What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical Fiber

-Mark Mullins

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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical Fiber

While it seems we can’t 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? Let’s 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 you’ve ever seen a technician using canned air or dusters
for cleaning fiber end-faces, you’ve 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 it’s been used up—a dirty wipe is the next dirty
end face.
Yet beware of using wipes alone—often referred to as “dry
cleaning”—as 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 go—solvents 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, don’t 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 we’re back to the static charge issue). And
don’t 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.
1. Never touch the fiber connector end face with your oily fingers
2. Never touch the clean area of the wipe, cleaning fabric or swab
3. Never touch the solvent dispensing tip
4. Always were the appropriate safety glasses
5. Always keep protective caps on unplugged fiber connectors
6. Always store unused protective caps in a sealed connector
7. Always discard used wipes immediately (can’t hurt to say that one again, can it?)
8. Always follow the golden rule of cleaning

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What is the best Practices for Cleaning Optical Fiber

The Golden Rule?

Don’t 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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 Thank You!

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