Recent columns have focused on tools and test equipment and how to use them, but what about taking care of them properly? This point was brought home to me recently when I spent two days training instructors to help them get started with their Fiber Optic Association (FOA) certification classes. I ordered some supplies I knew I needed, got back the test kit I had loaned to another instructor, threw all my boxes of parts and equipment into the car, and headed out to do the training.


I had not used some of the gear for a long time and had just packed it away on the shelf when I returned. I had loaned some of it out for others to use. Since that last training, I only had used some of the gear and supplies to create FOA YouTube videos.


Due to schedule constraints, I did not organize or check all the gear. I just packed and left. Big mistake. Things did not go smoothly to say the least. Some of my test gear needed batteries, and I was out of spares. I could not find some tools, and others didn’t work properly. 


Learn from my mistakes: Never, ever, go out on a job unless you have inspected your tools and test equipment and verified your tool kit is complete, your test equipment is working properly, and you have all the supplies and consumables you need.


A corollary of this is never take new gear into the field until you have tested it in the office and are familiar enough with its use that you will not have problems in the field due to unfamiliarity. When I was in the fiber optic test equipment business, it amazed me how many help calls I got from customers who were at the job site and wanted to know how to use the equipment.


Start with your tools


Clean off a table, and open your fiber optic tool kit. Are all the tools there? Grab a notepad, and list what you are missing. Even better, create a checklist of tools you need, and use it so you don’t forget anything. And keep a copy of that list in your toolkit for reference. For your convenience, I have included a list of recommended tools at the bottom of this article. 


Some of your tools are bulletproof, but some are delicate and/or will wear out. In particular, check the condition of your fiber optic strippers and scribes. They both should be carefully cleaned and inspected. Use a magnifying glass or loupe to check the working areas. Then get some fiber and test them to make sure they work properly. I recommend you keep spares of these two tools since they wear out and can be damaged, so extras on hand are warranted.


Most test equipment is battery powered, so spare batteries are important. Check the condition of the batteries in the piece of gear, turn it on and make sure it works properly. If your gear has adapters for various fiber optic connectors, ensure all those adapters are there and kept in marked plastic bags to identify and protect them. Find all your reference test cables and mating adapters.


Grab one of your reference test cables, and use it to check the operation of your connector inspection microscope. At the same time, you will be checking the condition of the reference cable connector. Does it look nice and clean? Is it free from scratches? Reference test cables wear out after hundreds of tests, even with regular cleaning, so use the microscope to check the condition of every connector on every reference cable. Set aside any cable that looks questionable.


Next, use your light source and power meter to test all of the reference cables. Use a single-ended insertion loss test to determine if they are still in good condition, with a loss of well under 0.5 decibels, and discard the bad ones or set them aside for retermination. If you have a checklist, keep track of the loss and watch how the loss will increase the more they are used. If you have an optical time-domain reflectometer and associated launch cables for it, use the light source and power meter to check them, too.


Finally, check your cleaning supplies. Ensure you have enough for the next job. If not, add that to your notepad list of things to order ASAP. Don’t wait until the next job comes up; order all the replacement tools and supplies you need now so you’re ready to go.

List of Test Equipment, Tools and Consumables

Information provided by the FOA is intended to be a guide to assist you in making decisions as to what kinds of equipment you need. It’s not complete. You need to use it only as guidelines to develop your own equipment and materials lists. FOA assumes no liability for this list’s use or your work.