Power Meter 1310/1490/1550nm 0.01dB Resolution Handheld

• Zero Set Reference Storage Ability at Each Wavelength
  
• 2mm Germanium Photodiode
  
• Available with 1490nm Calibrated Wavelength
  
• Standard with 2.5mm & 1.25mm Universal Adapters
  
• 70-Hour Battery Life & Low Battery Indicator
  
• Protective Rubber Boot & Built-in Stand for Easy Viewing
  
• CATV Version Available

This manual covers Power Meters with 0.01 dBm resolution. The manual also covers single, dual, and hybrid Light Sources in both multimode and singlemode wavelengths. These units feature efficient circuitry for prolonged battery life, easy-to-operate button controls, and a high-impact case. This Hand Held Power Meters and Light Sources are
suitable for field installation and service work as well as laboratory use.

This product line offers a choice of three different light source variants - single wavelength (850nm or 1300nm LED, 1310nm, 1490nm or 1550nm LASER), dual wavelength (850nm and 1300nm LED, 1310nm and 1550nm, 1310nm and 1490nm, 1490nm and 1550nm LASER), and hybrid wavelength (1300nm LED and 1310nm LASER). Other dual hybrids are available per request.

This Power Meter is rugged, compact, and easy to use. Featuring a dynamic range of 70 dB for both standard and CATV variants, our power meters operate at the three most common wavelengths in the fiber optics industry today: 850, 1310 and 1550nm. FOSCO  also offers power meters in standard and CATV versions incorporating the 1310, 1490, and 1550nm wavelengths.

This Power Meter features a zero set function and auto shut-off. Included with the unit are a handy rubber holster and universal power meter adapters (2.5 & 1.25mm).

Light Source Features 

This Hand Held Light Source provides performance, durability, and flexibility. New features include:
• LED annunciators indicate currently selected source.
• “LOW BAT” Indicator which informs the operator when to replace battery – reducing a possible source of erroneous readings.
• Newly designed circuitry to extend battery life.
• Customer choice of connector style: multimode standard ST, singlemode standard FC and SC.
• Rugged solid rubber boot – ideal for industrial settings or use in field.
• Modulation circuitry provides audio-frequency 2-kHz square wave for use with fiber identifiers.

• Power save circuitry to eliminate unnecessary battery drain. Unit goes into sleep mode if no button strikes are detected for 3.5 hours. Unit may reactivated by simply hitting on/off key.
• Automatic sleep mode feature may be disabled by holding down “ON/ OFF” button for five seconds or until LED annunciator flickers.
• Non-volatile memory feature retains source and modulation setting from previous use once reactivated from sleep mode, or after having been shut off.
• 9V alkaline battery included.

Light Source Specifications

This Hand Held LASER Unit Sources have been designed to comply with United States Title 21, CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), Parts 1040.10 and 1040.11 for Class 1 emission limits. LED sources
• Optical Wavelengths: single LED source – 850nm or 1300nm dual LED source – 850/1300nm
• Rated Optical Power*: -19 dBm @850nm – min -19 dBm @1300nm –min
• Spectral Bandwidth: LED sources: 35nm @ 850nm – typical 140nm @ 1300nm – typical
• Operating Temperature Range: + 14º to +122º F (-10º to +50º C)

LASER Sources
• Optical Wavelengths: single LASER source – 1310nm or 1550nm or 1490nm dual LASER source – 1310nm/1550nm hybrid LED/LASER – 1300nm/1310nm
• Rated Optical Power** -1.00dBm (minimum)
• Spectral Bandwidth: 15nm @ 1310nm – typical, 15nm @ 1490nm – typical, 15nm @ 1550nm – typical
• Optical Temperature Range: -40ºC to +85º C * with 62.5µm launch cord **with 9µm launch cord

Power Meter Features

This Hand Held Power Meter provides performance, durability, and flexibility. New features include:
• Easy to read LCD display.
• Independent Zero Set function for each wavelength; user may conveniently store a unique zero reference level for each of the three available wavelengths.
• “LOW BAT” indicator that informs the operator when to replace battery – reducing a possible source of erroneous readings.
• Power save circuitry to eliminate unnecessary battery drain. Unit goes into sleep mode if no button strikes are detected for 25 minutes. Unit may be reactivated by simply pressing the ON/OFF button.

• Memory circuitry that retains wavelength and ZERO SET setting from previous use once reactivated from sleep mode or after having been shut off.
• Automatic sleep mode feature may be disabled by holding down “ON/ OFF” button for five seconds or until LCD annunciator flickers.
• Customer can order these adapter styles: ST, SC, FC, or SMA. Two universal adapters are included with each unit (2.5mm & 1.25mm).
• Rugged solid-rubber boot – ideal for industrial settings or use in the field.
• Easy to use pushbutton switches.
• 9V alkaline battery included

Power Meter Specifications

• Detector: 2mm Germanium Photodiode
• Dynamic range: 70 dB (+5 dBm to –65 dBm – Standard model) (+23 dBm to –45 dBm – CATV Singlemode) (+23dBm to –30dBm – CATV Multimode)
• Wavelength settings: 850nm/1310nm/1550nm 1310nm/1490nm/1550nm
• Operating temperature: +14º F to +122º F -10º C to +50º C
• Accuracy: ± 0.3 dB (+5 dBm to –60 dBm) ± 0.6 dB (-60 dBm to –65 dBm)

Accessories

• Adapters (Power Meter)
• 1 Reference Patchcord (included in Test Set Kit only)
• 1 Mating Sleeve (included in Test Set Kit only)

General Inspection 

Prior to shipment, this instrument was inspected and found to be free of mechanical and electrical defects. The carrier assumes responsibility from pickup to delivery. Should damage occur to the instrument in shipping, notify the carrier and FOSCO immediately. Verify that your unit is in working order by completing the following steps.

Light Source
1. Turn on the light source on and allow to warm up for five minutes.
2. Remove the plastic cap from the light source output port and connect the appropriate patchcord (multimode for 850 and 1300nm, singlemode for 1310, 1490, and 1550nm).

Note: By convention, jacketed fiber is color-coded: yellow for singlemode, orange, gray or another color for multimode.
3. Connect free end of patchcord to power meter and set for the appropriate wavelength.
4. Verify that light source output power levels read approximately:  LED Sources
-19 dBm @ 850nm (multimode)
-19 dBm @ 1300nm (multimode)
 LASER Sources
-1.00 dBm @ 1310nm (singlemode)-1.00 dBm @ 1550nm (singlemode) -1.00 dBm @ 1490nm (singlemode)

General Inspection (continue)

Power Meter
1. Turn on the power meter and allow to warm up for one minute.
2. Verify that the display is on. The display should read between –50 dBm and –70 dBm with the cap on (-45 dBm for CATV).
3. Remove the cap and verify that the power meter responds to variations in input optical power by alternately covering and uncovering the optical port with your hand. If the power meter is functioning properly, the power meter reading on the display will change as the level of light admitted to the optical port changes.

4. Verify that the display changes to dB when the dB/dBm button is depressed. Verify that the display changes back to dBm after hitting the dB/ dBm key again.
5. Verify that the display reading goes to 0 dB when the “ZERO SET” button is pressed

A word about Decibel (dB) and (dBm) settings

The decibel (dB) is widely used in the electronics and fiber optics industries. Used to express gain or loss, the decibel is a logarithmic ratio between the power entering the system or individual component and the power leaving it. The usefulness of such a measurement (particularly for fiber optic systems) lies in the fact that the effects (gain or loss) of individual components, such as amplifiers, attenuators, or lengths of fiber optic cable, may be easily determined prior to actual insertion in a fiber optic link. This makes calculating total system loss a matter of simply adding the individual loss or gain of each component.

Additionally, once total system loss (in dB) is determined, it can be used to accurately predict the output strength of any input signal, regardless of magnitude. The dBm, read as the “decibel referenced to a milliwatt,” is a measurement of emitted optical power. The dBm, although derived from the decibel (dB), may be converted to milliwatts (mW) using the relationships on the following page. Note: Power measurements lower in magnitude than 1mW are rendered as negative values in dBm (e.g: 0.50 mW = -3.0 dBm). Additionally, a power reading of 0.00 dBm is actually a high power reading equal to 1mW. LASER sources typically operate in this range. See charts on following pages for quick references.

Button Controls

Light Source

Button Controls (continue)

Power Meter

Taking Power and Loss Measurements

To take loss measurements in a patchcord (connectorized on both ends), you will need:
 1 Light Source
 1 Power Meter
 1 Reference Patchcord (cord #1)
 1 Test Patchcord (cord #2)
 1 Mating Sleeve

Note: Before beginning test, allow the units a 5 minutes. warm up time and ensure that all connector ferrules are clean. Fiber optic connectors account for the most significant source of loss (or attenuation) in fiber optic links. The loss incurred by a system due to length of the fiber used is usually negligible for short distances. 

To accurately measure connector losses, the “connectorized” end of the fiber under test must be isolated from the light source. This is necessary to more closely simulate the loss characteristics of the connector when joined to another connector – as it would actually appear on a fiber optic link. For this reason the use of a reference cord is necessary.

Step 1. You must first determine the power level of the light exiting the reference patchcord.
Step 2. Determining the loss of a patchcord may be done in two different ways. One way is to record the power (reference) level and perform subtractions. The second (and simpler) method is to use the “Zero Set” feature present on all FIS OV Series Power Meters. Both methods are described here.

Taking Power and Loss Measurements (con’t)

The set-up and first step for both the zero set method and for the subtraction method are identical. You must first connect one end of the reference patchcord to the light source and the other end to the power meter. Wrap this patchcord three to four times around the mandrel (or loosely around a highlighter pen) to disperse any light that may be entering the patchcord through the cladding (cladding modes).

It is very important to make sure all connections are physically secure and cannot move while taking measurements. Movement of the patchcords or test equipment involved will introduce fluctuating or stray readings. Securing the patchcords to a flat surface with masking tape is recommended. Once connections are physically secure, ensure that both light source and power meter are set for the same wavelength. 

You are now ready to read the reference power level (see Figure 2A). It is at this point that the two methods differ. If using the subtraction method, record the dBm reading (a form is provided in the back of this manual for your convenience) [Example: -17.1 dBm]. If using the zero set method, proceed to the next step.

Step 2. At this point, depress the “ZERO SET” button. Notice that this will have two different effects on the display. The display will simultaneously be set to read 00.0 and the units will change from dBm (power measurement units) to dB (loss measurement units).Disconnect the connector from the power meter and insert this test setup for Steps 2-4.

After obtaining a reference using patchcord #1, this setup allows you to measure the loss of patchcord #2. The use of the ZERO SET button in the previous step enables you to read the loss measurement directly from the meter display in units of dB.

Taking Power and Loss Measurements (con’t)

Remove reference Patchcord #1 from the power meter and connect it to the mating sleeve. Insert one end of patchcord #2 (the cord to be tested) into the open side of the mating sleeve and the other end of this patchcord into the power meter. At this point, you may directly read from the meter the loss (in dB) that would be incurred from inserting patchcord #2 into a fiber optic system.

Step 3. If using the subtraction method, you will not have depressed the “ZERO SET” button. After having connected patchcord #2, read the second power level reading from the meter display [Example: -17.5 dBm]. Subtract the first reading from the second [Example: -17.5 – (-17.1 dBm) = -0.4 dB]. The difference between the two readings is the typical loss (in decibels, not dBm) that will be incurred by insertion of patchcord #2 into a fiber-optic system. This loss figure represents the loss of one
connector and one mating sleeve as well as the loss incurred from the length of fiber itself. 

Step 4. It is recommended to take a second reading by switching the connector l ocations of the patchcord under test (patchcord #2) at the mating sleeve and power meter. Again, subtract the results from the reference reading and record this result. By averaging these two figures any potential error caused by differences between the two connectorized ends of the fiber under test (FUT) will be minimized

Troubleshooting guide (Light Source)

Troubleshooting guide (power meter)

Reference Form