In an attempt to enhance reliability and performance of optical fibers, special care is paramount, especially in the process of installation. Some crucial guidelines regarding tensile loads, squeezing, minimum bend radius, and twisting must be considered. As a matter of fact, connectors must be protected free from scratching and contamination at all times. Close attention must be paid to these factors as violation of any parameter causes profound attenuation and damage to the conection. It is therefore worth considering the following insights on fibre optic cable installation.

To begin with, ensure to conduct a site survey. A site survey is simply a preliminary visit of the site in order to have insights on the nature of the work to be undertaken. The survey enables you to come up with probable challenges and providing the solutions thereof. During the survey, the site is analyzed for areas demanding special concern while making estimates of the effort and time needed to carry out the duty. This information is particularly important in planning for cable routing.

After surveying, you then develop an effective cable pulling plan. The plan ought to communicate to the fixation team the considerations noted in the site survey. It entails logistics on cable let-off or pulling equipment, splice and intermediate access point locations. In addition, the plan must outline the particular responsibilities of each and every member of the team involved in the fixation.

When undertaking the exercise, it is vital to follow the required procedure. Due to their delicate nature when exposed to moisture, the end of the cables must be insulated by an end cap at all times. The process of pulling should not be done when the left-off reel is unattended to since center-pulls, back-feeding and difficult pull techniques may be applied.

During the exercise, be sure not to exceed the minimum bend radius. Remember that every wire poses a minimum installation bend radius value. When placing them, it is important not to bend the cables to a smaller radius. On installing and after removing the pulling tension, they may only be bent to a radius not smaller than the specified long term application length of the radius. Coiling and wrapping is allowed as long as it does not violate the constraints of minimum bend radius.

Another important factor to consider is the maximum recommended cable length. Despite the fact that fiber optics are much stronger compared to copper wires, it is imperative not to exceed the maximum tension pulling. The general strength ranking for most outdoor cables is 2700N.

Apart from the cable length, there is also the uppermost load value recommended in the long run. As such, the resultant tension after the placement should be less than this value. When installing vertically, be keen to clamp the wires at consistent intervals in order to avoid the resulting weight from exceeding the specified long-term load. Nevertheless, the intervals between clamps must be enough to prevent movement and support the weight.

Simply put, the process of placement is simple and systematic. The basic steps outlined above can be applied to any kind of connection. It begins with developing a pulling plan after which certain laid down procedures are followed in doing the placement. The connection is done within the minimum set bend radius and maximum recommended load. It is important to document the entire process.