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Basic Selection Guide for Fiber Optic Cables

Although fiber optic cables are widely used in communication engineering, many people lack in-depth understanding of their selection. We frequently receive inquiries from customers online or by phone about how to choose the right fiber optic cable. Today, we'll explain how to select fiber optic cable products from the perspectives of structure, materials, and manufacturing processes.

ADSS optical cable has a different structure from overhead conductors. Its tensile strength is borne by aramid fiber rope. The elastic modulus of aramid fiber rope is more than half that of steel, and its coefficient of thermal expansion is a fraction of that of steel. This makes the sag of ADSS optical cable more sensitive to changes in external load. Under icing conditions, the elongation of ADSS optical cable can reach 0.6%, while that of conductors is only 0.1%. The sag is relatively insensitive to temperature changes, remaining essentially unchanged with temperature variations. Under strong wind conditions, its wind deflection angle is very large, reaching 80° at a wind speed of 30 m/s, while the wind deflection angle of conductors is only about half that of optical cable.

A milestone has recently been reached in the global fiber optic communication field. A new generation of "hollow-core fiber," jointly developed by internationally renowned research institutions and leading technology companies, has achieved a key breakthrough in a laboratory environment. Its data transmission performance far surpasses that of currently widely used solid-state silica fiber, laying the foundation for next-generation ultra-high-speed, low-latency global communication networks.

In today's power communication field, power cables play a crucial role. They act as the nerve network of the power system, closely linking information transmission with power transmission, providing a solid guarantee for the stable operation and efficient management of the entire power network.

Power cables are a product that combines fiber optic communication technology with the specific needs of power systems. Structurally, they mainly consist of optical fibers, cable core, reinforcing elements, and a sheath. The optical fiber, as the core carrier of information transmission, has a high data transmission rate and strong anti-interference capabilities. Compared with traditional cables, optical fibers can carry more information and are not affected by electromagnetic interference, ensuring the stability and reliability of communication. In power systems, various complex electromagnetic environments are common, and the optical fibers in the equipment, with their excellent performance, can stably transmit data in these harsh environments.

Indoor fiber optic cable refers to fiber optic transmission media used in indoor environments for high-speed transmission of voice, data, video, and network signals. Compared to outdoor fiber optic cables, it places greater emphasis on flexibility, safety, and fire resistance.

(1) ADSS optical cable installation is typically carried out on energized power line towers. Insulated endless ropes, insulated safety belts, and insulated tools must be used during installation. Wind speeds should not exceed level 5. A safe distance must be maintained from power lines of different voltage levels: greater than 1.0m for 35KV, greater than 1.5m for 110KV, and greater than 3.0m for 220KV.

The uses of fiber optic cables are continuously expanding, making them a crucial information "highway" for the digital society.

With the rapid development of the digital economy, information transmission capacity is becoming an important indicator of the modernization level of society and industry. In this context, fiber optic cables, with their significant advantages such as high speed, large capacity, and low loss, are widely used in various fields including communication, the internet, industry, healthcare, and smart cities, gradually becoming an important infrastructure supporting the operation of modern society.

I. Why do fiber optic cables have such a long lifespan?
1️⃣ The transmission medium "doesn't age"

The fiber optic core is made of quartz glass.

It doesn't oxidize, is non-conductive, and is not affected by electromagnetic interference.

As long as it's not physically damaged, its performance hardly degrades.

1. Outer Sheath: Indoor fiber optic cables generally use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or flame-retardant PVC. The outer surface should be smooth, shiny, flexible, and easy to strip. Poor quality fiber optic cables have a rough outer surface and tend to stick to the inner tight buffer and aramid fibers.