Avoiding Disaster in Fiber Optic Cable Pulling

The basic techniques for pulling fiber optic cable differs little from the approach used to pull copper or aluminum. However, fiber responds differently than copper or aluminum when pulled.

Caution One: Avoid Measurement Error!

The first step in pulling fiber optic cables is to measure and cut the material. Inaccurate measurements are a disaster in fiber cable installation. Fiber optic cable splices are way more critical than metal cable splicings. Minimum loss budget must be maintained in a fiber optic cable installation project. Thus, assumptions and guess work simply do not work.

Caution Two: Do Not Exceed the Allowed Pulling Load and Fiber Bending Radius!

Although fiber optic cables have been designed to protect fiber, it is still more easily damaged than metal cables and requires greater care during the cable pulling process. You simply can not afford to break fiber cable during the pulling process!

The physical characteristics of fiber optic cable must always be borne in mind during the fiber cable installation process. The two most important characteristics are tensile stress (pulling load) and bending radius.

The most common form of damage is a broken fiber in a fiber pulling process. In addition to that, fiber also can be cracked from too much tension. Always respect the fiber cable specifications during the process of fiber optic cable pulling!