1.

2 Common underground optical cable deployment problems

This chapter, we will introduce common problems during the laying of underground optical
cables. Main contents include tool and material preparation, optical cable unloading, duct trial
connection, optical cable reeling, traction and coiling.

First, we will introduce tools and material preparation. In this phase, the common problem is
that optical cables are not tested before they are delivered from the warehouse. Or the test is not
performed 100% or the customer is not present during the test. The customer does not sign the
test report for confirmation.

Now, let's talk about the common problems during the loading and unloading of optical
cables. Push the cable drum to an open area, when moving the cable drum mechanically. The
forklift is inserted from the bottom of the drum facing the optical cable drum. Let's watch the
wrong examples. The forklift is not facing the drum and is not inserted along the bottom of the
drum.

In the second example, the fork of the forklift hits the side plate of the drum. The cable tray is
pushed down directly from the truck without any cushioning and protection. This is wrong.
Incorrect loading or unloading operations may cause damage to the optical cable tray. The
optical cable may be damaged or punctured by a hard object, scratching, etc., causing
unnecessary extra costs to the project, time delay, etc. When rolling the optical cable tray, push
the cable tray in the direction indicated on the side panel of the drum. The optical cable is
damaged due to improper operations. Standard and non-standard items when loading, unloading,
and transporting optical cables

Now let's talk about the common problems of underground trial connection. Trial-through of
duct holes without following the marks in the construction drawing. The blue sub-duct is not
tested according to the construction drawings. The yellow duct is actually used for the test. When
the test of the duct hole with the mark in the construction drawing is unsuccessful. Decide to use
another hole for test without communicating with the customer representative. Now, let's talk
about the non-standard operations that occur when the optical cable is coiled. When moving the
optical cable tray, the optical cable is damaged by foreign objects such as nails and stones on the
ground. The optical cable is scratched by a nail on the optical cable tray when it is coiled. At the
beginning of the coiled process. The sequence of optical cable ends is not clearly identified,
causing cross-winding of optical cables. Too fast or too slow speed when coiling into a figure of
“8” shape. Optical cables are damaged due to friction between the cables and the ground.
Another common non-standard operation is that the optical cable is scratched by rough objects
on the ground because no color strips are laid when the cable is coiled into a figure of “8” shape.

Now, let's talk at the Common non-standard operations during duct optical cable
routing. The bundling of the traction rope is not reliable, which leads to the detachment of the
optical cable. No anti-scratch measures are taken on the manhole and duct openings when optical
cables are routed. The optical cable is scratched. The staff uses too much force when pulling the
cable, or the staffs at both ends do not pull the cable at the same pace, this causes the optical
cable to deform and twist. The entire optical fiber cable was laid from the A end to the B end at
one time. Not deployed from the manhole in the middle of the plate to either side. After the cable
laid as in a figure of “8” shape, the optical cable is twisted when it is laid again, which causes the
optical cable to deform and the resistance in the underground becomes more. When the optical
cable is withdrawn from the drum, the support frame is not used and the optical cable is not
twisted.

The following introduces the common problems with optical cable tray coiling. The optical
cable is deformed or damaged due to the staff coiling the optical cable during the storage. The
optical cables are bound too tightly or too heavily when the optical cables are left on the tray. As
a result, the optical cables are deformed and damaged. The diameter of the optical fiber coil is
too small, which does not meet the requirements. Finally, after coiling the optical cable, put it
into the manhole, the optical cable is not turned in the direction of the optical cable but turned
into the manhole at a 180 degrees. This causes the optical cable to be distorted and deformed.

This is all for this chapter. Thank you.

1.3 How to correctly deploy the fiber in the underground scenario?

This section we will introduce the FAQ of duct cable installation. The main contents are about
tool and material preparation, drum test and optical cables unloading, duct Rodding, optical cable
deployment and optical cable fixing and coiling.

First, the construction team leader will give safety instructions to all team members at the kick-
off meeting. Tools to be used in the construction. Now, the first step is the inspection of the
optical cable drum. Check whether the appearance, is for any damage and whether the order
number is consistent. Check the appearance if there are no concerns. Upack the optical fiber.
Note that the removed wood has nails on it. Place it away from the optical cable tray. To prevent
personnel injury and damage to optical cables. Remove the plastic package from the optical
cable tray. Find the factory test report. The test result must be compared with the factory report.
Find the optical cable end and remove the screws that secure the end. Collect the removed nails.
After the test, fix the optical cable connector with the nails. Take out the external cable end and
check the sheath length of the cable. The length of the optical cable in this drum is 3008 meters
and is in conformity with the order and the report. Check whether the model of the optical cable
is consistent with that in the order and the report on this drum. Use a slitting knife and a round
cutting knife to cut the outer sheath of the optical cable. The length of the sheath should be
between 60~100 cm. The outer sheath of the optical cable can also be peeled with the stripping
rope inside the optical cable. Remove the packing line, the filling rope, and the strength member.
Only keeping the loose tube. Cut the binding cables between the filling ropes. Do not cut from
both sides of the loose tube to avoid damaging the loose tube. Shear strength member. Collect
and clean the scraps after stripping. Use lint-free paper to remove the ointment from the loose
tube. Cut the loose tube with the incision at the top of the Miller pliers and gently pull the loose
tube open. Wipe the ointment off the optical fiber. Do not pinch the fiber too tightly when you
wipe it. Wipe each optical fiber separately to make it cleaner. Fix the stripped cable to the
operation console temporarily. Clean the end surface of the test fiber, and dip the test fiber into
the lint-free paper with alcohol. Gently wipe the end two times. Connect the connector of the test
fiber to the output port of the OTDR. Note that the adapter teeth should enter the slot of the
OTDR port, and then you tighten them. Clean the end face of the transition fiber connector with
a lint-free paper dipped with alcohol. Connect the short pigtail to the long pigtail using an
adapter. After the short pigtail is connected.Start the OTDR. Use the touch pen to double-click
the OTDR icon. Set the test parameters with the wavelength distance range and the pulse width.
Average duration and refractive index: 1550 nm. Length of optical cable to be tested: 3 Km.
Transition fiber: 2 Km.

过渡纤 2Km. Set the test distance range of a single drum to 10 Km. Pulse width setting: 5 ns or
10 ns. The average duration setting: 10 seconds or 15 seconds. Prepare the end face of the
transition fiber, and use the Miller pliers to scrape off the coating of the transition fiber. Use the
lint-free paper and absolute alcohol to remove the residual coating. Insert the cleaned bare fiber
into the optical fiber cutter to make the end face. Put a drop of matching oil in the V-shaped slot.
Put the cut optical fiber in the V-shaped slot. Close the pressure plate, fix the optical fiber, and
close the micro-slot pressure plate. Enable the 'real-time mode' of the OTDR. Place the optical
fiber to be tested into the right side of the V-shaped slot. Do not overlap the optical fiber on the
left. Gently move to the left and observe the OTDR display. Move until the connection is
successful and press the upper pressure plate. Disable the 'real-time mode' and open the 'average
mode'. The OTDR enters the automatic sampling average state. Enable the average mode OTDR
to enter the automatic sampling average state. Analysis curve after completion. Click 'Measure'
to move the A B cursor. A is moved to the beginning of the straight line segment of the measured
fiber display curve. B is moved to the end of the straight line segment of the measured fiber
display curve. Click the section below to display the attenuation value of a single kilometer. Save
the test results after the test. Enter the drum number, optical fiber serial number, and other
information, and record the information in the test report. Use the same method to test the
remaining optical fibers in a single drum. The test rate must be 100%. The test results meet the
requirements and are marked on the optical fiber tray. Mark the outer end of the cable tray as the
B end of the cable, and the inner end as the A end of the cable. Cut off the tested cable core from
the stripping area and wrap the 2~3 layer of the cable end with adhesive tape. Fix the optical
cable end with the original nail. Re-Wrap the optical cable with plastic film. After a single drum
is inspected, the customer representative needs to sign in the inspection report for confirmation

Now, let's start unloading optical cables. Use a forklift to load the tested optical cable tray into
the truck. Unload the optical cable after sending it to the designated installation site. Unload the
optical cable to the designated position by using a forklift. Remove the optical cable from the
optical cable tray. Use a color bar cloth to cover the ground in order to prevent optical cables
from being damaged by sundries on the ground. Coil the optical cable out of the cable drum and
coil the optical cable on the waterproof cloth in a figure of 8. Place the optical cables in figure 8
as large as possible to prevent the fiber from being damaged. The cable laying speed should be
the same as the speed of the drum. Avoid winding or pulling the optical cable too fast or too
slow. Otherwise, the optical cable may be twisted or pulled. After the cable is laid out, turn the 8-
shaped cable over to make the end face upward.

Next, let's start the duct test.

 First, open the manhole cover. According to the construction drawing, put the pipe-puncher
through the pipe hole and start the test. Use the walkie-talkie to communicate with the personnel
at the manhole to check whether the test is successful. If the test fails, retrieve the duct
penetrator. The team leader should immediately communicated with the customer that the yellow
duct in the design is disconnected. The customer instructs to test the next available duct. Prepare
to test the blue duct. The blue duct is connected successfully. Personnel should communicate
with each other to confirm that the test is successful.

Next, let's introduce how to lay out the optical cables and how to reserve the fixed drum.

First, use a metal mesh bag to fix the optical cable end and tighten it. Then connect the metal
mesh pocket to the end of the duct puncher with the red binding wire. Then, at the wellhead,
secure the ground sheaves with a red binding line. Use the walkie-talkie to inform the personnel
of the opposite manhole that they can start pulling the tube head for the optical cable traction.
Notify the other party of removing the optical cable connector and metal mesh after the optical
cable is pulled. Coil optical cables to avoid it being twisted. Reserve three to four coils for
optical cable. Coil the optical cable and bind it in three positions. Fix the bound optical cable to
the hooks on the sidewall of the manhole. Finally, remember to cover the manhole.

That is all for this chapter. Thank you.

1.4 Common overhead optical cable deployment problems

This chapter will introduce the common problems that occur during the installation of aerial
optical cables, and help you to resolve common problems during the installation of aerial optical
cables.

Part 1 introduces the common problems of optical cable drawing and reservation.

1.      The first common problem is that after the optical cable rolled over, the reserved disk does
not comply with the requirement (eight words and the withdrawal and torsion process).The
installation of optical cables with stress may damage the structural components of the
optical cables. And even break the FRP of the fiber optic cable center reinforcement.
Causing rectification or re-routing of optical cables.

2.      The following is a common problem when laying the optical cable coiler, without using a
cushion and the cable directly touched the ground. In the picture, if the optical cable
touches the ground directly, sharp objects on the ground may scratch the outer sheath of
the optical cable. This problem may affect the mechanical performance of the optical cable
or shorten the service life of the optical cable.

Part 2: In this part, we will introduce the common problems related to traction and routing of
optical cables.
 1.      The first problem is that the diameter of the upper pulley does not meet the requirements
and the traction angle is greater than 27 degrees. In the part, we can see that the cable
traction personnel are too close to the communication Pole. The angle between the optical
cable and the ground is greater than 27 degrees. Also using the small pulley traction cable
whose diameter does not meet the requirements. In this case, the optical cable is forcibly
pulled. This error example may cause the dynamic bending radius of the optical cable
during traction, to be less than 20 times of specified diameter. In addition, pulling the
optical cable forcibly may cause physical damage to the optical cable.

2.      The second common problem is that the optical cable is pulled after the back buckle occurs.
In the video, we can see that the optical cable is seriously twisted or buckled. However, the
operator is still pulling the cable by force. This problem may cause physical damage to the
optical cable or even break the internal components of the optical cable. This will affect the
optical fiber transmission quality.

3.      The third problem is that personnel are not assigned to guard the corner of the optical fiber
when the optical fiber is led around the bend. As shown in the video, we can see that in the
scenario of following a 90 degree turn, no observer is set at the corner for the optical cable
traction. If the optical cable is not monitored in the angle and no guide pulley is observed. If
the optical cable is disconnected from the pulley and forcibly pulled the optical cable may
come  out of the cable sheave, or get trampled and crushing by traffic at the corner, these
risks may cause serious damage to the optical cables.

4.      Here is another common problem in the course of optical cable traction. The optical cable
traction personnel gather and yank the optical cable hard. Similar problems may cause
damage to the outer sheath of the optical cable and decrease in the mechanical performance
of the optical cable and consequently affecting the optical performance. Such personnel
gathered together and yanked the cable…..such examples are prohibited in the process of
pulling optical cables.

Next, we will see an example of the fiber cable traction process when the communication is not
smooth.

 We first saw the front-end operator pulling the cable at a constant speed, however the farthest
operator is standing still. This would cause a large section of optical cables to accumulate on the
ground whilst continuing to pull the cable. This problem may easily cause cable twisting and
cause a back buckle. This brings risks to the security of optical cables during the cable routing
process. Therefore, all operators need to communicate with each other during the optical cable
traction. The personnel's actions during the optical cable traction must be consistent and well
coordinated. In the video, we can see that the optical cable being pulled is directly touching the
grass and the concrete floor, causing the printing on the surface of the optical cable to fall off and
damage the outer sheath. The damage to the outer sheath may reduce the service life of the
optical cable. In the picture, when we see the traction cable crossing the road, no warning sign is
set and the optical cable is directly touching the ground. No warning tape is set during the road
crossing. Pedestrians and vehicles may damage optical cables directly. At the same time, the
optical cable is directly touching the ground. Possible problems have been mentioned in the
previous chapter.

Part 3 focuses on the common problems related to the use of pulleys. Direct replacement of
pulleys with wire or other non standard hanging fittings. Using wire or other non-standard
hanging fittings to replace the cable laying and traction pulleys during the cable traction process.
This problem may cause the printing on the optical cable to come off as well as damaging the
outer jacket. In addition, the dynamic bending radius of the optical cable does not meet the
requirements, damaging the internal structure of the optical cable. It may even lead to the
breakdown of the fiber reinforced core FRP at that point. Pay special attention to this problem
during the installation of aerial optical cables. In the video, we can see that the dynamic bending
radius of the optical cable is very small. In this case, continuing to pull the optical cable forcibly
will also cause problems similar to those when iron wires or hanging hardware is used to directly
replace the pulley. In these cases the optical fiber reinforced core FRP can be easily broken.
Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the use of pulleys with diameters that do not meet the
requirements. Generally, the 60cm 40cm optical cable is recommended when installing the upper
pulley and the straight-line pulley.

 Part 4: We will introduce the common problems of optical cable reservation and coiling. In the
picture, we can see that the optical cable is only slightly curved. Optical cables are not reserved
or coiled as required. The optical cables are not coiled on the optical cable tray as required.
Instead it is messy and the coils are not bound as required. This section we will introduce the
common problems experienced in the hardware installation process. As shown in the following
figure, the clamp and hardware are not fastened. If the optical cable is secured, tighten it as
required. If the optical cable is pushed down for a long period of time, the optical transmission
quality of the optical cable route will be affected.

 In the last part, we will briefly cover the common installation problems of FAT. After the FAT
is fixed according to the design requirements, the optical cables must be properly bound and
coiled. In the picture, the optical cables lead in and out of the branch are not coiled on the cable
tray as required. The optical cables have not been fully twisted and the optical cables must be
tied neatly otherwise this may also cause abnormal attenuation of the optical cable link. The
installation height of the FAT in the picture is too low and does not meet the requirements of the
installation height, this may make it easy for people to touch the optical cable and equipment,
thus increasing the risk of the link being damaged. After the FAT is installed, fasten the fixing
parts and the clamp. Take care fix the FAT securely , it must not shake. This prevents the
transmission quality from being affected by strong winds or the FAT dropping.

 Finally, this course only presents an overview of the common problems that may be experienced
during the installation of aerial optical cables. Some of the problems mentioned in this article are
not sufficient to cover every scenario in the  operation process. After class, you can refer to other
learning materials, some links and references are included to the courseware.

Thank you.
1.5 How to correctly deploy the fiber in the overhead scenario?
In the previous chapter, we mainly studied how to lay pipes and optical cables and we also
looked at the common mistakes and how to avoid them. In this chapter, we will introduce the
laying of aerial optical cables and some common problems in the routing process.

First of all, let's begin with an introduction about aerial optical cable installations.

 EHS and Security Guidelines.

The requirements for unloading and Drum testing of optical cables are the same as those for the
underground optical cables scenario. Therefore No further details will be given here. This part
we will cover how to prepare aerial optical cables for installation, tools and materials used,
common Aerial cable installation hardware, Optical Cable Reservation and FAT
installation .This section describes how to prepare tools and materials for laying aerial optical
cables.

Part 1 Kick off meeting.

The construction team leader gives safety instructions to all the team members. This includes
precautions, division of work and tools to be used in the construction.

Part 2 Traction and Laying of aerial Optical Cables.

When pulling and laying aerial optical cables. There are 4 major considerations, these include
working environment, tool/equipment preparation, (such as safety fence - ladder). Installation of
Traction Rope and Mesh Cover for the Optical Cable Traction Pulley. Four parts of optical fiber
cable traction. Let's talk about these four topics separately.

1.      Now in the video, we see a warning strip around the work site. The operator setsthe ladder
onto the cement pole. Operators wear safety belts for working at height. This step is to install
the cable traction pulley. The operator climbs up the ladder to the work site under the
supervision of the ground crew. And fasten safety harness before climbing. Using a wire or
the pulley's own buckle, install the traction pulley on the optical cable and the linear cable
guide pulley.

2.      Next, we will introduce the manufacture of traction ropes and nets. When the cable traction
sheave is ready, prepare the traction rope on the ground.

Step 1: Place the metal mesh at the head-end of the cable. Use the adhesive tape to wrap the
ends of the metal mesh.

 Step 2 is to connect the end of the drawstring to the head of the net cover by means of a screw
extractor.
  Finally, fix the traction rope to one end of the detent. Use cable ties to bind the extra traction
ropes at the ends evenly.

 After preparing the traction rope and the net cover. This section describes the cable traction
limitations and cabling installation process.

First, the operator carries the connecting detent and the traction rope of the optical fiber
cable which is under the control of the ground personnel, the operator climbs up the ladder
to the operation point. And pass the head of the traction rope through the traction pulley in
the direction of the cable traction. The traction personnel of ground optical cables should
keep a proper traction angle and pull the traction rope. Using the nylon pulley that meets the
requirements to do the optical cable on-line and straight traction. The maximum angle of the
on-line traction should be no more than 27 degrees, in order to meet the requirement of the
dynamic bending radius of the optical cable. When the cable head passes through the upper
pulley, Pulling traction cable uniformly along the traction route.  In the communication rod
of the straight line segment, the traction rope is driven through the pulley by using the same
method as the upper pulley. At the same time, guide the optical cable through the guide
pulley of the straight line section. During the optical cable traction, ensure the optical cable
is withdrawn and the angle optical cable is placed in a figure of 8. As shown in the following
video: After the optical cables are led out from the cable tray, they should be fully untwisted
and then coiled in a neat figure of eight shape. Do not forcibly pull the cable, place a
protective moisture-proof rain cloth in the end of the duct. Do not let the optical cable touch
the ground directly to avoid the sharp and hard objects on the ground from scratching the
outer sheath of the optical cable.

This section describes the personnel distribution and haul speed of optical cables. The cable
traction personnel must maintain a large angle and maintain a constant speed to pull the cable
along the route. The optical cable needs to be at a sufficiently large angle with the pulley. Avoid
the dynamic bending radius of the optical cable being less than 20 times the cable diameter
during cable traction. During cable laying, carefully watch the meter mark to prevent the cable
drawing speed from being too fast. In addition, the cable traction personnel must be distributed at
a distance of about 15 m.

Optical cable traction at the transfer point. In the video, we see the cable being pulled at 90
degree transition. Proper personnel for laying optical cables in the transmission section of optical
cables. Keep the personnel spaced at about 15 meters apart. Pre-install guide pulley on the
communication poles at each corner. Also, the optical cable needs to be at a sufficiently large
angle to the pulley. Avoid the dynamic bending radius of the optical cable being less than 20
times that of the cable diameter during cable traction. At the other end of the optical cable
traction, distribute the cables at a distance of about 15 m. Traction cable with uniform speed.

In the last session, we will introduce some examples during the optical cable traction. When the
optical cable needs to cross the road or other obstacles in the course of pulling. Personnel must
be on duty to guide the traffic and ensure smooth communication. Coordinating the actions of
personnel at the far end and the near end.
The third part mainly introduces the installation of common hardware and the correct storage of
optical cables.

 First of all, we will introduce installation of the tension section and the pre-twisted wire at the
turn. In the video, the hardware installation personnel are shown on the ground using the winding
method of the pre-twisted wire. First, separate the pre-stranded wire and with the cooperation of
two people, bind the pre-stranded wire to the optical cable.

 Next, we will introduce the installation of the pre-stranded wire on the communication Pole.
Install the pre-twisted wire according to the method shown on the ground. After tightening the
optical cable with a cable tightener tensioner. Pay attention to maintain a certain arc hammer
during the tightening process. Prevent the running tension of optical cables from being higher
than the technical specifications. Fix the pre-stranded wire to the mounting point of the
communication rod. Then the pre-stranded wire is twisted onto the optical cable. Next, we will
introduce the draping installation of fittings in the straight section. Pre-select and combine the
fittings on the ground, such as the non-hanging point on the communication pole. Therefore, it is
required to fix the hoop properly at the proper height of the communication rod to make the
hanging point of the draping fixture in the straight line segment. Install the cable in the
suspension after the cable is tightly connected. And fasten them with tools. The connector box is
fixed horizontally on the steel strand or vertically on the communication rod according to the
design. In the picture, we see that the junction box is fixed horizontally on the steel strand at the
corner according to the design requirements, leaving the remaining cable neatly on the cable tray.
The optical cable tray should be fully removed. And the static bending radius of the optical cable
should be more than 10 times the diameter of the optical cable. Measure the X axis and Y axis of
the optical cable with a tape measure. After meeting the requirements, bind the optical cables
neatly on the remaining cable racks.

 In the last part, we will briefly introduce the installation example of FAT. The FAT installation
height must meet the design requirements. The height should be above the reach of adults. Last
but not least, we will introduce how to fix the FAT and how to correctly bundle the optical
cables. The cables led in and led out through different channels must be coiled neatly on the
remaining cable tray. In addition, the optical cables also need to be fully removed, and the
diameter of the cable tray must comply with the static bending radius of the optical cable. Cables
are bundled neatly with cable ties. Note: The cable ties must not be too tight. A certain degree of
redundancy must be reserved. Meanwhile, the FAT should be firmly fixed in the installation
position as shown in the figure. This is the end of the main knowledge about aerial optical cable
routing.

 In the next chapter, we will introduce the common problems with aerial optical cable routing.

Thank you

1.6 Air-blown Fiber Deployment

In this chapter, we will introduce the operation procedure and common problems of the air
blowing optical cable. This is the Cable blowing operation site. Enclose the air compressor cable
reel drive and fiber optic cable exit with warning tape. To warn non-operators not to enter the
operation area. Machines include Air compressor with a high pressure pneumatic power source.
Pneumatic driver for pushing the optical cable forward. The introduction of the pneumatic driver.
It consists of two barometers. One is the intake gauge, the other is the drive gauge. Other
accessories include drive tube overflow pipe. Pipe connector, sealing ring, warhead, lubricant,
sponge, cable rack, main high-pressure gas pipe. Connecting the drive to the inlet duct using a
pipe.

First, the tube is flattened by a circular cutter, and then connected with a connector. Insert the
sponge into the pipe before the cable enters the pipe. And squeeze the right amount of lubricant
into the tube. Connection between transition tube and driver. First, fit the matching sealing ring
into the transition tube. The excess pipe is then placed. in the drive's air intake compartment.
Then align the sealing ring with the sealing ring of the air intake compartment, and press the
fastening device. Pull the optical cable out of the cable rack. The starting point of the optical
cable must be fastened to the bullet head. Put the fiber optic cable with the bullet head in the
transition tube of the drive machine. Close and press tightly the air intake compartment. Press
down the pulley to properly clamp the optical cable between the two pulleys to the optical cable
forward. Connecting the Air Compressor to the Driver securely using the Main High Pressure
Air Pipe. Then connect the drive device with the branching high-pressure pipe in order to drive
the pulley. Start air compressor preheating. And next load the gas supply. Turn on the switch of
air compressor to supply air. Turn on the intake switch of the driver and send air to the intake
pipe to clean the tube wall. You can see the sponge being blown out of the tube first. Press the
switch of the belt pulley and open the intake switch of the belt pulley drive. The driver starts
pushing the optical cable forward. The swinging arm of the cable tray rotates as the optical cable
moves forward. Observe the monitor on the driver during cable laying. Indicating the forward
speed and cable length of the optical cable. At the same time, operators should keep in touch
with each other by using the walkie-talkie. When the optical cable reaches a certain length at the
cable exit, tell the other operator to stop routing the cable. Complete the air blowing optical cable
process.

Common problems in cable blowing:

1.      No sponge is used to clean the inner wall of the pipe and operator forgets to apply lubricant
before the optical cable enters the pipe.

2.      The sealing ring installed on the optical cable does not match the outer diameter of the
optical cable. Too tight, too much resistance.

3.       The sealing ring installed on the optical cable does not match the outer diameter of the
optical cable. The inner diameter of the sealing ring is too large. The intake manifold of the
driver is not properly sealed. As a result, the pressure in the tube will be small. And this may
cause the optical cable to move slowly

4.      Improper installation of the seal rings of the driver's air inlet chamber, resulting gas leakage.
5.      The air leakage is caused by the loose connection between the transition pipe and the cable
inlet pipe.

6.      During the backfilling of the pipe trench, large hard objects push against the tube causing it
to deform, increasing the forward resistance of the optical cable, even preventing the optical
cable from passing through.

7.      The incoming pipe uses recycled plastic, causing the pipe to rupture when injecting the high-
pressure gas, resulting in a lower air pressure. The speed of the optical cable slows down, the
optical cable stops moving, or even is pushed out of the crack.

2.1 Common Splicing Problems and Precautions

This chapter discusses common problems during optical cable stripping and splicing. Common
Problems related to Tool Used in Cable Stripping. There are six main parts.

We will start from the first part. The tools and the environment are not properly prepared. The
construction personnel do not lay color stripes on the ground during the optical cable roll-over
operation. As a result, the cable outer sheath can easily be scratched by gravel on the ground.

Part 2 Splicing Precautions.

Poor color discrimination results in wrong sequence of fiber cores. The subsequent construction
personnel cannot find the target optical fiber. Poor operation skills, the operator is unable to
understand the distribution diagram of fiber core, when the splicing machine has a failure. For
example, the offset of fiber is too large or the camera cannot focus. Failure to handle the
workload, delays the progress of work. Common problems of fiber cable stripping. The length of
cable stripping is too long or too short, which does not meet the design requirements. For
example, the length required for stripping is 1.2 meters, and the actual stripping is 0.6 or 2
meters, affecting the splicing operation or operational efficiency. Poor technical skills of
construction personnel and not using professional tools. Using a utility knife to peel the optical
cable. The optical fiber in the optical cable is damaged or broken due to excessive force. The
required cutting depth is not adjusted when using a special tool. Cut the optical fiber or cut the
optical fiber too deeply.

Common splicing problems.

Use miller's pliers to strip the coating off the optical fiber. The optical fibers are cut without
being cleaned. The end face is not properly cut. The depth of the fiber cutting blade is not
adjusted or the fiber coating is not completely stripped, resulting in the fiber not being
completely cut off. When the bare fiber is cut using a knife. The diameter of the bare fiber does
not match the slot size of the cutting tool. The end of the optical fiber is cut unevenly. If the
cutting angle is too large, the end of the optical fiber needs to be cut again. The diameter of the
bare fiber does not match the slot size of the cutting tool. Optical fiber splicing fails due to a gap
in the end of the optical fiber. After the end of the optical fiber is prepared, the face of the fiber
comes into contact with other objects or is covered with dust during splicing. Cracks will appear
in the end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber end needs to be redone, which affects the
connection efficiency. Fiber splicing personnel connect fibers. Using different core and cladding
diameter specifications, this will cause excessive losses at the splicing point. This may be caused
by different manufacturers, different optical fiber batches: different core and cladding diameters.
If the electrode is used for a long time or the discharge position of the splicing machine is not
updated for a long time, bubbles may occur during splicing, leading to excessive loss of weld

points. If the weld is too short or the end surface is uneven, the weld marks are uneven, leading
excessive loss of weld points. Insufficient electrode discharge or excessive fiber gap may causes
the fiber not spliced. The optical fiber is broken when the wind water proof cover is opened.
After the optical fiber is spliced welded, the hot melt protection sleeve is not completely inserted
into the weld point. The heat fixation does not protect the weld point. After the optical fiber is
spliced. The hot melt protection sleeve is not properly placed in the heating furnace or the
heating time is insufficient. As a result, the hot melt protection sleeve is not fully shrunk, which
cannot protect the weld splicing point. The pigtails are not placed in the correct position or the
heating time is too long when the hot melt protection sleeve is heated. As a result, the outer
protective sleeve of the tail fiber will be deformed. The hot melt protection sleeve is twisted and
fixed before the heating furnace is placed. The bare fiber is not in the linear state, resulting in
excessive loss of the splicing joint. After the hot melt protection sleeve is placed in the heating
furnace, it does not shrink successfully. Do not heat for the second time. The closure is not
installed properly. The construction personnel do not install the closure according to the design
drawing. As a result, the acceptance fails. The fastening screws of the connector box are not fully
tightened after the construction is complete. The sealing effect of the connector box is not good.
The label is not fixed in compliance with the specifications. After the connection of the closure is
completed, the installation personnel forgets to hang the fiber cable suspension plate at the
entrance hole of the closure.

 This is all for this chapter. Thank you.

2.2 How to properly strip and splice optical cables? 

This chapter describes how to strip, splice, coil, and install optical cables. There are four parts.

First, let's learn about the tool introduction and environment preparation. The construction
team members take tools and materials to the site, unload them, and move them near to the
operation area. Inspect based on the checklist. These are seven common tools used in fiber
stripping. These are the five tools and two auxiliary materials used for optical fiber splicing.
This is the material required for the installation of the closure. Use safety cones and caution
strips to isolate the area according to EHS site requirements. To ensure the safety of the
implementation. This scene is the optical cable connection of the closure in the manhole.

 Part 2: Optical cable stripping.

The purpose of this part is to grasp the correct usage of the cable stripping tool and strip optical
cables skillfully. Grasp the structure of stranded optical cables, and make the stripping operation
correct at one time. Use the key for manhole to open the manhole cover. Take out the optical
cable after confirming that there is no harmful gas in the manhole or other safety issues. Use a
tape measure to measure the length of the cable. The cable should be straight. Adjust the blade
depth based on the outer diameter of the cable by using the longitudinal cable stripper. Facing
the knife edge to the end of the optical cable. Hold the handle of the stripping knife tightly with
both hands and pull the knife along a cable axis. Cut the outer sheath of the optical cable from
the top down. Stripping about 400 mm length. Pay attention to the blade depth and do not
damage the cable core loose tube. Use the pipe cutter to cut the optical cable horizontally. Place
the optical cable between the upper and lower two rollers of the pipe cutter and turn the adjusting
knob. Ensure that the edge of the telescopic rod touches the outer sheath of the optical cable. The
distance between the edge and the longitudinal cut of the optical cable is 5 mm. Step by step
approach the edge of the knife and check the cutting area. Wait for the incision to be visible.
Stop and loosen the pipe cutter. Do not damage the cable core loose tube during the cutting
process. Use diagonal pliers to clamp the cable sheath of the optical cable. Ensure that the
vertical cut angle between the pliers and the optical cable is 45°. Crack the sheath with outward
force. Remove the other outer sheath on the other side in the same way. Remove the cable core
straps and fillers at the cable cut. Cut 6 ~ 8 mm reinforcement core from the incision. At the
Loose tube 10 mm away from the strength member, slightly scratch the loose tube vertically
using a box cutter blade. The index finger is raised slightly from the bottom of the cut part of the
loose tube. Split the loose tube from the scratched part. Pulling out the optical fiber by pulling
the optical cable at both ends. Use lint-free paper to remove the paste for 2~3 times and take
protective measures. Do not touch the ground with bare fibers to prevent them from being
damaged by dust or sand

Part 3: Optical Fiber Splicing.

Based on the characteristics of the installation materials. Measure and intercept the protective
sleeve of the bare fiber with a proper length. Routing bare fiber. Secure the cut ends with
insulation tape. Insert the stripped cable from the inlet hole at the bottom of the connector box.
Bind the bare optical tube with cable ties. Route the bare fiber to be spliced in the tray. Cut the
redundant optical fibers based on the position of the bare fiber protection tube on the splicing
tray. Install the sealing ring and the waterproof sealing accessory into the card slot. Fastening the
nuts using a fastening wrench and seal the cable apertures at the bottom. Use lint-free paper to
clean the optical fiber. Insert the optical fiber into the heat-shrink tube. Remove the fiber coating
layer from the 125 μm slot by using a Miller pliers. The stripping length of the coating layer is
about 3~4 cm. Clean the bare fiber surface with lint-free paper dipped in alcohol. Make sure that
there is nothing attached on the surface. Place the bare fibers in the coating layer of the optical
fiber cutter to 15~18 mm. Push the cutter to cut off the optical fiber and open the cover plate of
the cutter. Take out the optical fiber and complete the production of the optical fiber fusion joint.
Do not touch the cut end face when taking out the optical fiber. To avoid damaging the end face
and causing two cuts. Press the power button to start the splicing machine and enter the splicing
state. Open the windproof cover of the splicing machine. Insert the optical fiber into the V-
shaped slot of the splicing machine. The length must be in excess of the V-shaped slot. But not
beyond the electrode bar. Cover the lower pressure plate & close the windproof cover. After the
discharge splicing is completed, open the windproof cover and push the hot melt protection
sleeve to the pressure plate. Open the pressure plate and take out the optical fiber. Hold the fiber
fusion splicing section 1 cm and slide the thermal splicing fusion protection tube to the fusion
splicing position. Slide the heat fuse protection tube to the splicing weld position. Placed in a
heating tank for fixing. Take out after heating. Place the cooling tray for cooling. Keep your
hands steady when holding the fiber, otherwise fiber will be easily broken. Closure
installation. Insert the spliced optical fibers into the fixing slots of the splicing tray in the correct
color spectrum sequence. The rules of fiber management are first in the middle, then on both
sides. Use the hot-melt tube end as the starting point. Start the fiber coiling counterclockwise on
the left. To coil a large circle around the rim of the splicing and termination tray. On the right
side, the fiber length can be adjusted in a clockwise direction, which is convenient and quick.
Avoid sharp bends and loops. Use multiple types of fiber spools based on the actual situation.
Use the remaining fiber length and reserved space to coil around the fiber. Do not drag it. Use
the round ellipse  " CC ", " ~ " multiple types of graphic fiber disks (note: R ≥ 4 cm). Maximize
the reserved space and reduce the additional loss caused by fiber coiling. Place the splicing
information table in the socket of the splicing tray and fasten it. The connector information table
is placed above the splicing information table. Use the cable ties of the connector box to bind the
fusion information table and connector information table to the upper part of the splicing tray.
Insert the base part of the closure into the closure cap. Use the plastic fastening clip to seal the
connection part between the cap and the base. Then install the closure hanger on the cap body on
the closure installation position. Use the cable tag marked with correct optical cable routing
information according to the cable entry direction. Use a red cable to bind the cable at a distance
of about 5~10 cm from the inlet of the closure. The optical fiber tag should be suspended facing
right.

3.1 OTDR Test

This chapter describes the procedure and common problems of the OTDR test. Tools and
materials used for the test include the OTDR tester. Tested fiber, dust-free paper and alcohol.
Now, let's introduce the preparations for the test. Clean the end surface of the test fiber. Use a
piece of dust-free paper dipped in alcohol to wipe the end face of the connector for 2-3 times.
Connect the two test fibers using an adapter. Clean the end face of the FC connector which is
connected to the OTDR port. Test fiber connect OTDR. The teeth of the test fiber connection
OTDR connector should be aligned with the slot of the OTDR output port. Fasten the cables
after they are properly installed. Click the OTDR mark on the tester's display. Set parameters:
Set the transmission distance, Pulse width, and average duration. For details about how to set the
parameters, see the setting principles. Set the refractive index wavelength provided by the optical
cable manufacturer. Select wavelength again. The tester machine used this time supports two
wavelengths of 1310nm and 1550nm. And this time, we choose 1550nm. Start the test. Find the
serial number of the optical fiber to be tested on the ODF. Connect the OTDR to the optical port.
Click on the OTDR tester to start the average luminescence. After the test is complete, save the
information such as the optical fiber start and end point, fiber serial number and other
information. Use the same method to test the remaining optical fibers. Edit and save the test
results. Press the measurement icon on the top of the screen to move the A/B cursor. Move A
cursor to the straighter starting point of the fiber under test in the curve. Move B cursor to the
end of the line segment to the left of the end reflection peak. The attenuation per kilometer is
displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.

The following is an analysis of the abnormal curve.

1.The curve has a big gap, this may be caused by the fiber being squeezed at the big step. Or it
is because the optical fiber coil is too small or the fusion splicing quality is too poor.

2. The big angle may be caused by poor fiber quality and high attenuation. Or the optical cable
is too tight. The optical fiber is not long enough.

3. No reflection peak at the far end of the optical fiber. The possible cause is that the fiber may
be broken or the end is not clean or damaged.

4. The phantom (or ghost) appears on the curve because the measured optical fiber is short. Or
there are multiple mechanical connectors on the link and they are close to each other. The
method for deal with this problem is to decrease the optical power or increase the attenuation at
the end.

5. Positive gain occurs when the optical fiber after the splicing point is larger than the optical
fiber before the splicing point. Generating more backscattered scattered light. It is often found at
the fusion splicing points of fibers with different mode field diameters or backscattering
coefficients. Actually, the splicing point has loss. Generally, the value is obtained using the
bidirectional average method.

6. The slope of the normal curve is smaller and uniform. The curve is straight, no abnormality
exists, the fusion splicing point is not large, and the step has no reflection peak.

Common errors in the OTDR test.

1. The test fiber ends connected to the OTDR are not cleaned with dust-free paper dipped in
alcohol.

2. The teeth of the test fiber connector are not aligned with the slots of the OTDR light
emitting port.

3. The connector of the test fiber is not tightened after being installed on the OTDR light-
emitting port.

4. The test fiber is not fully connected to the excessive fiber and there is a gap between them.

5. The test fiber may be damaged.

6. There's dust in the live connection‘V’s.

7. No oil is placed in the ‘V’ of the live connection.

8. The end of the live connections are defective and irregular.