Specifications

Chapter 6: Fiber Optic Cleaning Guidelines
LMC5207A-R3
724-746-5500 | blackbox.com
Page 29
6. Fiber Optic Cleaning Guidelines
Fiber Optic transmitters and receivers are extremely susceptible to contamination
by particles of dirt or dust, which can obstruct the optic path and cause
performance degradation. Good system performance requires clean optics and
connector ferrules.
1. Use fiber patch cords (or connectors, if you terminate your own fiber) only from a
reputable supplier; low-quality components can cause many hard-to-diagnose
problems in an installation.
2. Dust caps are installed at Black Box to ensure factory-clean optical devices. These
protective caps should not be removed until the moment of connecting the fiber
cable to the device. If you need to disconnect the fiber device, reinstall the
protective dust caps.
3. Store spare caps in a dust-free environment such as a sealed plastic bag or box so
that when reinstalled they do not introduce any contamination to the optics.
4. If you suspect that the optics have been contaminated, alternate between blasting
with clean, dry, compressed air and flushing with methanol to remove particles of
dirt.