How to tell when you need a rugged optical fibre connector

Before deploying a solution, engineers will need to consider the realities of the environment in which the connectors will be placed. Is your connector likely to be exposed to any of the following conditions?

• Dirty, dusty or muddy environment
• Splashed, sprayed or even submersed with water
• Exposed to direct sunlight
• Exposed to freezing temperatures
• Possibility of being chewed by rodents
• Exposed to marine environment/saltwater spray
• At risk of being pulled, bumped, dropped or stepped on

If the answer is yes to any one of these points, it’s essential to consider all the options on the table to make the optical fibre connection more impervious to the elements.

Choosing a reliable rugged optical fibre connector that’s impervious to water, dust, temperature and shock will ultimately offer a return on investment. The downtime and maintenance costs that can be saved by preventing contamination or damage to these fragile fibres can add up to a large amount over the years. By ensuring the absolute security of the connection, you also eliminate the need to build any bulky enclosures around them.

There are a few different types of rugged connector out there on the market, but it’s important to choose one that offers the best type of protection required by the application in question. One important factor would lie in choosing a rugged connector with a standardised connection that does not require specialist equipment or engineers to terminate the connections.

Bulgin’s 4000 Series of fibre connectors accommodate industry standard LC interfaces – and with a diameter of just 19.7mm and a length of 80mm for both the flex and flex in-line options, it’s the smallest rugged LC connector available today. Once assembled, the fibre connection is UV resistant, salt spray resistant and sealed to IP68 and IP69K, offering excellent protection even when submersed in water.

Courtesy of Bulgin.