Fluke Networks: Yes, preterminated systems do need testing

Fluke Networks has launched a series of reports it has titled "Truths About Installing and Testing Preterminated Fiber." It will be an 8-part series, the company says, and Part 1 is currently available.

Entitled "What Factory Cable Testing Cannot Tell an Installer," Part 1 of the Truth series includes the following statements about preterminated fiber systems: "Once delivered to the end user, the installation process exposes the cable to stress and potential damage that is beyond the scope of any factory test. If installers and network owners take a few simple steps, they can avoid performance problems and ensure that the manufacturer's warranties are upheld."

The report points out three real-world factors that, as Fluke Networks describes it, "will intercede to turn a cable assembly that 'worked when we shipped it to you' into a weak link in the transmission chain."

Those three real-world factors are:
1. Pulling cable through a rack or down a tray can break the fiber. Says Fluke Networks, "When the maximum pulling force on a fiber can be as little as 100 pounds, it is quite possible for an average installer to exceed that maximum and shear one or more fibers in a preterminated trunk."

2. The installation process creates a risk to the cable through microbending and macrobending.

3. There is a high likelihood of connector contamination or damage. "It is very common for the fiber endfaces to become contaminated in the course of installation," the report states.

The report lists inspection, cleaning and testing procedures that are considered best practices for dealing with preterminated fiber systems.

You can view or download Part 1 of Fluke Networks' series "Truths About Installing and Testing Preterminated Fiber" here.

Fluke Networks also posted a 30-second YouTube video summarizing the rationale behind its "Truths Part 1" report. You can see the video below.