What Is a Fibre Optic Continuity Tester? Fiber Optic Technology Tutorial, Series Two
What is a fiber optic continuity tester?
Fiber continuity tester is extremely called fiber optic continuity checker. It is the simplest visual research of a fiber optic cable link.
To avail properly, a fiber optic cable link must be "continuous", doctrine no breakage, either within the fiber cable or in the fiber connectors, should exist. The simplest and least expensive system to proof is to inject some visual ablaze into one fiber butt end and analysis the brilliance ultimate absent from the other end.
To perform this task, two types of fiber testers are available: a fiber optic continuity tester or a laser visual defect locater.
Differences between a fiber continuity tester and a laser visual blemish locator
The most primary departure is their flashing source. A fiber continuity tester typically uses a carmine or leafy colour formidable intensity LED while a laser visual mistake locator uses cerise color semiconductor laser.
Visible lasers constitute a bounteous effective lambent and can accommodate exceeding dope to the technician than a LED light. By coupling the fiber link to a visible laser, problems with connectors, breaks in the fiber near connectors or splices, and some bend radius violations can be located.
On the other hand, LED powered fiber continuity tester can matchless verify that glowing can globetrotting concluded the fiber link and no extended info is obtained. Fiber continuity tester simply yields a "no go" result. Provided the shine isn't visible at the other point of the fiber link, then the fiber is unusable in its show country and requires besides testing and repair.
Applications of a fiber continuity tester
Its top handle is testing fiber on a sway before you pull it to dash off confident it hasn't been damaged during shipment. Glance for visible signs of damage (like cracked or broken reels, kinks in the cable, etc.)
The other agreeable manipulate is to probation fiber patch cables at patch panels. When connecting fiber cables at patch panels, utilize the fiber optic continuity tester to conceive definite everyone connexion is the genuine two fibers!
And to cause definite the correct fibers are connected to the transmitter and receiver, practice the continuity tester in city of the transmitter and your eye instead of the receiver.
Understanding the features of a fiber continuity tester
1. Fiber income compatibility
Some fiber continuity testers apart ease multimode fibers while the others help both unmarried resources fibers and multimode fibers. So it's best kind to evaluation the spec phase from manufacturers to choose the type you need.
2. Fiber connectors supported
Most fiber continuity testers hog adapters available for testing 2.5mm ferrule connectors such as ST, SC and FC, 1.25mm ferrule connectors such as LC, MU and determinate types such as SMA connectors.
3. Fiber distance
Most fiber continuity testers get sufficiently bright capability to column 2km on multimode fibers.
Published: February 28, 2008