For any installation, selecting the right fiber optic cable is essential. The role of a fiber optic cable is to keep the fiber safe during installation and use. There are various different types of cables available. The amount of ease of installation, termination, splicing, or fiber protection, and most crucially, cost will all be influenced by your decision.

Simplex and Duplex

When selecting a fiber optic cable, one of the first considerations is the fiber mode required. The fiber optic cable’s mode explains how the light beam propagates within the cable. Because the two modes are incompatible with one another, this is critical. The difference between simplex and duplex is only one or two fibers. Because most fiber optic gadgets require two fibers to communicate, one to transmit data signals and the other to receive them, duplex patch cords are the most popular.

Multimode and Single Mode

Single mode fiber: The fiber optic cable has a core size less than 10 microns. This allows only one mode of light to pass through. The core allows light with wavelengths from 1310 nm to 1550 nm to pass through it. Since the cable only allows one mode to pass, there are very few reflections. This further reduces the attenuation rate and allows the signal to travel long distances, allowing the signal to travel farther, which is useful for television and telephone systems.

Multimode fiber: Multimode fiber has a big core ranging from 50 microns to 62.5 microns. Multiple modes are able to travel via these huge diameter cores. As a result, cables may carry more data than single-mode fibers. High attenuation and dispersion rates caused by several modes decrease signal quality over long distances. LEDs emit infrared light, which is transmitted through multimode fiber optic lines. For short-distance applications in buildings or campuses, these cables are frequently the primary choice.

Cable Jacket

LSZH stands for Low Smoke Zero Halogen. LSZH is a cable that does not contain halogen materials because these chemicals are toxic when burned. It has a special flame-retardant coating, which is stronger and has excellent fire-retardant properties of low smoke, low toxicity and low corrosion.

PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. PVC is the most commonly used jacket material in cabling nowadays. It is usually low-cost, flexible, quite strong, and is a flame-retardant and oil-resistant material, so it is the most common electronic cable sheathing material. PVC is an ideal jacket for cables used for direct burial, street lighting and control cables.

The environment plays a big role in deciding which cable to use. PVC cables have been used in control and power applications for many years. These cables are used in cabling systems for flat surfaces or for upright surfaces between floors.

LSZH cables are better suited to places where there is a risk of a fire. Consider that the smoke and gas created by a fire are the primary dangers. To avoid a potential fire, the installed equipment and materials must limit gas and smoke as much as feasible.

Connectors

LC — A Lucent connector (LC) has a ferrule that is 1.25 mm in diameter, which is half the size of a SC or ST connector. The LC connector has the same features as the SC, but the ferrule diameter is twice as large, making it easier to utilize in narrow spaces.

SC — A snap-in connector with a diameter of 2.5 mm. SC connectors are larger than LC connectors, as previously stated. Some types of fiber optic extenders use SC connectors, while LC connectors are more popular. Because of their ease of installation, durability, and low cost, SC connections are becoming increasingly popular. They’re used in optical networks that are both passive and point-to-point.

ST — Because it was the first connector developed for commercial wire purposes, the connector is famous for its round shape and has been popular for a long time, however it is fast dwindling in popularity. . It’s similar in size to the SC connection. Because it is normally twist secured, the ST connector is sometimes known as a bayonet connector.

Baudcom offers all kinds of Fiber Optic Cables. For more information, please feel free to contact us.