What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical Fiber

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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber-Mark Mullins
www.flukenetworks.com 2006-2017 Fluke
Corporation
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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
While it seems we cant drive the point home
enough that the number one cause of fiber network
issues and failures is contaminated connectors,
we hope by now that all fiber technicians at
least know that they are SUPPOSED to clean and
inspect every fiber end face before making that
final connection. But are you cleaning those
fiber end faces correctly? Lets take a look at
some best practices.
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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
Get the Right Tool for the Job
If youve ever seen a technician using canned
air or dusters for cleaning fiber end-faces,
youve witnessed a very ineffective practice. Not
only do canned air and dusters just succeed in
blowing particles around, they are not all
adequate for cleaning oils, residues, or small
charged dust particles. Instead, use fabric and
composite wipes made of lint-free material that
provide the absorbency to remove contaminants
from the end-face. But please remember to discard
wipes after its been used upa dirty wipe is the
next dirty end face. Yet beware of using wipes
aloneoften referred to as dry cleaningas this
can leave a static charge on the fiber end face
that actually attracts statically charged dust
particles. A combination of composite wipes and
solvent is really the way to gosolvents boost
the cleaning ability of the wipe while
eliminating the issue of static charge.
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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
Get the Right Tool for the Job
And yes, even the use of solvents have a best
practice when it comes to fiber cleaning. First
of all, dont use too much as it can leave behind
a film, and if you do, make sure to use a new dry
wipe to get rid of the excess (but not too much
dry cleaning or were back to the static charge
issue). And dont just use any old solvent.
Isopropyl alcohol can leave behind a
difficult-to-remove halo as it dries, causing
attenuation. The difference between specialized
fiber cleaning solvents and what you buy at CVS
is easy to see. Did you know that for cleaning
fiber end-faces inside ports or equipment, Fluke
Networks offers lint-free mechanical port
cleaning devices called IBC Cleaners in their
fiber optic cleaning kit? They come in three
different sizes for cleaning 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm and
MPO style connectors. Speaking of MPO style
connectors
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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
Beware of the Multifiber Array
Consider a multi-fiber MPO interface with an
array that features a much larger surface area
than a single fiber connector. Unfortunately,
this larger areas makes it easier to move
contaminants from one fiber to another within the
same array. And the larger the array, the higher
the risk. With 24-, 48- and 72-fiber MPOs used in
high-density fiber interconnects, the greater
number of fibers are more difficult to control
and not all the fibers always protrude at the
same height. Height variances across the fibers
can increase the risk of not every fiber being
properly and equally cleaned. When cleaning an
MPO connector, make sure the entire end face
surface touches the wipe. Apply medium pressure
and wipe in a direction perpendicular to the
array.
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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
Back to Basics

• While some of these may seem like the duh
  aspects of fiber cleaning, no blog on fiber
  cleaning best practices would be complete without
  these reminders.
• Never touch the fiber connector end face with
  your oily fingers
• Never touch the clean area of the wipe, cleaning
  fabric or swab
• Never touch the solvent dispensing tip
• Always were the appropriate safety glasses
• Always keep protective caps on unplugged fiber
  connectors
• Always store unused protective caps in a sealed
  connector
• Always discard used wipes immediately (cant hurt
  to say that one again, can it?)
• Always follow the golden rule of cleaning

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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical
Fiber
The Golden Rule?
Dont know the golden rule of fiber cleaning?
With the act of cleaning itself a potential
source of contamination, the golden rule is to
ALWAYS inspect, clean and inspect again. Even if
you think you have properly cleaned the fiber end
face, you still need to follow it. And if you
have to clean after the re-inspection guess
what? You need to inspect again.
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