Cleaning and inspecting fiber connectors: what is the right routine?

Dirty connectors are the number one cause of fiber problems. Routine: 1. Inspect before you connect, both the plug and the port, with a fiber scope. Never look into a live fiber or a scope pointed at one: use a scope with a safety filter and make sure the link is off. 2. Clean dry first with a one-click cleaner or lint-free wipe. If a dust cap shows a film, use a wet-then-dry method with the proper solvent. 3. Re-inspect. Repeat until the end face is clean. Scratches or pits mean replace the jumper. 4. Never touch the ferrule; keep dust caps on until the moment of mating. 5. Do not bend fiber tighter than the manufacturer’s radius. 6. Record the test results with an optical loss test set or power meter for closeout. The IEC 61300-3-35 standard defines the end-face pass or fail criteria. — CrewRating Team. General guidance, not a substitute for your company safety program, manufacturer instructions or the carrier’s scope of work. If this conflicts with them, follow them and tell us so we can fix it.