Multifiber push-on (MPO) connectors have revolutionized high-density fiber networks. Introduced in the 1980s, MPO connectors have streamlined network installations, reduced time, and simplified high fiber count cable connections. However, their construction makes them vulnerable to contamination, emphasizing the need for proper cleaning practices to ensure their best performance.
Why Clean MPO Connectors?
MPO connectors are prone to contamination from dust, moisture, fibers, and fingerprints. Given their larger surface area, thorough cleaning is essential to prevent contaminants from spreading across fibers, ensuring best performance, and reducing insertion loss.
Regular cleaning of MPO connectors is essential to:
- Ensure Optimal Performance: Clean connectors support low insertion and return loss, ensuring high-quality signal transmission.
- Extend Lifespan: Proper maintenance reduces wear and tear, extending the life of the connectors.
- Prevent Network Downtime: Clean connectors minimize the risk of network failures, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.
Tools and Materials Needed
Before you start cleaning your MPO connectors, gather the following tools and materials:
- Dust Remover: Also known as canned air, use it to blow away loose dust and debris from the cleaning area and from the outside of the connector.
- Inspection Scope: Always inspect, clean, and re-inspect both ends of an MPO connector pair to avoid cross-contamination. Use a fiber inspection scope with an MPO probe tip and follow IEC 61300-3-35 pass/fail criteria.
- Fiber Optic Cleaning Fluid: Use a fast-drying, static dissipative cleaning fluid in hermetically sealed packaging to prevent contamination. This fluid helps dissipate static charges, making it easier to wipe away contaminants.
- Lint-Free Wipes: Selecting a high-grade, lint-free fabric wipe is essential to avoid tearing and leaving debris behind. Lower-quality paper wipes generate high static charges, further trapping contaminants on the MPO end faces.
- Cleaning Sticks: Use high-purity cleaning sticks for female connectors. Rotate the stick on the end face to trap contaminants. Dampening the stick with cleaning fluid enhances effectiveness.
- MPO Click-to-Clean Tools: These tools clean connectors with or without guide pins. Insert the tool into the MPO end face and push until it clicks. Each click advances a clean section of the internal cleaning ribbon, preventing cross-contamination.
- MPO Cleaning Cassette: Hand-held devices with a micro-woven cleaning ribbon trap dust and oil. Use for wet-to-dry cleaning by applying fluid to the ribbon and pulling the connector across it.
Follow these steps to clean your MPO connectors effectively:
Step 1: Clean Your Work Area
Clean the Cleaning Area: Blow away any loose dust and debris from your cleaning area and the outside of your connector using a dust remover. NEVER blow air directly into the MPO connector end. This could create static and attract dust and other debris that scratch and damage the delicate core inside the connector. Use a pre-staurated multi-purpose wipe to wipe down the areas to remove dirt, dust and other soils.
Step 2: End Face Inspection
Before cleaning, inspect the connector end-face using an inspection microscope. This will help you identify the type and extent of contamination. Always inspect, clean, and re-inspect both ends of an MPO connector pair to avoid cross-contamination. Use a fiber inspection scope with an MPO probe tip and follow IEC 61300-3-35 pass/fail criteria.
Step 3: Wet-to-Dry Clean the MPO Connectors
Electrostatic charges on MPO end faces attract dust, degrading signal quality. The dielectric nature of MPO connectors allows static build-up, worsening contamination. Dry wiping often generates static, attracting more dust. Wet-to-dry cleaning effectively combats static build-up and removes dust from charged MPO end faces.
Best Practices for Cleaning MPO Connectors
- Cleaning Sticks: For wet-to-dry cleaning, dampen the stick with fiber cleaning fluid. Insert the stick into the connector end face and rotate it six to eight times in one direction. High-quality tips flare on contact and retract, trapping contaminants. After use, fold the stick in half and dispose to avoid using the stick again, causing recontamination.
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MPO Click-to-Clean Tools: MPO click-to-clean tools have tips designed to clean connectors with or without guide pins. For wet-to-dry cleaning, touch the tool tip to a dampened optical grade wipe; do not apply fluid directly to the tip to avoid oversaturation. To use, insert the tool into the MPO end face and push until it clicks. Each click advances the internal cleaning ribbon, ensuring a clean and static-free connector and minimizing cross-contamination.
- MPO Cassette Clicker: Separate tools are available for male (with guide pins) and female (without guide pins) connectors. For wet-to-dry cleaning, apply a small amount of fluid to the ribbon. Pull the connector end face across the ribbon in one direction, from the wet to the dry area, to remove contaminants. Turn the device's winding wheel four clicks to expose a clean section of the ribbon before cleaning a new connector.
Step 4: Final Inspection
Inspect the connector end-face again using the inspection microscope. Ensure there are no remaining contaminants. If necessary, repeat the cleaning process.
Conclusion
MPO connectors have revolutionized high-density fiber networks, but proper cleaning is crucial for best performance. By following the proper cleaning procedures and using the right tools, you can prevent signal loss, extend the lifespan of your connectors, and minimize network downtime. Adopting the wet-to-dry method and using specialized tools ensures clean connectors that support high-quality transmission and fiber optic signal integrity. Cleaning during installation and meticulous maintenance safeguard the seamless flow of information in the face of growing data demands.