From the May, 2015 Issue of Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine
Automated Wireless Fiber Inspection
EXFO recently announced the addition of the FIP-435B Fully Automated Wireless Fiber Inspection Probe to its test-equipment portfolio. Users who download the ConnectorMax2 mobile application can turn their smartphone or tablet into a fiber-inspection solution, the company notes, "without any compromise in functionality or results accuracy." Users connect the FIP-435B to the connector port, and the probe will automatically detect the connection, locate and center the fiber image, adjust and optimize the focus and capture, run the pass/fail analysis according to selected standards, and save the results. "The whole process takes just slightly longer than cleaning a connector port, making it difficult to justify overlooking this critical step," the company says.
EXFO
exfo.com
Jonard Tools recently released the VFL-150 Visual Fault Locator Kit, which includes "a unique adapter VFL-25125 for both FC and LC connectors," the company says. "This pen-style VFL is specially designed for field personnel who need a portable light source tool for fiber tracing, fiber routing, continuity testing, to locate breakpoints (bending or cracking), and poor connections." The VFL works with standard 2.5-mm ferrule connectors including FC, SC, ST and LC.
"The VFL works in an OTDR dead zone and is used for end-to-end visual fiber identification," Jonard explains. "It operates either in continuous wave or pulsed mode. The kit is extremely easy to use." The company provides a demonstration video on its website. It points out the kit is not recommended for use on dark-colored or armored cables.
Jonard Tools
jonard.com
Mini FiberTOOLS OLTS by Greenlee Communications combines a GDLS355 laser or a GDLS350 LED source, with GRP450/460 Optical Power Meters that provide "fast and accurate OLTS insertion loss measurements," the company explains. Laser sources support singlemode wavelengths of 1310, 1490, 1550 and 1625 nm at -4dBm; LED sources support multimode wavelengths of 850 and 1300 nm at -20dBm.
"Long-term stability of the sources is specified to an industry-leading +/- 0.03 dB," the company says. "The optical power meters are available with Ge or InGaAs detectors, which are compatible with 2-kHz tone detect when used in tandem with laser and LED sources. This compilation acts for fast and effective fiber tracing." Greenlee also explains that power meters for the OLTS are calibrated from +3 to -60dBm, or +23 to -45dBm for high-power CATV systems. A thousand test results can be stored per wavelength, and subsequently downloaded via USB to the Greenlee Communications Records Manager for complete documentation and results management.
Greenlee Communications
greenleecommunications.com