Damage to the outer skin of fiber optic patch cables not only affects the appearance, but may also threaten the safety of the internal fiber core and shorten its service life. To effectively extend its service life, protective measures must be taken throughout the entire process from installation, use to maintenance. First of all, when installing fiber optic patch cables, it is crucial to choose the right wiring method. Avoid forcibly bending or squeezing the patch cord in a small space, and leave enough slack when routing to prevent damage to the outer skin due to excessive stretching or bending. At the same time, for wiring scenarios that require passing through walls or cable troughs, use protective sleeves to wrap the fiber optic patch cables. The protective sleeves can buffer external friction and squeezing. Soft rubber sleeves or hard PVC tubes can provide physical protection for the patch cords and reduce the chance of direct contact between the outer skin and the rough wall and the edge of the cable trough.
In daily use, standardized operating habits are the key to protecting the outer skin. When plugging and unplugging fiber optic patch cables, pinch the outer shell of the connector and gently plug and unplug, and never pull the outer skin of the patch cord. In many cases, directly pulling the outer skin will cause stress at the joint between the outer skin and the connector, causing the outer skin to crack or fall off. In addition, avoid placing fiber optic patch cables together with sharp objects and metal tools to prevent accidental scratches on the outer skin. In an environment with dense network equipment in a computer room or network equipment, you can use a cable organizer to fix the jumpers in order to avoid multiple jumpers from tangling with each other and reduce the outer skin wear caused by frequent arrangement.
Regular inspection and maintenance of fiber optic patch cables can detect potential problems and deal with them in time. Every once in a while, carefully check whether the outer skin of the jumper is damaged, aged or discolored, and focus on the vulnerable areas such as the area near the connector and the bend. Once the outer skin is slightly damaged, waterproof insulating tape can be used to wrap and repair the damaged area. When wrapping, pay attention to the appropriate tightness, which can tightly wrap the damaged point without excessively squeezing the internal fiber core. If the damage is more serious, new fiber optic patch cables should be replaced in time to prevent the damage from further expanding and affecting the transmission performance of the internal fiber core.
Improving the storage environment of fiber optic patch cables can also help extend their service life. Unused fiber optic patch cables should be stored in a dry and ventilated environment, away from direct sunlight and humid environments. Long-term exposure to sunlight will accelerate the aging and brittleness of the material of the patch cable outer skin, increasing the risk of damage; while a humid environment may cause the outer skin to mold and soften, reducing its protective performance. When storing, the patch cable can be coiled into a larger ring to avoid damage to the patch cable due to a small coiling radius, and stored in a soft cloth bag or a special storage box to prevent dust and debris from adhering to the outer skin surface and reduce friction damage.
In the purchase of fiber optic patch cables, focusing on product quality and protective performance is the basis. Fiber optic patch cables with high-strength and wear-resistant materials are preferred, such as flame-retardant PVC or low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) materials. Such materials not only have good physical strength, but also have fireproof and environmentally friendly properties, which can better resist external wear and environmental erosion. At the same time, pay attention to the protection level of the product, and choose fiber optic patch cables with anti-stretching and anti-bending properties to provide protection from the source to extend the service life.
For fiber optic patch cables that need to be frequently moved or plugged in and out, additional protective measures can be taken. For example, heat shrink tubing is used to reinforce the connection between the connector and the outer skin of the jumper. Put the heat shrink tubing on the connection and heat it evenly with a hot air gun to shrink it. The heat shrink tubing will tightly wrap the connection part, enhance the anti-pulling ability here, and reduce the loosening or damage of the outer skin caused by frequent plugging and unplugging. In addition, protective springs or spiral protective sleeves can be added to fiber optic patch cables. These accessories can play a buffering role when the jumper moves, disperse external forces, and protect the outer skin from wear.
Strengthening the training of operators so that they understand the correct use and maintenance methods of fiber optic patch cables is also an important measure to extend its service life. In the operating specifications of the computer room or network engineering, the installation, use and storage requirements of fiber optic patch cables are clearly specified to ensure that each operator can operate according to standard procedures. Through training, operators can be made aware of the harm of damaged outer skin to fiber optic patch cables, so that they can pay more attention to details in their daily work, avoid damage to the outer skin due to improper operation, and jointly maintain the performance and service life of fiber optic patch cables.
