Vodafone Group Plc Confidential

VODAFONE GROUP 2005

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Fiber Cleaning Procedure

Reference:

N/A

Version:

1.0

Date:

03-06-2005

Author:

Hans Konings

Department:

N&P-Technical Transmission Support

Filed As:

L:\Functional\Network&IT\Network&Planning\Tran
sportNetwork\Transmissie\Shared\Procedures\
QRG Fiber Cleaning.doc

Status:

Issued

Approved:
Signature / Date:

Fiber Cleaning Procedure

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Scope
This document summarizes procedures and methods used in fiber cleaning. It serves the following
purpose:

Provide installers and technicians with the proper procedures and methods to clean optical
fiber connectors.

Document History

Version

Date

Reason

1.0

03-06-2005

Issued

Document Distribution
Field Service Engineers
Switch Engineers
Transport Team

Vodafone Group 2005.

Other than as permitted by law, no part of this document may be reproduced, adapted, or
distributed, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of Vodafone Group Plc.

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Contents
1
1.1
1.2

Pre-requisites................................................................................................................. 4
Access to shared drives.................................................................................................4
Engineer competencies.................................................................................................4

Associated Documents..................................................................................................5

3
3.1

Introduction.................................................................................................................... 6
Scope............................................................................................................................ 6

Test Equipment.............................................................................................................. 7

5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2

Test Precautions............................................................................................................ 8
WARNING...................................................................................................................... 8
Safe Working Practices..................................................................................................8
Test Conditions.............................................................................................................. 9
Ambient Temperature.....................................................................................................9
Storage Precautions......................................................................................................9

Fiber cleaning guidelines.............................................................................................10

Safety and laser warning..............................................................................................11

Inspecting fiber connectors..........................................................................................12

Cleaning the fiber using casette tool............................................................................15

10

Cleaning sc/fc or lc port connectors using a swap.......................................................16

A.1

Appendix - Connector overview...................................................................................17

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PRE-REQUISITES

1.1

Access to shared drives

Prior to perform this procedure the following shared network drives must be available.
L:\Functional\Network&IT\Network&Planning\TransportNetwork\Transmissie\Shared\Procedures \

Note: It may be advisable to access the above drive(s) to have the most recent hard copies
of all referred documents prior to commencing this procedure

1.2

Engineer competencies

Engineers performing this procedure must be trained for, and familiar with, handling optical
transport equipment.

In addition the engineers should have read and understood this procedure prior to start
any activity.

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ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS

1) QRG Optical Power Measurement

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INTRODUCTION

Switch and Field Service Engineers of Vodafone NL shall perform (or are involved with) all tests
and checks detailed in this procedure.

3.1

Scope

This document summarizes procedures and methods used in fiber cleaning. It serves the following
purpose:

Provide installers and technicians with the proper procedures and methods to clean optical
fiber connectors.

WARNING:
Check optical specifications before connecting fibres (see QRG Power Measurement Procedure).
Failure to do so may result in unintended damage.

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TEST EQUIPMENT
1. CLETOP Cassette
2. CLETOP Stick Cleaner 2.5 mm for SC/FC connector
3. CLETOP Stick Cleaner 1.25 mm for LC connector
4. Lint free wipecleaner
5. CI-1000A Connector Inspector with adapters
6. Optical Power Meter

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TEST PRECAUTIONS

5.1

WARNING

0dB

Excessive light input will damage the photodiode in the sensor. Do not input light
exceeding the rated value of -8 dBm. If measurement is done on rated values above
an attenuator with sufficient attenuation must be used.

5.2

Safe Working Practices

The following safe working practices SHALL be adopted when working on any
equipment with optical interfaces. Personal MUST be Fibre trained before working
on any fibre.
1. Always ensure that optical power has been turned off (confirm using an optical power
meter) before viewing/inspecting any optical port, fibre or optical connector. Never rely
on the Automatic Laser Shutdown (ALS) to completely shutdown the laser; disconnect
the far end at either the Optical Distribution Frame (ODF), Wall Box (WB) or far end
terminating equipment (This may be an external supplier).
2. Never use a magnifying glass as an aid to viewing any part of an optical system, fibre or
optical connector unless absolutely necessary and point 1 has been carried out.
3. Handle optical fibre carefully as broken fibre can be very sharp. If the bare fibre is
exposed eye protection shall be worn. It is essential that bare fibre ends be kept well
away from eyes.
4. Maintain good housekeeping at all times. Protective gloves must be worn when
cleaning up pieces of glass fibre; off-cuts etc. shall be collected or swept up and
properly disposed of in a suitable container.
5. If it is required to inspect a terminated fibre end an approved microscope shall be used.
6. Use the approved method and materials for cleaning optical connectors.
7. Alterations to the equipment are not to be made without the required permissions.
8. Optical cards are not to be operated outside of the equipment sub-rack.
9. Maintenance/repair requiring optical source cards to be powered shall only be carried
out at repair centres equipped for the purpose. Vodafone use external suppliers for this
purpose Escalate to the appropriate Support Group
10. Optical measurements are to be made in accordance with the relevant Vodafone
acceptance specifications (See QRG Optical Power Measurement).

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11. When extending the optical power source by means of a test cord, the connection to the
optical power source shall be the last to be made and the first to be broken.
12. No person shall work on the equipment to which this specification refers unless they
have received adequate training.
13. Ensure hands are clean before handling any optical device or connector.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE:

FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE ABOVE SAFETY ADVICE MAY RESULT IN POSSIBLE
DAMAGE TO EYE.

5.3

Test Conditions

5.3.1

Ambient Temperature

The CI-1000A operates normally at an ambient temperature of 0 C to 50 C. Do not use it in

locations where it is damp or dusty and where there is exposure to active gases.

5.3.2

Storage Precautions

If the CI-1000A is operated at room temperature after being used or stored for a long time at a low
temperature, condensation may occur and cause short circuiting. Do not turn the power on until the
instrument is completely dry.
Do not store the instrument in direct sunlight or in a dusty place.

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FIBER CLEANING GUIDELINES

Protective dust covers should be left on the connectors when they are not in use.
Caution: Keep all interconnects as clean as possible. When cleaning fiber connectors,
be sure to use appropriate cleaning methods. Improper cleaning may result in high
attenuation due to dirt or dust, or may cause mechanical damage to the fiber end face,
resulting in decreased performance.

Use the following guidelines to achieve the best possible performance:

Visually inspect fiber ends for signs of damage.

Use COLD (no signal) connections whenever possible.
Follow the cleaning procedures in this document.
Keep connectors covered when not in use to prevent damage.
Use care in handling all fiber-optic connectors.
Always clean and inspect fiber connectors prior to establishing a connection.

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SAFETY AND LASER WARNING

Caution: The primary hazard of exposure to laser radiation from an optical fiber
communications system is damage to the eye by accidental exposure to the laser
source beam or from viewing a connector attached to an energized fiber. Before using
any fiber inspection scope, be certain that the fiber is not emitting optical power.
You can verify the fiber is not emitting optical power by using Optical Power Meter as shown in
figure 7.1 below.

Figure 7.1

Hot fiber DANGER

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Optical Power Meter with Cold Fiber

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INSPECTING FIBER CONNECTORS

Visually inspect all fiber connectors for signs of damage on connector and cable strain relief (see
figure 8.1).

Figure 8.1

For detailed visually inspection of a fiber connection surface a minimum of 200X magnification is
required for proper inspection. Figure 8.2 shows the Lightel Optical Fiber Connector Inspector CI1000-A.

Figure 8.2

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To inspect the fiber connector:

1. Verify that the opposite end of the fiber is disconnected from its laser source, using an
Optical Power Meter.
2. Use the fiber microscope to inspect the end of the fiber surface (see user manual inside the
case).
3. Use Table 1 to interpret the fiber end-face condition and the recommended action for
single-mode fiber connectors.
4. If the fiber end-face condition is ideal, no further action is required. If however, the fiber
end-face condition is not ideal, discard the fiber.
5. Using a video fiber scope, inspect the port on a module, if there appears to be
contamination, utilize a CLETOP Stick Type Cleaner to clean the port without removing the
fiber.

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Table 1.

Fiber End-Face Guidelines for Single-Mode Fiber Connectors

Fiber End-Face Condition

Guidelines

Ideal

No action required.

Dirt or debris

Reclean the face.

Scoring or scratches

Chip outside fiber core

Unacceptable. Reject the

connector.
If this condition is observered on
a optical Module it will need to
be swapped out and returned to
the supplier for repair.

Chipped face

Broken fiber

Chipped core

Cracked fiber

Rough surface

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CLEANING THE FIBER USING CASETTE TOOL

To clean the fiber using a cassette tool (Figure 9.1):

1. Hold the CLETOP cassette cleaning tool in the palm of your left hand.
2. Press the lever down using your left thumb. Do not release the lever. The CLETOP cassette
shutter door is now in the open position. (The shutter door opens each time you press the
lever, exposing a clean wiping surface.) See Figure 4.

Slot A

Slot B

Figure 9.1 Cleaning Fiber Using a Cassette Tool (CLETOP)

3. Insert the connector tip into Slot A of the CLETOP cleaning tool.
4. Press and drag the connector down onto the cleaning material without releasing the lever.
Ensure that the connector end is completely on the wiping serface. Swipe the connector once
in the direction shown in Figure 6.1. Provide a slight twist while swiping the farrel.
5. Lift the connector from Slot A and rotate the connector 90.
6. Repeat step 4 using Slot B.
7. Release the cassette lever. The shutter door closes.
8. In case of problems dispatch transmission support to use a fiber scope to view the fiber optic
connector to verify that it is free from dirt and dust (see Figure 5.2 on page 6):
If the fiber-optic connector is clean, it is recommended to re-isert the connector into the
adapter build out. If you cover the connector with a protective dust cover until ready for use,
make sure the dust cover is clean. You can clean dust covers by wiping the outside of the
cover with a lint-free wipecleaner (see figure 6.2) and the inside of the cover with a
CLETOP stick cleaner (see figure 7.1) before placing the cap over the clean connector.
If the fiber-optic connector is not completely clean, return to step 1.

Figure 9.2

Note: The dust covers are intended to protect the fiber from damage. If you cover the connector,
you must reclean the connector prior to use.

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10

CLEANING SC/FC OR LC PORT CONNECTORS USING

A SWAP

This procedure (only necesarry in case of problems) uses a swab to clean the sidewalls of the
bulkhead/connector and the backplane connector on the opposite panel. This action ensures that
when connecting a cleaned connector into the build-out panel, you are not cross-contaminating the
bulkhead/connector during mating.
To clean the SC, FC or LC bulkhead/connectors,use the 1.25 mm diameter CLETOP stick for LC
connectors or the 2.5 mm diameter CLETOP stick for SC and FC connectors.
1. To Clean the bulkhead/connector using a CLETOP stick cleaner (swab) insert the swab into the
housing and wipe while spinning the swab around the inside of the connector. Using a dry air
duster carefully blow the inside of the housing to remove any contaminents that remain.
2. To clean fiber face if unable to remove the fiber from the bulkhead/connector, insert the
CLETOP stick cleaner (swab), insert the swab into the adapter port with just a very little force.
3. When the CLETOP stick makes contact with the connector tip, gently twist approximately 720.
4. Remove and discard the stick.
5. Inspect the fiber with a video fiber scope.
6. Repeat step 2 as required.

Figure 10.1

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APPENDIX A Appendix - Connector overview

Connector Type

Picture

SC (PC) 2.5 mm

FC (PC) 2.5 mm

LC (PC) 1.25 mm

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