Essential Test Instruments for Maintenance and Installation of Fibre Optic Networks: Fibre Identifier

18 Aug 2022

The ability to carry out non-intrusive, fast and simple fibre identification is vital, LASER COMPONENTS have a useful tool that fulfils a number of requirements alongside the traditional powermeter/loss sets and OTDRs.  This device adds a controlled bend in the fibre and provides a power indication of live traffic, fibre identification and direction of transmission.

The fibre identifier has the ability to quickly determine the approximate power in a fibre optic cable and signal direction without disconnecting the fibre.  A non-intrusive macrobend is created so that only a small insertion loss is added to the signal path, thus allowing the operator to probe fibres without causing an alarm condition.  The user can determine if a fibre is carrying potentially critical traffic before they disconnect a fibre, therefore integrity of critical services is maintained.  There is a range of fibres 250 micron/ribbon, 900 micron, 2mm, 3mm that the fibre identifier can be used with.

When detecting signals in Bend Insensitive Fibres (BIF) the fibre identifier is capable of detecting a signal presence.  The approximate core power is not accurate in this instance since the amount of light that can be detected in the macrobend on BIF is low.  It can also be variable between successive measurements and cable manufacturers.  For the purposes of such fibres the identifier provides a good idea if signal is present within the fibre cable, identifier specifications are not guaranteed for BIF.

For identification purposes a tone detect technology is employed so that the operator can uniquely trace signals without disconnecting fibres with potentially critical services.  Identification signals are 270Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, 330Hz.

Further information Fibre Optic Attenuation and Power Meters - Optical Power Meters (lasercomponents.com)