Fibre Cleaning & Inspection

With many fibres installed long before they're used or new ones just out of the bag, it's tempting to plug in and go, but actually the correct move is a proper clean first.

The Facts

Dirty and damaged end-faces are a very frequent cause of high error rates on fibre links. In fact one FCN network engineer was called to site only recently to investigate poor network performance throughout their site, the solution wasn't an expensive upgrade or new equipment but actually only a proper fibre cleaning kit!

Contamination comes in many forms from dust & particles to oils, and don't be lulled into thinking that endfaces on brand new patch cords or connectors will be clean just because they are straight from the factory and have a dust cap in place!

It is equally important to inspect and clean both sides of the fibre connection and don't wait until you experience a problem do it everytime you connect or re-connect. And when we say clean, we don't mean:

• • Blow on it or use canned air
  • Use your finger
  • Rub your shirt sleeve on it - those at our recent seminar saw this demonstrated and were pretty surprised at the results!
  • Use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA)

Clean them properly!

Do it with the correct cleaning product, then inspect and clean again if necessary and remember the naked eye doesn't count as an inspection tool!

The latest cleaners and inspectors are fast and simple to use, Fluke Networks have a great Cleaning Kit.

Call us now for your quotation and ensure your fibre links are working to their maximum potential.

We can also supply information on exactly how to clean best practices from the experts, such as this YouTube video.

In addition why not request your copy of the "Fibre Testing Best Practices Pocket Guide" from Fluke Networks. Whether you handle fibre on a regular basis or just occasionally, this Guide will serve as a useful tool to ensure you never miss a critical step during your fibre testing or troubleshooting - request yours here.