OWL VOLT-1 User manual

OPTICAL WAVELENGTH LABORATORIES

MANUFACTURER OF QUALITY OPTICAL FIBER TEST EQUIPMENT

O.W.L.

Visual Optical Length

Tester (VOLT)

Operations Manual

Version 1.0

November 28, 2001

OWL Part VOLT-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Functional Diagram

Diagram Descriptions

PRECAUTIONS

Safety Precautions

Operational Precautions

REQUIRED ACCESSORIES

Cleaning Supplies

Patch Cords

APPLICATIONS

Fiber Length Measurement

Visual Fiber Identification

Visual Fault Location

OPERATION

Fiber Length Measurement

Visual Fiber Identification

Visual Fault Location

MAINTENANCE AND CALIBRATION PROCEDURES

Repair

Battery Replacement

Cleaning

Re-calibration

Warranty

SPECIFICATIONS

CONVERSION FACTORS

LASER WARNING / SERIAL NUMBER INFORMATION

CONTACT INFORMATION

This symbol signifies a potentially dangerous operation.

This symbol signifies a tip or suggestion for ease of use.

Extreme

caution must be exercised when performing this operation.

SYMBOLS

Page

GENERAL

This manual describes the operation of the VOLT (Visual Optical Length Tester). The

VOLT is designed to measure the length of single mode and multi-mode fibers. It uses

a “round robin” technique for fiber measurement; i.e. it loops back two fibers in the

same fiber cable with a patch cord. The round trip time of the optical pulse is

converted to kilometers, then divided by two to give the length of the fiber cable.

There is no need to measure the length of every fiber; the length will be the same for all

fibers in the cable, so this test only needs to be run once for each cable. This technique

allows the VOLT to be very accurate (up to ± 2.5 meters).

Many network cabling standards require the fiber cable length to be recorded along

with attenuation measurements. Optical measurement of fibers provides a quick and

easy alternative to check the fiber jacket for markings or estimating the length by using

a measuring wheel, and often provides a greater degree of accuracy.

The VOLT also includes a flashing mode feature for visible fiber identification, as well

as a continuous wave mode for visible fault location.

(1) Visible Laser Transmitter

This port houses a laser diode that emits visible

light into optical fibers, either continuously or

intermittently (flashing), depending upon the

mode selected.

(2) Continuous Wave/Test Selector Switch

This 3-way switch selects between OFF (center),

length testing / fiber identification mode (left), and

continuous wave mode (right).

(3) Detector Port

This port houses a silicon detector used to receive

light from an optical fiber.

(4) Test Mode LED

This LED indicates that the tester is in length

testing / visual fiber identification mode.

(5) Continuous Wave Mode LED

This LED indicates that the tester is emitting a

continuous beam of light for visible fault location.

NOTE: During normal operation, if either LED (4

or 5) is not lit, this indicates that the battery has

insufficient power for accurate testing, and must

be replaced.

Functional Diagram

1 2 3

V.O.L.T.

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

RADIATION

LASER

NEVER LOOK INTO ANY LIGHT SOURCE!

Visual Optical Length Tester

Distance in Kilometers

Input

Output

TEST

1.250

PRECAUTIONS

Safety. Extreme caution must be exercised when operating the VOLT. It produces an

ultra-bright beam of red light that can cause permanent damage to the eye with

prolonged exposure.

Whenever possible, follow these safety tips when operating the VOLT:

Do NOT look directly at the beam of light. Use your peripheral vision or view

the beam of light at an angle.

Use a sheet of paper or your hand to reflect the beam of light from the fiber

end into your range of vision.

Dim the lights in the room. This will make the beam more visible from

a distance.

Operational. In order to insure accurate and reliable readings, it is vitally important

to clean the ports on the tester, as well as the ferrules on the patch cords, before each

use. If dirt, dust, or oil are allowed to build up inside the connector, the surface of the

laser diode may become scratched, producing erroneous results. Replace the dust

caps on the tester ports and patch cords when not in use.

REQUIRED ACCESSORIES

Cleaning Supplies. Fiber ferrules, connector ports and bulkheads should be

cleaned with 99% or better isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. A can of

compressed air should be available to dry off the ferrules, and to blow dust from the

connector ports and bulkheads.

Patch Cords. Two identical patch cords are required to connect the VOLT to the

system under test, and an additional patch cord is required to loop back the two fibers

being used for the test. The connector styles on the patch cords must match the type

on the VOLT and the type of the bulkheads in the system under test.

NEVER LOOK INTO A LIGHT SOURCE OR THE END OF A

FIBER THAT MAY BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE!

APPLICATIONS

Fiber Length Measurement. The VOLT uses a “round robin” method of length

measurement. This method requires two fibers from the same fiber cable to be looped

back at one end with a patch cord. Light is injected into one of the fibers by the

transmitter and is received by the detector connected to the other fiber. The round

trip travel time is converted into length in kilometers and divided by two to arrive at the

length of the fiber cable. It is not necessary to test each fiber for length; the length

measurement applies to all fibers in the cable.

Visual Fiber Identification. The VOLT provides a flashing mode for easy visual

fiber identification. Fibers are identified by locating the fiber end with the flashing red

light on the opposite end of the fiber cable. This is useful for locating fibers that are

marked incorrectly or not marked at all.

Visual Fault Location. In Continuous Wave Mode, a steady beam of ultra-bright red

laser light is injected into the fiber. If this light encounters a break or microbend in the

fiber, the light will be redirected into the buffer. If the break or microbend is severe

enough, this light will be visible through the fiber jacket, informing the user of a break

or microbend in the fiber.

NEVER LOOK INTO A LIGHT SOURCE OR THE END OF A

FIBER THAT MAY BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE!

NEVER LOOK INTO A LIGHT SOURCE OR THE END OF A

FIBER THAT MAY BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE!

OPERATION

Fiber Length Measurement (Figure 1 - Length Testing Configuration - Page 4)

(1) On one end of the fiber cable, loop back two of the fibers with one of the patch

cords.

(2) On the other end of the fiber cable, connect one patch cord to each of the

fibers being used for the test. Connect the other end of the patch cords to the

receiver and transmitter ports on the VOLT.

(3) Power ON the VOLT into length test mode by flipping the switch to the left.

NOTE: If the green indicator LED does not light up, this means that the battery power insufficient

for a valid test. The battery must be replaced before continuing.

Figure 1 - Length Testing Configuration

V.O.L.T.

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

RADIATION

LASER

NEVER LOOK INTO ANY LIGHT SOURCE!

Visual Optical Length Tester

Distance in Kilometers

Input

Output

TEST

1.250

Patch

Cords

Fiber

Link

Visual Fiber Identification (Figure 2 - Visual Fiber Identification Configuration -

Page 5)

(1) Connect the VOLT to the fiber you are testing via a patch cord as shown in

Figure 2.

(2) Power ON the VOLT into fiber identification mode by flipping the switch to

the left. This mode emits a flashing beam of high-intensity red light into the

fiber.

(3) Identify the fiber by looking for the flashing red light emitting from the

connector.

NEVER LOOK INTO A LIGHT SOURCE OR THE END OF A

FIBER THAT MAY BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE!

Figure 2 - Visual Fiber Identification Configuration

Visual Fault Location (Figure 3 - Visual Fault Location Configuration - Page 6)

(1) Connect the VOLT to the fiber you are testing via a patch cord as shown in

V.O.L.T.

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

RADIATION

LASER

NEVER LOOK INTO ANY LIGHT SOURCE!

Visual Optical Length Tester

Distance in Kilometers

Input

Output

TEST

- - - -

Patch

Cord

Fiber

Link

See Page 2 for

precautions and tips

when operating in

this mode.

Figure 3.

(2) Power ON the VOLT to visual fault location mode by flipping the switch to the

right. The display will show a series of hyphens to indicate fault location

mode. If there is a fault in the fiber, red light will appear as a red glow through

the fiber jacket.

Figure 3 - Visual Fault Location Configuration

V.O.L.T.

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

RADIATION

LASER

NEVER LOOK INTO ANY LIGHT SOURCE!

Visual Optical Length Tester

Distance in Kilometers

Input

Output

TEST

Patch

Cord

Fiber

Link

See Page 2 for

precautions and tips

when operating in

this mode.

Break or

Microbend

MAINTENANCE/CALIBRATION

PROCEDURES

Repair. Repair of this unit by unauthorized personnel is prohibited, and will void any

warranty associated with the unit.

Battery Replacement. The battery compartment is covered by a sliding plate on the

back of the unit. One 9v battery is required for operation.

Cleaning. For accurate readings, the optical connectors on the VOLT and the

connectors on the patch cords should be cleaned prior to attaching them to one

another. Minimize dust and dirt buildup by replacing the dust caps after each use.

Re-calibration. Due to the nature of the VOLT’s functions, re-calibration of this

unit is not necessary.

Warranty. The VOLT comes standard with a one-year factory war ranty, which covers

manufacturer defects and workmanship only.

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

Whitewater, WI 53190 (262) 473-0643

Visible Optical Radiation When

Power Switch Is Set To The ON

Position -- Avoid Eye

Exposure To Direct Or Scattered

Radiation

Fiber Laser: ~650 nm 2.0 mW

MODEL# VOLT-1

SERIAL# VTxxxxx

DATE: 11/27/01

POWER: 9V DC

MADE IN USA

WARNING AND

SERIAL NUMBER

INFORMATION

The serial number and model number can be

found on the back of the unit, as well as the

laser source information.

SPECIFICATIONS

Launch Method:

Output Power:

Resolution:

Accuracy:

Measurement Range:

Battery Life:

Operating Temperature:

Storage Temperature:

Low Battery Indicator:

Connector Style:

Width:

Height:

Depth:

Weight (with battery):

Red Laser

2 milliwatts

up to 0.005 kilometers

± 2.5 meters

5 kilometers

15 hours

0 to 55°C

0 to 75°C

Ye s

2.75 inches

4.94 inches

1.28 inches

154 grams

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address:

Optical Wavelength Laboratories

N9623 Hwy 12

Whitewater, WI 53190

Phone:

(262) 473-0643

Web:

OWL-INC.COM

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