How To Successful Installation of Underground Fiber Optic Cable

The two most common outdoor fiber optic cable installations are pole line aerial installation and underground cable installation. Underground cable installation can be directly buried underground or in a buried pipe.

Direct burial installation

Direct burial installations are most common for long cross country installations. The cables are plowed in or buried in a trench; the installation process can be very fast. The most common type of cable is used in the directly buried cables is outdoor steel armor.

Underground duct installation

Fiber optic cables can also be pulled through underground ducts, which protect the cables from harsh environment. Underground duct installation also provides opportunity for future expansion without the need to dig. This is the most common approach in urban areas. Another benefit is that the fiber optic cable no armor can be used to make installation easier.

Preparation before underground cable installation

1. The right to receive appropriate one-way permits

2. Identify existing underground utilities such as buried cables, pipes

3. Investigate the soil condition in order to determine the installation depth, whether duct should be used, the type of fiber cable should be used and plowing equipment needed.

Buried cable technology

1. Plowed under

Cultivated land is faster than cuts in the fiber optic cable. But the process must be carefully monitored to prevent damag to the cable.

2. Trenched

Fiber optic cable can also be cut. This process is slower than farming; however, it allows a more control cable installation. Dig trenches can by hand or by machine.

3. Directional boring

Directional boring technique is used where the surface cannot be engaged in such as high, the railway crossing. On the contrary, a drilling machine is used to bore a few inches beneath the surface of the hole diameter, a pipe is out of the mouth of the cave, and then dragged into fiber optic cable pipe.

Important factors

1. Cable installation depth: up to 40 inches

The depth that fiber cables should be buried is determined by the soil conditions and surface usage. In cold region, fiber optic cable is buried below the frost line, usually prevent damage of cable is the ground frost.

2. Keep the trenches as straight as possible

Fiber cable trenches should be straight, and should be formed at the bottom of the trench. Backfill soil could also be used to load evenly distribution cable and protect the cable.

3. Fiber cable warning labels should be buried directly above the cable

Fiber optic warning cables are typically buried directly above the cables to warn future digging operations. Or concrete slabs can be buried below the warning label but above the cables to provide even more protection.

4. Whenever armor fiber cable used, they should be properly grounded

In the directly buried installations, steel armored fiber optic cable is often choose for their strength and protection from rodents bite. A very important thing to remember is proper grounding cable. They should be down-to-earth in all end points, splicing and the entrance of the building. Steel armored cable should be connected to ground using compression type clip. Cable near ground is then bolted to the ground terminal strip.

5. Fiber optic cable minimum bending radius should always be observed during installation.

What is Armored Fiber Optic Cable

The so-called armored fiber optic cable, is outside the optical fiber is then wrapped in a layer of protective of “armor”, is mainly used to meet the requirements of customers rodent, moisture proof, etc. Armored cable is a power cable made up by assembling two or more electrical conductors, generally held together with an overall sheath. This electrical cable with high protective covering is used for transmission of electrical power, especially for underground wiring needs. However, these cables may be installed as permanent wiring within buildings, buried in the ground, run overhead, or may even be kept exposed. They are available as single conductor cable as well as multi-conductor cables.

To be more precise, armored cables can be explained as electrical cables with stainless steel or galvanized wire wound over the conductors and insulation. They often have an outer plastics sheath for main distribution supply and buried feeders.

The main role of Armored fiber optic cable

Armored optical fiber in telecommunications fiber optic long-distance lines, twele trunk transmission has important applications. Armored fiber mostly used for general network management usually come into contact with two fiber optic network equipment in the engine room building internal connections. The armored fiber length is relatively short. Often referred to as the armored jumper.

General armoured jump line there is a layer of metal armoured in skin, make protection inside the fiber core, crush tensile resistance function, can prevent rat bite to eat by moth, etc.

The Types of Armored fiber cable

According to the use of premises

Indoor armored cable:

A single armor and indoor fiber optic cable. Single-core indoor armored cable structure: Single mode indoor armored cable, Tight fiber+ kevlar (tensile effect) + stainless steel hose (the compressive strength, resistance to bending, rodent) + stainless steel woven wire (torsional) + outer sheath (usually using PVC, according to the barrier role of fire-retardant PVC, LSZH, Teflon, silicone tube, etc.)

Single armor excluding stainless steel braided wire cable; Double armored fiber optic cable with stainless steel hose and stainless steel woven wire.

Advantages: high tensile strength, high compressive strength, rodent bite; possess resistant to the improper torsional bending damage; construction is simple, saving maintenance costs; adapt to harsh environments and man-made damage.

Disadvantages: weight heavier than common fiber optical cable. The price is higher than common fiber optic cable

Outdoor armored cable:

There are divided into light armored and heavy armored (outdoor fiber optic cable). light armored strip and aluminum, is to strengthen and anti-rodent bite. heavy armored is wrapped in a circle wire, generally used in the riverbed, submarine. The market in general armored cable than the non-armored cable is cheap, usually steel, aluminum, much cheaper than the aramid (Kevlar is mainly used for special occasions).

According to the material divided by metal armor

There are steel armored and aluminum armored. Was usually bolt-type core with a layer of metal armored to protect narural bent, with high pressure, resistance to the advantage of the strong pull, provides excellent cable protection and safety.

Aerial optical fiber cable

If it is an outdoor aerial optical fiber cable, in order to avoid the harsh environment, human or animal damage (such as someone with a shotgun with a birds when the fibers interrupted case often occurs), play a role in the protection core armored cable ships. Recommended steel armor, light armor, cheap and durable better. Light armor, the price is cheap and durable. There are two general outdoor aerial cables: one is the center beam tube; another Standed. In order to durable, overhead layer sheath, and direct burial with two layers of sheating safer.

Source: fiberstore.com