Fiber Splicing 1

[HaierIT]

Hey Techs, I have a situation and need some advise. About 5 years ago we had fiber with 6 strands run from the basement switch room to the 6th floor switch room. The fiber was terminated into a rack mount fiber enclouser on both the basement and 6th floor. We are only using 2 strands so we have 4 free strands.

The question is that can or should we have 2 of the free strands spliced because we have to get fiber to another area in the 6th floor? We do not want to run the full run because it is closer to go straight from the 6th floor closet. Let me know if splicing is a good idea or should we run the full run. Some people say splicing is not bad if done right and some people do not want to hear anything about splicing. Thank you.

 

[trvlr1]

If the fiber is already terminated, you might want to run a new fiber cable from 6th floor closet to the required place, terminate it, then cross connect what you want with fiber patch cables. That way you are not disturbing what you already have and if you ever pull the proposed connection, you will still have the spares in place as it is now, at no additional cost.

 

[mikeydidit]

The most economical way would be to terminate the other fibers (They should have been on the first project IMO) with whatever connectors you are using.

Place those in with the ones you are using in the same LIU. Your rack mount fiber enclosure. You should be room in the same bulkheads. Make a short run to the other place you need fiber on the sixth floor to this same rack. Terminate all the fibers between and use patch cables to make your connection. This keeps them safe from harm instead of just hanging unterminated. It also make them readably available for use like now. Place the dust covers on them and your ready for next time. The patch cables are cheap.

When is the last time you helped someone, just because you were able to?

For the best response to a question, read faq690-6594

 

[Servamatic]

I agree with both suggestions above, they both say the same thing; this is why you run more strands than initially required. You never know what may come up later.
The only issue with not running additional fibers is the case of needing those strands should you have failure on the ones currently in use.
Be sure to update system documentation so that future techs will be aware of the unavailability of those strands.


Richard S. Anderson, RCDD

http://www.servamatic.net

 

[alamtnman]

for me it would depend on how the existing fiber was terminated. in the enclosure, is it easly acessible,was plenty of slack coiled in the enclosure that can be safely removed without risking breakage to the exisiting working pair.
If so then a splice would be ok, a fusion splice would be my prefered method but I have been out of the field for a while and from what I hear the mechanical/epoxy ones have come a long way and have low loss budgets too.

If all the ends are properly terminated and polished properly,you could terminate another pair in the existing and run a fiber to your second location and patch between them.If all the ends are properly done at this short of a distance you still should have plenty of room in your signal loss budget.

T.R.
RCDD

Honest officer,I know I've been thinking but i ain't thunk yet

 

[HaierIT]

Thank you everyone.

trvlr1, I just want to make sure that I am understanding correctly. On the 6th floor switch room we have all 6 strands terminated to the fiber enclosure but only 2 strands are being used.

What you suggest is just plugging the fiber cable from the outside of the 6th floor enclosure and run that fiber line to the new location and then terminate it to the enclosure in the new location. Is that correct? This method will not need any splicing, just terminating in the new location?

 

[trvlr1]

Basically yes .... If your enclosure on the 6th floor has more open ports add the new run there or another box close by and use fiber jumpers to connect the two.The new location can be terminated to some kind of enclosure too then use fiber patch cables there as well to give maximum flexibility.