Technical data

Which Cleaning Procedure should I use ? 5
Cleaning Procedures 29
Procedure A
How to clean connectors
Cleaning connectors is difficult, as the core
diameter of a single-mode fiber is only about
9um. This generally means you cannot see
streaks or scratches on the surface. To be
certain of the condition of the surface of your
connector and to check it after cleaning, you
need a microscope.
In the case of scratches, or of dust that has
been burnt onto the surface of the connector,
you may have no option but to polish the con-
nector. This depends on the degree of dirti-
ness, or the depth of the scratches. This is a
difficult procedure and should only be per-
formed by a skilled person, and as a last
resort, as it wears out your connector.
To assess the projection of the emitted light beam you can use
an infrared sensor card. Hold the card approximately 5 cm from
the output of the connector. The invisible emitted light is pro-
jected onto the card and becomes visible as a small circular
spot.
Preferred Procedure
An Optical Connector Cleaner, which ressembles a VCR clean-
ing tape, is a device that can be used to clean grease from the
surface of a connector.
1 Blow away any surface dust with compressed air
2 Press the button on the side of the Optical Connector
Cleaner device to ensure that a fresh strip of tape is ready.
3 Position the connector interface on the tape.
WARNING
Never look into the end of an optical cable that is
connected to an active source.
cleaning.book Page 29 Wednesday, May 22, 2002 5:16 PM