Fiber optic cables guide

This article gathers basic information about fiber-optic cables offered by DIPOL. The short guide is designed to help you choose the best cable for your needs resulting from the requirements for your installation.

The basic criterion for the division of optical fibers can be the possibility of installing them inside or outside buildings. So we can distinguish:

In addition, two subgroups of outdoor cables with special properties and for special applications can be distinguished:

Most of the offer of cables for indoor applications are FTTH subscriber cables with a fiber number of 2J or 4J. They are used in multi-family buildings and for connecting individual customers to the main network. Cables of this type can also be used for the implementation of point-to-point connections in office installations, factories, etc. The advantage of this type is small size (usually the external diameter does not exceed 3 mm). However, it should be noted that in many cases a better idea is to use universal cables. Universal cables with more solid construction have more fibers and can be extended outside buildings.

There are two kinds of indoor cables with different construction (of course each of them can have different number of fibers, color etc.):

When implementing indoor installations, a very important issue is the verification of the cable marking in accordance with EN50575. This standard defines the flammability classes of cables. Cables used inside buildings must be marked as "E" or higher ("D" etc.). More on this subject you can find here.

Due to PE coating – flammability class F according to EN50575 – the cables cannot be used inside buildings. The cables are resistant to weather conditions and UV radiation. In this category, DIPOL offers Optix self-supporting cables perfect for overhead lines, and A-DQ(ZN)B2Y Draka cables for other purposes.
The Optix cables can also be used in other than overhead applications, but are not intended for in-ground lines, as they do not contain hydrofobic gel. Both the Optix and Draka cables are characterized by high allowable pulling force that can be applied during installation works. The special features of Optix cables include a small diameter (ca 3 mm) and a small minimum bending radius.

DRAKA A-DQ(ZN)B2Y cables can be used in nearly all outdoor installations. They can be laid in the ground even without any protective means (however, the use of protective tubes etc. is recommended in the case of all cables), as well as can be installed on roofs and facades, in underground ducts etc. Main features of the cables:

These cables, despite their relatively high strength, are easy to install. The only tool recommended for preparing fibers for splicing is the Ideal L5922 stripper that allows you to safely open the central tube. The outer jacket can be cut with the same tool or with any sharp knife. You can use the ripcord to rip the cable longitudinally.

DRAKA U-DQ(ZN)BH universal fiber-optic cables are designed for indoor and outdoor use. The halogen-free LSZH sheath meets flammability criteria applicable for installations in buildings. This eliminates the need to create additional transitions, splices and cable distribution frames at the junction of the external and internal networks.

Typical universal cable: DRAKA U-DQ(ZN)BH 4E L76004

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DRAKA universal cables have most of the advantages of oudoor cables. The fibers are contained in a central gel-filled tube. The gel in the tube is a kind of protective coating for optical fibers, which absorbs mechanical stresses and protects against environmental factors. The aramid yarn is designed to protect the central tube and fibers from mechanical damage, including risks posed by rodents.

DRAKA universal cables have excellent strength parameters in comparison with similar types of cables from other manufacturers. The maximum installation pull force is 2000 N, which makes them only slightly less resistant than typical outdoor cables. The outer jacket is resistant to UV radiation, but in the long-term perspective, cables in PE sheath will behave better in this respect. For this reason, we recommend to use additional protection measures to protect the universal cables against direct sunlight.

Cables of this type remain the most popular product among all optical cables offered by DIPOL. They are used for point-to-point connections in local LANs, all types of building network backbones, in CCTV installations with cameras located both inside and outside buildings.

The possibility of burying a cable directly in the ground is a feature that is taken into account when the time to complete the installation is short and/or the low cost of performing the service is of primary importance. DAC (Direct Access Cable) ground cables have a sheath made of highly foamed polyethylene (HDPE). They are therefore stiff and very resistant to a mechanical damage (4000 N crush resistance). Two FRP rods with a diameter of 0.9 mm additionally protect the cable against breaking, which is crucial when the cable is buried directly in the ground (freezing and thawing of the ground, movements caused by cyclic shocks caused e.g. by passing cars, penetration of rainwater into the ground, etc.).

Typical ground cable: DAC L79202

These cables have so-called Water Block (WB) construction, blocking the internal flow of water along the cable.

Despite the high mechanical resistance, the DAC cables offered by DIPOL are very easy to install. No dedicated tools are required to remove the outer sheath: similarly to outdoor and universal cables you can use the Ideal L5922 stripper (to perform a cut of several centimeters along the central tube) and a pair of pliers (to tear up the outer sheath with FRP rods).

Self-supporting cables, in addition to the functions typical for outdoor cables, offer the option of long spans in aerial installations without the need for additional messenger wires.

The cables, in addition to the high maximum pulling force during installation (800 N), are characterized by relatively high resistance to crushing and bending.