Resource Library
Absolutely. A signal loss budget or “optical power budget” can be a victim of either poor cleaning tools or poor technique. A few minutes with your OTDR will demonstrate that clean connectors improve (reduce) signal losses, particularly in respect to insertion loss and back reflection. WDM networks also enjoy reduced chromatic aberration. All this enables the…
Everybody asks, how to clean patch cables, also called patch cords or jumpers. But what they really are asking is, do I need to clean them, when they’re new and right out of the bag? The answer is yes, you do. Here’s why:There are three “P”s to perfect fiber connectivity:Perfect core alignmentPerfect physical contact (no…
High power lasers can destroy glass fiber if the fiber is not perfectly clean. This is called the “fiber fuse effect.” There isn’t too much written about this but it going to happen more frequently as optical networks evolve. The problem is more than just damaged fiber end faces. The effect also can kill the fiber…
All Sticklers™ fiber optic cleaning products are manufactured by MicroCare LLC of New Britain, Connecticut, USA. As such, and like all MicroCare products, all Sticklers™ products have an unlimited shelf life when properly stored. Proper storage is defined as in a cool, dry location, out of direct sunlight, and off any concrete floors.Every Sticklers™ product has a lot…
Most ultrasonic degreasers are single-tank systems containing a slow-drying nonflammable liquid, such as water, enhanced with a soap or saponifier. These machines are simple, inexpensive, and easy to use. But they do not deliver the highest quality cleaning because they have no way to rinse the contamination from the parts being cleaned.In contrast, vapor degreasing…
The short answer almost always is, NO, don’t do this. It can be extremely dangerous. YouTube has a number of videos showing people cleaning parts in ultrasonic machines filled with IPA alcohol. Here at MicroCare we always are amazed at this. It is absolutely not an acceptable industrial process.Some people use IPA alcohol or “white…