Repairing fiber optic cables: What you need to know

If your fiber optic cable is damaged, you may be able to repair it yourself. However, you will need special equipment and tools.

Repairing fiber optic cables with these materials

If you accidentally cut the fiber optic cable, rodents have gnawed on it, or some other physical force has been applied, you may be able to repair it yourself. You will need the following materials to repair a defective fiber optic cable:

• You will need an OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) to locate the fault.

• You will need a fiber optic cutter and a fiber stripper to cut and splice optical fibers. These tools can also be used for other applications.

• You also need a fiber cleaver. This is used to cut the glass fibers and prepare the fibers for connectors.

• With a fusion splicer, you connect two optical fibers with heat. Both fibers merge in this way, so that the light is not scattered. It can then not be reflected back from the splice site.

Instructions: How to repair a broken fiber optic cable

The equipment needed to repair a broken fiber optic cable is expensive. Only purchase the materials if you are technically skilled and have the expertise to carry out the following steps. Otherwise, it is advisable to hire a specialist company to carry out the repair.

• Use the OTDR according to the operating instructions to locate the defect in the fiber optic cable. Use it to search for the break. The device sends a light pulse into the cable. If the pulse encounters an interruption, it is deflected back to the device and reported.
•  Once you have found the defective point with the OTDR, cut around the damaged section of the fiber optic cable with the fiber optic cable cutter and cut out the point.
• Strip the fibers of the now open end with the stripping tool. Then remove the jacket. Cut it and the underlying yarn with the fiber optic cutter. Be careful when doing so. This step exposes the inside of the fiber optic.
• Then use the fiber cutter to cut off the damaged parts at the ends of the fibers. Please refer to the instructions for use for the fiber-breaking device to split the fibers.
• After that, you must clean the stripped fiber optic cable. Use some rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth for this.
• Spleißen Sie das Glasfaserkabel entweder mechanisch oder per Fusionsspleißen. Für die mechanische Verbindung stecken Sie den Inline-Spleiß-Schnellssteckerverbinder auf die Faser. Positionieren Sie die Faserenden so, dass das Licht von einer Faser in die andere dringt. Für die andere Variante nutzen Sie das Fusionsspleißgerät. To do this, guide the fusion splice protection onto the fiber. Now insert the fibers to be spliced. The fiber ends are welded.
• Finally, use the OTDR again to perform a connection test. If everything is OK, you can bury the fiber optic cable again.
• If the internet does not work afterwards, it may also be a fault on the part of Deutsche Glasfaser. Check this first before digging up the cable again and starting the troubleshooting process all over again.