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Maintaining Fiber-Optic Cables on the NFX350

Maintaining Fiber-Optic Cables in an NFX150 Device

To maintain fiber-optic cables in NFX150 devices:

  • When you unplug a fiber-optic cable from a transceiver, place rubber safety caps over the transceiver and on the end of the cable.

  • Anchor fiber-optic cable to avoid stress on the connectors. When attaching a fiber-optic cable to a transceiver, be sure to secure the fiber-optic cable so that it is not supporting its own weight as it hangs to the floor. Never let a fiber-optic cable hang free from the connector.

  • Do not bend fiber-optic cables beyond their minimum bend radius. Bending the cables beyond their minimum bend radius can damage the cables and cause problems that are difficult to diagnose.

  • Frequent plugging and unplugging of fiber-optic cables in and out of optical instruments can damage the instruments, which are expensive to repair. Attach a short fiber extension to the optical equipment. Any wear and tear due to frequent plugging and unplugging is then absorbed by the short fiber extension, which is easier and less expensive to replace than the instruments.

  • Keep fiber-optic cable connections clean. Microdeposits of oil and dust in the canal of the transceiver or cable connector can cause loss of light, reduction in signal power, and possibly intermittent problems with the optical connection.

    To clean the transceiver canal, use an appropriate fiber-cleaning device such as RIFOCS Fiber Optic Adaptor Cleaning Wands (part number 946). Follow the directions in the cleaning kit you use.

    After cleaning the transceiver, make sure that the connector tip of the fiber-optic cable is clean. Use only an approved alcohol-free fiber-optic cable cleaning kit such as the Cletop-S® Fiber Cleaner. Follow the directions in the cleaning kit you use.

Disconnecting a Fiber-Optic Cable from an NFX350 Device

Before you disconnect a fiber-optic cable from an optical transceiver installed in an NFX350 device, ensure that you have taken the necessary precautions for safe handling of lasers (see Laser and LED Safety Guidelines and Warnings for the NFX350 Devices).

Ensure that you have the following parts and tools available:

  • Rubber safety cap to cover the transceiver

  • Rubber safety cap to cover the fiber-optic cable connector

To disconnect a fiber-optic cable from an optical transceiver installed in the NFX350 device:

  1. (Recommended) Disable the port in which the transceiver is installed by including the disable statement at the [edit interfaces] hierarchy level for the specific interface.
    Laser Warning:

    Do not look directly into a fiber-optic transceiver or into the ends of fiber-optic cables. Fiber-optic transceivers and fiber-optic cables connected to transceivers emit laser light that can damage your eyes.

    Laser Warning:

    Do not stare into the laser beam or view it directly with optical instruments even if the interface has been disabled.

  2. Carefully unplug the fiber-optic cable connector from the transceiver.
  3. Cover the transceiver with a rubber safety cap.
    Laser Warning:

    Do not leave a fiber-optic transceiver uncovered except when inserting or removing a cable. The rubber safety cap keeps the port clean and prevents accidental exposure to laser light.

  4. Cover the fiber-optic cable connector with the rubber safety cap.

See Also

Connecting a Fiber-Optic Cable to an NFX350 Device

Before you connect a fiber-optic cable to an optical transceiver installed in an NFX350 device, ensure that you have taken the necessary precautions for safe handling of lasers (see Laser and LED Safety Guidelines and Warnings for the NFX350 Devices).

You can connect fiber-optic cables to the field-replaceable unit (FRU) optical transceivers installed in NFX350 devices.

To connect a fiber-optic cable to an optical transceiver installed in an NFX350 device:

Laser Warning:

Do not look directly into a fiber-optic transceiver or into the ends of fiber-optic cables. Fiber-optic transceivers and fiber-optic cables connected to transceivers emit laser light that can damage your eyes.

Laser Warning:

Do not stare into the laser beam or view it directly with optical instruments even if the interface has been disabled.

  1. If the fiber-optic cable connector is covered by a rubber safety cap, remove the cap. Save the cap.
  2. If the optical transceiver is covered by a rubber safety cap, remove the cap. Save the cap.
  3. Insert the cable connector into the optical transceiver (see Figure 1).
  4. Secure the cables so that they are not supporting their own weight. Place excess cable out of the way in a neatly coiled loop. Placing fasteners on a loop helps cables maintain their shape.
    CAUTION:

    Do not bend fiber-optic cables beyond their minimum bend radius. Bending the cables beyond their minimum bend radius can damage the cables and cause problems that are difficult to diagnose.

    CAUTION:

    Do not let fiber-optic cables hang free from the connector. Do not allow fastened loops of cables to dangle, which stresses the cables at the fastening point.

Figure 1: Inserting a Fiber-Optic Cable into a Transceiver on an NFX350 DeviceInserting a Fiber-Optic Cable into a Transceiver on an NFX350 Device