VFLs work well for exposed lengths of fiber near a patch panel by illuminating bad connections and breaks. They are not very helpful for cable runs more than a few meters, or when the cable not visible or accessible, or when the laser light can’t penetrate the jacket.
Optical Time Domain Reflectometers (OTDR) provides graphical data and analysis along the entire length of a cable, way beyond the reach of a VFL, but they can be expensive and require more time to and skill to operate.
Fiber QuickMap fills the gap between a VFL and an OTDR. These models have the simplicity of a VFL, and provide distance and power information on high losses, breaks, and the end of the fiber. They also identify live fiber
Note:
Operating temperature with the battery: 0ºC to 50ºC
Non-operating temperature: -20ºC to 60ºC
Operating relative humidity (without condensation): 95% (10ºC to 35ºC) 75% (35ºC to 40ºC) uncontrolled < 10ºC
Vibration: Random, 5 Hz to 500 Hz, MIL-PRF-28800F CLASS 2
Shock: 1 meter drop test
Altitude: 3000m
EMC: EN 61326-1: 2004
Battery type: 2 AA alkaline batteries (no battery charger)
Battery life: 1500 tests (typical)
Laser safety: Class 1 CDRH Complies to EN 60825-2
LCD type: Backlit black and white (segments)
Index of refraction range: 1.45 to 1.5 (factory default is 1.496)
Auto turn off: Automatically turns off after 5 minutes if no keys are pressed. Backlight turns off first.
Factory calibration interval: None
Output wavelengths: 850 nm ± 10 nm
Laser classification: Class 1 CDRH Complies to EN 60825-2
Dynamic range: >11 dB
Maximum distance: 1500 meters or 4921 feet
Maximum number of incidents shown: 9
Distance accuracy (0 m to 1500 m or 0 ft to 4921 ft): ± (1 m + 0.1 % x length) for reflective incidents1 ± (3 m + 0.1 % x length) for non-reflective incidents2
Testing speed: < 6 seconds typical
Connector: Removable/cleanable SC adapter, UPC polish
Fiber types tested: 50/125 µm or 62.5/125 µm multimode
Detection of reflective incidents3: -35 dB default threshold (User selectable: -20 dB to -45 dB in 5 dB increments)
Reflectance accuracy4: ± 4 dB
Maximum reflectance measurement: -20 dB
Detection of loss incidents5: 0.70 dB default threshold (user-configurable from 0.5 dB to 6.1 dB in 0.2 dB increments)
Bulkhead quality: If no fiber is attached or if the connector is dirty, the troubleshooter displays 0 m or 0 ft.
Live fiber detection: Detects optical signals from 600 nm to 1050 nm and shows ACTIVE LINE if a signal is there. Looks for a signal every 3 seconds after the first detec-tion. +7 dB maximum input power.