terminating fiber

goodcooper

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
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i've never done this before, i've always just bought fiber with ends on it, even for a longer 100ft run, i just pull the cable with the ends on it...

well, i've got some sites where i really need to run aerial fiber between some buildings, 5 buildings to be exact, so 4 aerial fiber runs, terminating into switches in each building... (actually i may add a 5th as well for a 6th building)

what all is required these days, i literally don't have any trancievers for my switches or anything, the goal is 1 gbps (would be nice to be able to run 10gbps in the future), the distance is probably <100m between every building (the last run may be 200m)

what tools/fiber/transceivers would be needed for this? obviously i'm trying to keep costs low by not going underground, plus there is currently stuff underground and we're having lots of problems... as they are temporary buildings (could very well be gone in 10 years) i think aerial fiber would be fine...

i get conflicting reports on whether i need to actually have a fusion splicer or not, i really don't know anything about this... educate me [H]
 
call a professional.

This. There's a handful of expensive tools that go with terminating the fiber. Unless you want to buy those tools and get training you're better off just paying a professional.
 
It will be cheaper to hire a professional that already has the tools to terminate the fiber. Now days you don't need to fusion splice. They make kits that *crimp* on.
 
i'm expecting and WANT to buy the tools...

any more information on these crimp kits?
 
i'm expecting and WANT to buy the tools...

any more information on these crimp kits?

A low end fiber certifier kit costs about $16,000. A low end fiber termination kit costs about $1,500. Then you actually have to buy the cable and ends. Still want to buy the tools?
 
i you don't know, just say "i don't know"
I do know.
Unless you're willing to drop big bucks (and I mean $10,000+) on tools and training (like going to a class and getting certified)....

CALL A PROFESSIONAL
 
They aren't blowing you off OP. This really is the type of job that you want to subcontract out until you can get properly certified technicians on your team along with the equipment.

Also, while you can get a mechanical connection, you really want to go fusion spliced. Less noise, far more reliable. To often "temporary" ends up being semi-permanent or permanent, so do the wiring as if those buildings will be there 100 years from now.
 
A low end fiber certifier kit costs about $16,000. A low end fiber termination kit costs about $1,500. Then you actually have to buy the cable and ends. Still want to buy the tools?

for the low end kit? that sounds reasonable! the job's been quoted for $6k now, so yea

as with anything else, i like to add skills to my resume, as i could see using this skillset as i continue my career, period..
 
OP, it isn't enough to invest in the tooling. You must also invest in the testing equipment. With testing equipment there are maintenance contracts. Then there is the training. Unless you will be terminating multiple fiber pairs on a regular basis it simply is not cost effective. The cost of subbing out a dozen terminations is less than a year of maintenance for the testing equipment.
 
lol

This will be good... Fiber isn't copper. Hire a pro. Seriously. If you want to be a fiber guy, go get training as a fiber guy and go work for a cabling co. Seriously, I would never try and splice fiber on anything but shits and giggles experiment.
 
for the low end kit? that sounds reasonable! the job's been quoted for $6k now, so yea

as with anything else, i like to add skills to my resume, as i could see using this skillset as i continue my career, period..

I'm sure 6K isn't just for termination. If it is, run far away and find another contractor. What's included in the price?

For example. I recently had 6 pair of armoured fiber run from the our ground floor the a 3rd floor lab.

The job included:

Armoured SM fiber 6 pair
2 1U shelves (12 pair each if I recall so I have room to expand)
Fiber patches for shelf to equipment (12 total)
labor for pulling the fiber (I won on this big time as they estimated 3 hours and it took it 8)
installing the shelves
termination and testing the fiber
** warranty for all the above **

The material costs was $1341.50 and labor was $375.00.
 
OP, it isn't enough to invest in the tooling. You must also invest in the testing equipment. With testing equipment there are maintenance contracts. Then there is the training. Unless you will be terminating multiple fiber pairs on a regular basis it simply is not cost effective. The cost of subbing out a dozen terminations is less than a year of maintenance for the testing equipment.

and if that's what it takes then you're right, at least that's how i've always thought... never worth it...

but these days people say it's not a big deal to crimp your own... thus the thread... times may have changed, just trying to make sure
 
for the low end kit? that sounds reasonable! the job's been quoted for $6k now, so yea

as with anything else, i like to add skills to my resume, as i could see using this skillset as i continue my career, period..

Terminating fiber as a skill will impress one person and one person only: a hiring manager at a company providing cabling services. It is not the marketable talent you think it is to anybody else. It is a commodity service that should be outsourced unless you want to do this yourself, which, people have told you the tools necessary to doing this RIGHT is minimum $10K. It is a waste of time and money unless you're working for a cabling which they will likely teach you to do it.
 
I've watched our field techs terminate fiber. I wouldn't say it's hard but I would suggest getting at least some training first if you really want to do it yourself.
 
It will be cheaper to hire a professional that already has the tools to terminate the fiber. Now days you don't need to fusion splice. They make kits that *crimp* on.

BARF

you don't have to fusion splice, as someone who occasionally has to certify fiber for loss, fusion > *

period. not even close

I spent a month this year at work having crimp ons removed and new pigtails fusioned in so I could get links up.


can you not trench this stuff underground? aerial....also barf

trenchers are freaking CHEAP to rent

code for telcom is usually only 12-24" depending on location
 
I spent a month this year at work having crimp ons removed and new pigtails fusioned in so I could get links up.

:rolleyes: Do you want a cookie? :rolleyes:

We never said crimp-ons were better than fusion, just that it doesn't have to be done in all cases.
 
as with anything else, i like to add skills to my resume, as i could see using this skillset as i continue my career, period..

Unless continuing your career means becoming a fibre installer, there's better ways to blow $15,000+ for the sake of your career.
 
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