Although the use of fiber optic jumpers is simple, their daily maintenance work cannot be ignored. Proper cleaning and maintenance not only ensure smooth signal transmission, but also extend the service life of optical fibers to a certain extent.
Timely cleaning of fiber optic jumpers
Why is fiber optic jumper cleaning so important? An industry survey by a telecommunications giant pointed out that connector pollution is the primary cause of network failures. From this, it can be seen that once the optical fiber is contaminated with substances such as dust and oil, the quality of optical signal transmission is greatly reduced. In addition, metal particles generated by the wear of the connector body and fiber optic casing may also block the fiber optic, causing signal loss and causing losses to users. Therefore, it can be said that fiber optic jumpers are actually very "fragile" and timely cleaning is essential.
Generally speaking, fiber optic jumper cleaning is mainly aimed at connectors at both ends. There are two main cleaning methods, namely dry cleaning and wet cleaning. The two have slight differences and can be used together. Commonly used dry cleaners include cassette type fiber optic cleaning boxes and one click cleaning pens, while wet cleaners have dust-free wiping paper, cleaning sticks, etc.
Reasonable storage of fiber optic jumpers
Regardless of whether the fiber optic jumper is in use or not, the first thing to remember is: do not excessively bend or stretch it. This is a common mistake that everyone makes, and the worst outcome is to damage the jumper. Some damages caused by bending are visible to the naked eye, however, in some cases, the losses may not be easily determined, such as micro deformation of optical fibers caused by ultra-low temperatures, millimeter level displacement caused by defects in buffers or jackets, poor installation, or other factors. Due to the fact that such damage cannot be directly detected, it is often overlooked, and in the long run, it may cause even greater problems. To avoid further losses, when the jumper must be replaced, the following factors should be considered:
Do not bend fiber optic jumpers beyond their minimum bending radius, especially in narrow spaces of high-density fiber optic wiring.
Redesign fiber optic jumper paths with appropriate tools to protect cables from damage, such as horizontal cable racks.
Do not collide with the fiber optic connector, as it may wear the end face and debris may puncture the skin. Therefore, it is recommended to put a dust cap on the jumper at any time.
If equipment is needed to detect and identify faults, such as internal damage and total attenuation of fiber optic jumpers, optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) and fiber optic microscopy can be used.