Types of outdoor fiber optic cable

We may quite familiar with indoor fiber optic cable, because it is an indispensable part of our daliy life. But for outdoor fiber optical cables, there are many factors needed to be considered, such as Ultraviolet, specific environment and etc. Different outdoor fiber optic cable matches for different environment. So what are they? And how they apply? This article would put emphasis on introducing the following four types of outdoor fiber optic cable, both singlemode fiber outdoor cables and multimode fiber outdoor cables are fully covered.

Aerial outdoor cable

Aerial outdoor cable is a kind of fiber optic cable, which is designed to be easier to install and faster to terminate than loose tube cables. 900-µm tight-buffered cables (one kind of aerial outdoor cable) are UL riser- and plenum-rated fiber optic patch cable, which are specially suited for duct and aerial installation points. No transition points are required at the building entrance.

The construction of this kind of fiber optic patch cord consists of color-coded buffered fibers surrounded by water-swellable aramid-strength members and a ripcord under an overall UV-resistant, flame-retardant black jacket. Bundles of six or 12 fibers are used for cables with fiber counts over 24. A water-swellable tape barrier provides additional water-blocking to protect the interstices from axial moisture migrations. Cables are available with fiber counts ranging from 6 to 48. Distribution cables include a selection of 62.5/125 µm and 50/125 µm multimode outdoor cables cables and singlemode outdoor cables enhanced.

Dry water-blocking outdoor cables

Being exploited by a dry water-blocking technology, dry water-blocking outdoor cables are designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions. This kind of fiber optic cable is suitable for use within buildings, for outdoor installations or transitional aerial and duct applications, and for entrance facilities that require riser- or plenum-rated cable. An all-dielectric construction requires no grounding or bonding, while an armored cable construction has interlocking aluminum armor that eliminates the need for innerduct or conduit. The RoHS-compliant cable is available in singlemode (meets OS1 and proposed OS2 standards) and multimode (OM1, OM2, and10-Gbits/sec laser optimized OM3) types, and in fiber counts up to 144. This kind of fiber optic patch cable is an optimal choice under harsh environment.

Plenum outdoor cables

Plenum outdoor cables are flame-retardant and suitable for aerial, duct, riser and plenum installations. No transition splice is required when entering the building from a dedicated outside plant cable. Part of the company's LANs solutions, these cables feature 250-µm color-coded fibers for simplified identification during installation. The loose tube design provides mechanical and environment durability, and the cable's all-dielectric construction requires no grounding or bonding. This kind of fiber optic cable is available with 12 to 60 fibers and in 62.5- and 50-µm (including laser-optimized) and singlemode fiber outdoor versions, along with a flexible, flame-retardant, UV-resistant jacket.

Outdoor cable for factory

Featuring a proprietary pressure-extruded (core-locked) tightly bound outer jacket that firmly binds all fibers together so that the cable moves as a solid, rope-like unit, these tight-buffered cables are suited for industrial applications. This kind of fiber optic cable is designed with flex resistance of thousands of cycles, crush resistance of 2200 N/cm, the ability to withstand 1,000 impacts, and tensile load rating exceeding a ton. They are also constructed to withstand caustic and volatile chemicals, excessive moisture and fungus, UV exposure, and operating temperatures ranging from -55℃to 124℃. They are perfect options for factory environment.