Fiber Optic Splice Closure

Fiber Optic Splice Closure: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

This article answers all the questions you have ever had about fiber optic splice closure. If you’ve been looking for information about this product, look no further.
You will find the most direct, yet detailed answers to basic questions, you often ask about fiber optic splice closure.
Without further ado, here we go:

1.What’s A Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

Fiber optic splice closure is a device that connects and protects fiber optic cables. You require it when your fiber optic cable is not long enough to reach the required distance.

You can use it either indoors on in the outside plant. More precisely, you can deploy it in networking projects, at building entrances, wiring closets, telecommunications, and even in local area networks (LAN).

In a nutshell, you will need a fiber optic splice closure when doing any project that requires the joining of two or more fibers together.

2.Why Is Fiber Optic Splicing Important?

Fiber optic splicing plays a very vital connection and protection roles. For instance, it ensures that fiber optic cables and joints are not damaged by harsh environmental conditions.

Outdoor splices closures are usually weatherproof and also have watertight seals. You, of course, know that cable connections shouldn’t come into contact with water. With splice closures, you won’t worry about water damage.

Typically, fiber optic splicing restores broken cables. Breaking can occur because of mishandling, many years of use, or even just as a result of harsh environmental conditions.

You, therefore, need Bwinners fiber optic splice closures to protect against any of these situations causing unnecessary damage.

3.How Does Fiber Splicing Work?

Simply put, fiber splicing works by making it possible to run cables that are too long. In such situations, a single length might not be appropriate hence joints at different points make the connection complete.

Fiber splicing also reduces back reflection and light loss that’s why it is preferred over other methods of connection such as termination.

Here’s an illustration of how it works. With fiber splicing, you can bring together four 12-fiber cables to make one long 48-fiber cable. If that is what you want to achieve, then you might have to consider making use of fiber optic splice enclosures.

4.What Is Fiber Optic Splice Closure Material?

A fiber optic splice closure is either made of a glass or a plastic core with a glass cladding surrounding it to help reflect escaping light back to the core.

The effect of the material used especially in cladding is to direct light back along with the fiber with no or minimal loss.

5.How Long Does It Take To Splice Fiber?

It takes a few minutes to hours to splice fiber depending on the cable size that you are splicing. Usually, smaller ones, for instance, 4-fiber will only take you 20 minutes to prepare and about 10 minutes to do the splice and coil.

For larger cable sizes, such as 48-fiber, you will take about 40 minutes in preparation and about one hour to do the actual splicing.

Note that the above time estimates are for 1 x fiber tech for each or per joint. For 2X fiber techs, the times are, of course, a little bit longer.

For smaller 2X fiber techs such as 72-fiber, you will take about 1½ hours doing the preparation and about four more hours in the splice and coil. For larger ones such as 144-fiber, it will take you 4 hours to do the preparation and about 8 hours in the splice and coil.

Note that the times we have given you here might be longer or shorter than given depending on your skills. If it’s your job, you might take a little less time. On the other hand, for a first-time installation, you might need more time to do the work.

6.Can You Splice A Fiber Optic Line?

Yes, ideally, splicing serves to connect or join two different parts of different fiber optic cables or lines.

If, for instance, you have a fiber optic line that can’t go to the distance you require, the splicing might help increase the length.

Also, if your fiber optic line is broken accidentally, you can splice to restore the connection of your fiber optic line.

If you want to create a permanent connection, you will need to use fusion splicing, but for a non-permanent connection, a mechanical connection is enough. You will get to know the difference between these two splicing methods in one of the next questions just here.

7.Is Fiber Optic Splice Closure Dangerous?

If you are an electrical professional, you probably understand the importance of safety. Most importantly, you need to be aware of safety hazards that go with fiber optics. The closure itself might not be dangerous, but you cannot ignore the data signals that fiber optic cables transmit.

You should know that the fact that fiber optic cables are not a source of combustion or heat doesn’t mean they can’t cause harm. For your information and safety, they can cause serious damage.

The light source in fiber optic cables is not visible to your naked eye. So, if you make the mistake of looking at it directly often, it won’t take long before your eyes suffer severe damage.

You should, therefore, strive to make sure that you are safe when handling fiber optic cables. Avoid looking at them directly and also ensure that no untrained person picks up a love fiber and looks at it directly.

As a rule of thumb, always observe safety regulations. It’s for your good and those around you who may not be aware of the danger.

8.Do I Need A Safety Kit When Handling A Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

Yes, while fiber optic cables do not necessarily transmit electricity, it doesn’t mean that they are completely safe to handle in any manner you like. As already said, remember that they transmit light that can damage eyesight.

Apart from the danger that you are likely to face if you look at them, there is another great risk that these cables pose hence the need to have a safety kit.

One of the preparation activities that you will do when splicing is cleaving the fiber. When you do it, a piece of glass is likely to fall from the fiber you have cleaved.

However, small it is, the piece poses a danger. If anyone rests of steps on it with bare hands or feet, there are likely to suffer damage. The piece will get into the skin, and before you know it, you are already infected/inflamed. It might take a few days, but it will happen.

So, to be safe, you need a special kit to protect yourself. Most importantly, you should adhere to safety guidelines. Don’t just cleave it and leave things on the surface.

Your safety kit should have safety glass to keep your eyes safe, a black working mat since it is easy to see fiber scraps on it, Teflon-coated tweezers, and a swipe for purposes of cleaning finer fiber trash. With a safety kit, you are safe!

9.Can You Repair Fiber Optic Cables And How Long Does It Take to Restore A Severed One?

Yes, it’s possible to repair severed fiber optic cables. You will repair it the same way you do when splicing.

The difference between broken fiber cables and normal copper wires is that you won’t simply crimp back or twist it together with the way you do for normal wires.

Here is how to repair it. If the fiber is damaged, you need to cute the bad section and then splice it into two separate parts together.

Concerning the time it takes to repair, what we can say is that it all depends on the extent of the damage. For serious repair work, it might take a few hours to restore the severed cable, but for simple damages, you might only take a couple of minutes.

10.Is It Possible To Splice A Multimode Fiber To A Single-Mode Fiber?

Yes, it is possible to splice a multimode fiber to a single-mode fiber. However, the process is not simple, and there are losses as well. The loss, in some instances, might imply improper work in the network.

To illustrate the loss, if you splice a multimode fiber to a single-mode, you will incur a loss of 20dB. Similarly, if you connect a 62.5fiber to a fiber with a core of 50 microns, the result will be a loss of up to 4dB.

Depending on the type of application you have, these losses can greatly impact performance. It is, therefore, recommendable that you avoid splicing a multimode to a single-mode fiber unless you have other valid reasons to do the splicing.

11.Is Single Mode Better Than Multimode?

Yes, a single-mode fiber optic cable is better than a multimode cable.

A single-mode cable often has a higher rate of transmission than a multimode. For your information, the transmission rate for a single-mode is up to fifty times higher than that of a multimode.

But why is a single-mode that better a multimode? Well, it is because a single-mode fiber optic cable has a smaller core in comparison with a multimode cable, which has a large core.

A small core is better when it comes to transmission hence it is good to use it if you want to connect a network of long-distance transmission.

So should you always use a single-mode cable? Not really. It all depends on the type of application that you have at hand.

Here’s our advice. If you have appropriate transmitters for single-mode connections and you are dealing with a distance that is longer than 10 miles, then consider single-mode fiber optic cables.

For short distances, a multimode cable will serve you better. It is an inexpensive option by the way.

12.Which One Is Stronger Between Splice And Knot?

A splice is typically a permanent connection, so it is stronger than a knot. It is, in fact, easy to undo a knot than a splice.

You should also know that a splice increases the strength of your cables while a knot reduces it even by up to 40%.

Fiber optic cables are also different from copper wires. So, you cannot create a knot as a connection between two fiber optic cables. It just won’t work!

13.What Is the Price of Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

Different manufacturers sell fiber optic splice closures at different prices. Most of them determine the prices based on how they make their products.

It is also worth noting that price depends on other factors such as cable size and type of closure.

Here is the process: Larger sizes tend to cost more than small ones. Also, when it comes to type, fusion options tend to be a little bit higher in price than mechanical.

One vital thing that you should remember when making a choice is that going for the lowest quote is not always the best decision. Quality and price tend to have some relationship. So, you might have to spare a few more money if you want the best fiber optic splice closure.

14.What Is The Difference Between Mechanical And Fusion Splicing?

When it comes to fiber optic splicing, there are two options that you can choose from. These are mechanical splicing and fusion splicing. While there is a slight difference between them, they serve the same function of bringing two or more optical fibers together.

Let’s look at each of them:

Mechanical Splicing
In a nutshell, mechanical splices are devices that align fibers together without joining them permanently. Their role is to simply hold the fiber ends in an aligned position that allows light transmission from one fiber cable to another.

Mechanical Splicing
A fusion splice refers to a connection of two or more optical fibers melted together. Essentially, a fusion splice uses an electric arc to perform two functions; aligning fibers and melting the same fibers together.

Which One Is Better Than The Other? You should choose either of these options basing on two important factors. They are different when it comes to cost and performance as well.

For fusion splicing, you need to buy a fusion splicing machine. The cost per splice ranges between $0.50 and $1.50, which is a little bit low.

On the other hand, you do not need a splicing machine when you opt to use mechanical splicing. However, its variable cost ranges between $10 and $30.

When it comes to performance, you can compare the two in terms of insertion loss or simply the loss of signal power. Mechanical splicing has a loss that ranges from 0.2dB to 0.75dB. This is a bit higher since fibers are just aligned but not joined permanently. Fusion splicing has a loss of signal power that is below 0.1dB.

Based on their differences, we can generally say that each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. So, it all depends on what you look at when making your choice.

15.Which Type Of Fiber Splicing Is Cheaper?

If you rarely splice, the cheapest option is mechanical splicing. However, it is worth noting that as the frequency of splicing increases, this option becomes increasingly expensive as well.

Why is that the case? Well, a mechanical splice is something that remains with the customer, unlike a fusion splice. Usually, the fusion option remains as part of the contractor’s tools. It can, therefore, be used severally.

The use of mechanical splice is thus good and inexpensive when the frequency of splicing is less. An increase in splicing means more money, hence might not be a cheap option anymore.

16.How Do You Complete Mechanical Splices Properly?

You need to prepare the cables well before splicing. Ensure they are clean and free from any damage or element that can cause damage later.

For a proper connection, you need to position the fiber ends correctly inside the splice unit. A mechanical splice usually has a matching gel that helps in coupling light from the end of one fiber to the other one.

Once everything is complete, you don’t need to worry about anything else. A mechanical splice has a way of protecting itself.

17.How Do You Complete Fusion Splices Properly

To complete fusion splices properly, prepare the fibers by stripping the coatings, clean, cleave them while making sure that the end is mirror-smooth, align, heat, and then finally make sure that you protect them.

You should also note that while a fusion splice won’t easily break during normal handling, you need to protect them from excessive pulling as well as bending forces.

It, therefore, makes sense to ensure that the last stage of your work when completing fusion splices is to protect the splice from elements that can cause damage.

18.How Do You Prepare Fiber Cables Before Splicing?

You need to first do a few things before splicing, if you want to get the best performance after splicing.

Preparations include marking the optical fiber to easily identify which cables go to particular modules. It is easy to avoid mistakes when there are appropriate markings on the closure.

You also need to find where the various modules are entangled. It is pretty easy to do so when there is a cross-over. After you get it, make use of a fiber organizer. You just need to attach cables to the organizer.

After you do all that, you can then go ahead to make the connection using your fiber optic splice closure.

Here’s a video for your reference:

19.What Is The Correct Way To Use A Splicing Machine When Creating Connections Using A Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

If you’ve been using fiber optic closures, you must already be aware of how the splicing machine works. However, if not, here are basic steps to follow when using it:

20.What Is A Joint Closure?

A joint closure typically serves as a branch out point in fiber optic splice networks. The main function is to splice fibers from a distribution point to a drop fiber and eventually to the end-users.

It can also serve as a straight joint for either micro cables or traditional cables. The appropriate cabinet design for a fiber optic splice joint closure is one that fits air-blown fibers in micro cables, micro ducts, drop cables, and, of course, the traditional cables.

The best conditions are physical protection, dry conditions with no water contact, a dust-free environment, and a position that is away from direct sunlight.

21.What Is Aerial Fiber Splice Closure?

An aerial fiber optic splice closure is simply an enclosure that is used outdoors, mostly on poles.

It is designed in a way that helps protect fiber optic cables from harsh weather conditions and theft as well.

If you’ve been keen to notice recent developments, you must have noticed that aerial fiber optic closures are common in communication lines/cables. They are those closures you see hanging out there on poles.

To match the tough outdoor environment, aerial splice closures are made of a little bit different materials from those used in typical types.

They have the following unique features that make them suitable for their unique use outdoors:

22.What Is Underground Fiber Optic Splice Enclosure?

It’s a product that serves to protect underground fiber optic splice closures. Ideally, it offers space as well as protection.

You can use it with direct buried applications and even in aerial ones if you like. Its unique cover is what makes it a perfect protection tool for joints underground. The base and cover have rubber fillings.

The entry ports of these underground fiber optic splice enclosures are sealed with parts of screw threads.

One advantage of these enclosures is the fact that you can re-use them without having to change the sealing material.

You can use underground fiber optic splice enclosures with your local areas network, communication networks, FTTH access networks, and CATV networks.

23.What Is An Outdoor Fiber Optic Splice Enclosure?

An outdoor fiber optic splice enclosure is devices for protecting fiber cable splicing outdoors. They generally have features that can help reduce damage in outside environments.

You will often find them coming in options depending on fiber counts. They also have a very wide capability range for a few fibers to even more than five hundred fibers.

When it comes to size, these enclosures are compact and highly reliable in offering maximum protection. You can, therefore, rely on them for damage prevention, especially in areas that often experience harsh outdoor environments.

So when do you use this device? If you are considering acquiring a fiber optic splice closure that you will use outdoors, then you need to get this enclosure as well. You need it for protection purposes.

They are specially designed to keep optical fibers from water, dust, dirt, and debris among others.

If you get the right type, you can be sure that your outdoor fiber optic splice closure will last for many years.

24.What Should You Consider When Choosing Outside Plant Enclosures?

Since their primary role is to offer protection, you need to consider if the devices you want to buy, indeed, meet touch protection regulations.

You should be aware that although a great majority of these devices have labeling that states its standards, you need to check them well.

You will often find a lot of enclosures out there in the market. Also, there are different modes of these devices.

So how do you decide which one bests suits you? It is simple. It depends on the size of your fibers, and how many of them you need to terminate or connect.

25.What Is A Fiber Optic Splice Box?

Also known as a splice distributor, a fiber optic splice box is a housing where fiber optic cables start or end.

These boxes are normally at the end of transmission paths.

One great component that the box contains is a splice cassette. Its role is to pick up fiber cables as well as their reserves. The cassette is removable. You might have to remove it, so you freely assemble fiber optics within the unit.

Another component is the front panel. It contains connectors that transmit signals through fiber optic cables. You can remove the panel when splicing the fibers to connectors.

You should also note that splice boxes do not just transmit data via the cables, but they also ensure that there is a power supply.

26.Which Company Makes The Best Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

If you want the best fiber optic splice closures, Bwinners Optical Communication should be your preferred manufacturer.

For close to two decades, the company has perfected the art of manufacturing high-quality fiber optic and FTTX products and metal fabrication.

As an industry leader, this company makes it easy for you to get the closures of your choice. You don’t need to try out different brands from different manufacturers when you have the best option.

To give you the best performance, their fiber optic splice closures are made of high-strength plastic PC or ABS.

Their closures are, therefore, the best in protecting fiber cable splicing or joints. You can also use them with a wide variety of applications.

You’ll also enjoy easy installations and great durability. They are the best when it comes to features such as resistance to ultra-violet radiation and protection against dust, dirt, and water.

27.What Can Go Wrong When Installing Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

You are likely to experience different problems with fiber optic cables, especially if the installation process is poor. Some issues can be easy for you to solve while others can even give you a headache.

Here are possible things that can easily go wrong if you are not careful:

Fibers Can Break
If you are not careful when stripping, it is easy for you to break fibers. Even if they do not break completely, it is easy for them to crack if you do not use appropriate preparation techniques.

High Splices Loss Due To Improper Procedures
When it comes to mechanical splices, a simple mistake, such as poor cleaving can lead to high losses. It usually happens if you do not follow the right procedures during the installation process.

Many Bends
If you apply a lot of force when pulling, the cables will likely suffer excessive kinking resulting in many unnecessary bends.

To avoid such an issue, you should avoid applying excess tension. Most importantly, ensure you stick to the recommended pulling style, so you avoid damages.

Poor End Finish
It is common for those using fiber optic splice closure to experience issues at the end of the ferrule or even internally.

These issues often arise as a result of a rushed splicing process hence causing a high end or internal loss. It is a common problem for those who use pre-polished connectors. So beware and take necessary precautions.

All these problems are things you can avoid. You just need to make sure that you understand the process of fiber optic splice closure installation.

Take each step with precaution giving attention to all safety guidelines.

28.How Can You Detect A Defective Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

It’s quite easy, and you do not need any special tool to detect any defects.

Simply have a look at it keenly, of course, using glasses, and if you happen to see a lot of red light, the closure is bad.

You should, therefore, consider replacing it with a new one.

29.How To Clean And Maintain Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

You can’t assume that your fiber optic splice closure will always remain clean. Like any other device, it suffers contamination over time. It is, therefore, good to know this and learn how to clean and maintain it.

Contamination of closures and cables often comes from handling, dust, oil, pollen, and other airborne contaminants that with time damage the connector’s end face.

Unfortunately, you can see most of the contaminants hence it is just prudent to schedule routine maintenance.

Each type of fiber optic splice closure has its cleaning code. The best cleaner you can use is isopropyl alcohol. It works best for connectors and even ends faces.

As a precaution, however, you should avoid excessive use of this cleaning agent. Additionally, other cleaning methods such as dry cleaning, may not be appropriate.

Stick to the recommended code!

30.What Do You Consider When Choosing Fiber Optic Closure?

A good Bwinners fiber optic enclosure is one that is durable and won’t give you unnecessary issues or headaches. It should also allow you to add more connections without any challenge. However, not all fiber optic enclosures can do that.

If you want to get the best fiber optic closure, you need to consider a few factors. They include but not limited to the following key factors:

Cable Ports
Many cable ports imply a higher capacity, while a few means that the closure can only accept a few cables. Usually, even if you do not need to use all the ports, getting a fiber optic closure with many ports is better since you can utilize the extra later.

Type Of Splice
Good fiber optic closures are those that allow the proper splicing of cables. If a mistake is made during the installation process such that the configuration of cables is not good, then there will likely be performance problems. It is, therefore, good to consider types of splice when making a choice.

Cable Management
You should consider a Bwinners fiber optic splice closure that supports easy management of cables. It eliminates any stress and also reduces the chances of damage during the installation process. Most importantly, it boosts performance hence it is good to consider this vital factor.

Cable Compatibility
It is very vital to figure our cable compatibility when choosing fiber optic splice closure. Good ones are those that accept a wide range of fiber optic cables.

Usually, it’s the design that determines compatibility that is why there are different types of fiber optic splice closures that have different designs.

Termination System
You should choose a Bwinners fiber optic splice closure with a termination system that can provide the necessary mechanical strength between the cable and closure. It should also have a material that can cushion against the effects of relative motion. What this means is that the material should easily expand and contract.

All these factors are very vital, and you should always remember them when you are choosing fiber optic splice closure. Don’t just look at the price, but pay attention to these very vital factors.