How to check whether the fiber sleeve is well sealed

It is an important step to check whether the fiber sleeve is properly sealed to ensure the quality of fiber communication. Here are some common ways to check:

First, appearance inspection

Direct observation: First, directly observe the appearance of the optical fiber sleeve with the naked eye or a magnifying glass. Check the casing surface for cracks, breakage, or deformation, which may indicate that the casing is poorly sealed.

Check interfaces: Pay special attention to the connection between the casing and optical fibers or other components. Make sure the interfaces are tightly connected without looseness or gaps. Any visible gap could be a passageway for air or moisture to enter.

Second, stress testing

Positive pressure test: The tested optical fiber sleeve is enclosed in a closed container, or through the auxiliary fixture to inflate the inside of the sleeve, and then observe the reading change of the pressure gauge. If the pressure remains stable, the casing is well sealed. If the pressure drops, it indicates a leak.

Negative pressure test: As opposed to positive pressure test, negative pressure test is to see if there is gas or liquid infiltration by reducing the pressure in the closed container. This test method can also reveal the sealing performance of the casing.

Third, water tightness test

Soaking method: Partially or completely soak the fiber sleeve in water, and then observe whether there are bubbles. If bubbles are generated, there is a leak inside the casing. It should be noted that this method may pose a certain risk to the fiber, so ensure that the fiber itself has waterproof properties before use.

Water mist method: Use a high-pressure water mist spray gun to spray the fiber sleeve and observe whether water mist penetrates into the sleeve. This method is relatively mild and suitable for occasions where the impact on the fiber is small.

Fourth, other auxiliary methods

Ultrasonic inspection: Although ultrasonic inspection is mainly used to detect defects and welding quality inside the material, in some cases, it can also be used to assist in judging the tightness of the fiber sleeve. The integrity of the casing can be assessed indirectly through the propagation characteristics of ultrasonic waves in the casing.

Helium mass spectrometer leak detector: This is a highly sensitive leak detector that can detect extremely small leaks. The optical fiber casing is placed in the test chamber of the leak detector, and the leakage of the casing can be accurately determined by the introduction and detection of helium or other tracer gases.

Fifth, precautions

Safe operation: When conducting any form of testing, safe operation procedures should be followed to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.

Select the right test method: Select the right test method according to the type, specifications and use environment of the fiber sleeve. Different test methods have different advantages and disadvantages and applicable scope.

Record and analyze test results: Record the data and observations during the test in a timely manner and conduct in-depth analysis. This helps to accurately judge the sealing performance of the fiber sleeve, and provides a basis for subsequent improvement and maintenance.

To sum up, it is necessary to use a variety of methods and means to check whether the fiber sleeve is well sealed. Through appearance inspection, pressure testing, watertightness testing and necessary auxiliary methods, the sealing performance of fiber optic bushing can be fully evaluated to ensure that it meets the requirements of communication quality.

Chengdu Focus Infra Materials Co.,Ltd is a global business trading company. The company focused on the field of fiber optical networks and data communications, our products are widely used in telecommunication transmission network systems, wide area networks, FTTH, FTTX, FTTA and security monitoring systems. Products mainly include：heat shrink tubes, cold shrink tubes, joint closures, terminal connector, terminal box, fiber optic splice closure, PLC splitter, fiber pigtail, FTTH accessories.