector operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR39zrTgd-c
Fast connector is a good solution to field wiring and fiber-to-the home engineering connector. Assembly without glue, grinding and electrical tools, is widely used in construction section, the place need to quickly connect, to provide a fast and stable connector for the operation. It adopts the latest fiber formed technology. All the optical and mechanical index meet the patch cord standard, to achieve to make the patch cord via mechanical cold junction, it change the traditional splice opinion, offer the powerfull support for FTTx.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Hot-selling-fiber-optic-connectors-SC_62516472523.html?spm=a2747.manage.0.0.40da71d22hYTEC
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Splice Fiber Optic Cable Manually without using Electronic Splicing Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZorJs7fzRHs
You can manually splice the fiber patch cord with the help of the Procedure shown in the video. Now you can splice your patch cord. Consider the following step for manually splicing the patch cord:
Step 1: Strip the Fiber Patch Cord as shown in the video.
Step 2: Strip the other cable in the same way as in step 1.
Step 3: Clean the fiber core with the solution.
Step 4: Place the Splice Lock on the Fiber lock assembly as shown in the video.
Step 5: Insert the Fiber patch cord in the Splice lock as shown.
Step 6: Press the Fiber Assembly to manually splice the patch Cord.
Your Patch Cord is ready.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How-To Install a Optical Fiber Splice-On Connector with ANY Fusion Splicer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9mJZnxjNPo
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to fusion splice fiber optic cable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPVvb6cmjds
Recommended Procedure for Mass Fusion Splicing (12-fiber FREEFORM RIBBON™)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyda-A3orwc
Tomi Engdahl says:
PARODY
DIY Fiber Splicing & Stretching Cable to the Correct Length – 1055
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTM863_VmJY
Sorry This was my April Fools video of the year!!!
Very informative. This is how a true expert gets the work done and saves a buck or two.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Using A Fusion Splicer To Repair A Samsung TV’s Cable
https://hackaday.com/2022/05/23/using-a-fusion-splicer-to-repair-a-samsung-tvs-cable/
Some Samsung TVs come with a system called One Connect, where all external cabling is connected to a separate box so that only one small signal cable goes to the TV. In some versions, the cable linking the TV with its Connect Box is a pure fiber optic cable that’s nearly transparent and therefore easy to hide.
Thin fiber optic cables are fragile however; when [Elecami Wolf] got one of these TVs for a very low price it turned out that this was because its One Connect cable had snapped. Replacement cables are quite expensive, so [Elecami Wolf] went on to investigate the inner workings of the fiber optic cable and figured out how to repair a broken one.
The cable consists of four pairs of plastic-coated glass fibers, which are attached to receivers and transmitters inside the thick connectors on either end. Repairing the cable required two things: figuring out which fibers should connect to each other, and a reliable way of connecting them together.
EW0037 – How To Repair Damaged Samsung One Connect Invisible Connection Cable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeMnRErVwxY
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://fiberfin.com/pof-basics-size-and-bandwidth/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How does a fiber splicing machine works?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GEbTUsiTws
This vedio shows under a microscope that how does the splicing machine works, first clean the both sides of the cutting edge, then position the joint carefully, finally melt the fiber two side together by proper current.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Terminate a Fiber Cable Using MetraAV’s Termination Tools
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUcZjqlvor8
Watch a quick demo showing how to use MetraAV’s fiber termination tools to terminate a fiber cable. This includes an additional “how-to” on terminating multi-strand fiber. These cost-effective tools will make fiber termination affordable and easy!
Tomi Engdahl says:
PROPERLY PIPE LASER LIGHT AROUND WITH HOMEBREW FIBER COUPLINGS
https://hackaday.com/2022/12/09/properly-pipe-laser-light-around-with-homebrew-fiber-couplings/
It’s a rare person who can pick up a cheap laser pointer and not wield it like a lightsaber or a phaser, complete with sound effects. There’s just something about the “pew-pew” factor that makes projecting a laser beam fun, even if it’s not the safest thing to do, or the most efficient way to the light from one place to another.
We suspect that [Les Wright] has pew-pewed his way through more than a few laser projects in his lab, including his latest experiments with fiber coupling of lasers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
COMPTYCO AUA-550 Fiber End Face Cleaning Box SC/FC/ST/LC Connector Wiping Tools Fiber Flange
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001444819206.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coupling Laser beams into Fiber Optic Cable!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA-nNeQ1zyA
In this video I demonstrate how to couple Lasers into Fiber Optic cable quickly and easily using a fiber visual fault locator, some mirrors and some DIY fiber collimators.
I also couple light into Multimode and Singlemode fiber, and demonstrate what happens when you exceed a fiber’s bend-radius.
Fiber optics is far more interesting than just telecoms, there a variety of unusual applications including high voltage sensing , temperature measurement and more!
I have a couple of way interesting projects in the pipeline exploring cool stff with fiber optics, so subscribe!
0:00 Intro
0:08 Fiber optic cables
2:06 Fiber Colimator
3:14 Coupling Light DIY Fiber couplers and Collimators
5:54 Visual Fault Locator
7:51 Coupling a Laser into a Fiber Optic
11:55 Coupling into single mode cable
13:00 Fiber Bend Radius
13:46 Outro and credits
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.quora.com/Can-optical-fiber-glass-cause-cancer-What-if-optical-fibre-glass-cuts
Tomi Engdahl says:
Don’t Ignore the Hazards Associated with Fiber Optics
May 1, 2000
https://www.ecmweb.com/content/article/20888616/dont-ignore-the-hazards-associated-with-fiber-optics
Understanding the safety hazards that go with fiber optic cable is critical for those who install or maintain fiber optic systems. As electrical professionals, most of us take fiber optic (FO) safety for granted. Since fiber optic cable carries no electricity, we don’t worry about electrocution. Similarly, we don’t think about personal or property damage due to fire because it isn’t a source of heat
Tomi Engdahl says:
How I always remember thoes was
SC- Standard connecters
ST- stab and twist
LC- little connecter
I didn’t mess with FC’s to much
And the MPO is a multi fiber push on
Tomi Engdahl says:
SC: Shove and Click
ST: Shove and Twist