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Optical Fiber Cable Link

Testing Maintenance and


Troubleshooting
Cable System Attenuation
• Attenuation, defined as optical power
loss measured in decibels (db), is the
primary field test parameter in optical
fiber systems
• Cables, connectors, splices and patch
cords all contribute
• Additionally tight bends or excessive
forces placed on cable during transport
and installation
Testing after Installation
Testing must be done after installation
to ensure that the cable system meets
the attenuation specifications set by the
end-user
End to End Attenuation
Testing
End-to-End Attenuation
Testing
• This is a measure of the optical power
loss between cable termination points
• The attenuation of installed cable
systems is measured by the insertion
loss method
• This method measures the difference in
two optical power levels - light put into
the cable at near end, and light exiting at
far end (after cable system is inserted)
Step 1: Reference

Connect a short test jumper (containing the same fiber type


as the system fiber) between the optical source and the
optical meter.
Record the reading as the reference power Preference in dBm.
This power level is simply the output power of the light
source coupled into the jumper
Step 2: Check

Disconnect test jumper no. 1 at the power meter and insert


a second test jumper (test jumper no. 2), using an adapter,
between the jumper used in Step 1 and the optical power meter.
Verify that the two test jumpers are good by ensuring that the
power Pcheck is within the appropriate connector loss,
typically 0.5 dB of Preference.
If this criterion is met, continue to Step 3.
Step 3: Test

Leave the two test jumpers attached to the optical source


and optical meter.
Disconnect the two jumpers at the adapter.
Attach the optical source/test jumper no. 1 to one end of
the system fiber to be tested and the power meter/test
jumper no. 2 to the other end of the same fiber.
Record the power level in dBm as Ptest and calculate the
loss in dB.
OTDR Testing
OTDR Testing
• End-to-end attenuation testing
measures the total amount of loss
between two endpoints.
• To find out what causes this loss and
where it occurs in the cable system, an
optical time domain reflectometer
(OTDR) is needed.
OTDR Testing
• An OTDR can locate fiber events and
measure the losses attributable to
cable, connectors, splices and/or other
components.
• The graphical display of loss over a
cable’s entire length provides the most
revealing analysis and documentation
available on a cable link, commonly
referred to as its signature trace.
OTDR Versatility
Because of the OTDR’s ability to
provide detailed analysis of individual
installed components with access to
only one end of the fiber, it is the most
versatile installation and troubleshooting
tool that can be used in a variety of
scenarios:
• Cable Acceptance
• OTDR Signature Trace Documentation
OTDR Versatility
• Connector and Splice Loss
• Troubleshooting
Cable Acceptance
The OTDR evaluates the integrity,
overall length and fiber attenuation in
dB/km for cables before and after
installation. Useful for:
• checking a cable against specification,
• uncovering point defects due to
handling during transport or installation,
• effectively measuring unterminated
fibers.
OTDR Signature Trace
Documentation
The OTDR signature trace provides
useful documentation for:
• cable system acceptance,
• network planning, and
• maintenance as the “as-built” fiber
blueprint.
Sample OTDR Signature
Trace
Connector and Splice Loss
• The OTDR measures and documents
field-installed connectors and midspan
mechanical or fusion splices.
• This allows the installer to determine
whether a splice or connector is
acceptable or needs to be reworked.
Troubleshooting
The OTDR provides both:
• a benchmark of initial system performance
for comparisons over time and
• a powerful tool for identifying and locating
cable problems or breaks by accessing
only one end of the cable.
Fiber discontinuities and localized losses
are clearly visible when compared to
original signature traces.
Maintenance and
Troubleshooting
Maintenance
• A properly installed and tested system
requires minimal routine maintenance.
• Ensuring proper connector care and
cleanliness and checking the routing
and protection of system jumpers are
simple safeguards that are central to
preventing possible service
interruptions.
Troubleshooting
There are three key components
required for efficient troubleshooting:
• Documentation-Contrasting current test
results with the original documentation
quickly and clearly identifies changes
and potential trouble spots.
• Test Equipment-A simple power meter
and initial attenuation test results to
isolate faults.
Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting Plan-A simple but
effective flow chart or procedure can be
used to quickly isolate a fault to either a
network transmitter, receiver, patch cord
or cable segment.
Troubleshooting/Fault
Locating with a Power Meter
Sequence for Isolating and
Locating Faults
• Measure the received power level and
compare with the receiver sensitivity
specification
• If the received power is normal, the
receiving electronics should be
diagnosed to identify the problem
• If the received power level is low,
measure the transmitter power output
Sequence for Isolating and
Locating Faults
• A low transmitter output indicates a
problem with the transmitter output or
electronics
• Follow the procedure in diagnosing the
electronics or call the appropriate
vendor for assistance
• If the transmitter output is normal and
the received power is low, excessive
loss is occurring in the cable plant
Sequence for Isolating and
Locating Faults
• Use a power meter with a test jumper to
confirm whether or not there is a
problem with the system jumper
• If the system jumpers have acceptable
loss, then the fault probably lies within
the terminated cable plant itself
• Losses in the cable plant are caused by
damaged connectors and cut or
damaged cable
Problem in Cable Plant
• Use the OTDR to locate the fault
• Compare the original signature trace to
the current OTDR trace to identify and
locate a fault or a break
• If the fault is determined to be near an
end-point, use a visual fault locator to
pinpoint a problem within splice trays,
connecting hardware and patch cords
Visual Fault Locator
• Visual fault locators are optical sources
that use a visible wavelength (approx.
600 nm) red laser to locate faults or
points of high loss near endpoints such
as tight bends or crimps, faulty
connectors, poor splices, damaged
components and fiber breaks.
• They are a good complement to OTDRs
Thank you

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