Polywater Splicing Basics

The process of fusion splicing was developed in the late 1970s, and the process has only gotten faster, easier, and more efficient. The splicers themselves have drastically changed since the beginning, but the goals have not, clean glass with low decibel loss. Technicians who fuse fiber need to adopt good habits to achieve long-lasting quality work.

Cleanliness While Splicing

First and foremost, cleanliness must be on the mind of a splicer. Any amount of dirt, grime, or oil can significantly affect the amount of light passing through a splice. Quality cleaners are a great place to start even before the glass of your fiber optic cable is exposed. Products like Polywater’s SqueekyKleen will remove any water-blocking gels or powders and any other dirt or debris that could be on buffer tubes.

When it is time to clean the glass itself, many splicers still use store-bought rubbing alcohol. However, this is an outdated practice. Typical rubbing alcohol is about 70/30 alcohol to water. This can create a situation that leaves residue on your glass, affecting the quality of your splice. Polywater FO, which is 99.8% alcohol, is a better option for the modern-day splicer. This product leaves relatively no residue at all.

When using ribbon fiber, one cleaner is superior to all. Polywater’s QuicKleen has virtually no residue, fewer than 100 parts per million. QuicKleen also has no flashpoint, so it can easily be shipped and stored. In addition, the cleaning capabilities of QuicKleen are unmatched by any competitor. It evaporates very quickly, leaving your fiber in an ideal condition to be spliced.

Keeping your fiber clean is incredibly important to creating a quality network. Creating good splicing habits like making sure not to touch the glass after it has been cleaned is just as important as using quality cleaners. Anyone can learn to use a fusion splicer, but putting standards in place for your splicers to follow can make the difference between a lackluster network and a quality network that attracts and retains customers.

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