| | | | | with its own built in protective shield? Well the good |
| | | | | news is it can be. Armored fiber optic cable is |
| Interlock armored fiber optic cable vs innerduct and | | | | available as an alternative to using an innerduct. With |
| traditional fiber cabling | | | | armored fiber, there is no need for multiple |
| | | | | construction processes. The armored fiber is made |
| Fiber Optic Installation. | | | | with multiple layers of protection and extra |
| Installation of a fiber optic structured cabling system | | | | reinforcing in the cable housing to prevent damage. |
| can be a great addition to your network | | | | Armored fiber cable offers: |
| infrastructure. One of the most important things to | | | | - Elevated allowable pulling tension |
| consider when beginning this task is the method in | | | | - Automatically upheld bend radius |
| which to protect the delicate fiber optic cable from | | | | - Physical resistance to crushing and abrasion |
| potentially harmful environmental variables. Commonly, | | | | |
| an innerduct is used to house and protect the cable. | | | | Basically, armored fiber cable retains just as much |
| The innerduct is a corrugated HDPE tube that | | | | protection reliability as with an innerduct, but for |
| surrounds the fiber optic cable, acting as a shield for | | | | potentially less money and construction time. |
| damage and reinforcing the bend radius of the cable. | | | | However, every rose has its thorn, by choosing to |
| While this method is extremely effective in the | | | | use armored fiber you might be saving time and |
| protection of your cable, it is also a more time | | | | money, but certain sacrifices must be made as well. |
| consuming task. This is because the innerduct must | | | | When you install an innerduct, one of the main |
| first be installed throughout the facility that the fiber | | | | benefits is that it is a cabling pathway and can be |
| cable will be going into. Once the innerduct is fully | | | | reused should you need to replace the fiber optic |
| installed, it is then time to install the fiber optic cable. | | | | cable or add new fiber capacity. If the innerduct has |
| The fiber optic cable is pulled through the innerduct, | | | | not reached its fill ratio, the additional space |
| installed and terminated as usual. To sum up this | | | | left within the innerduct allows for another cable to |
| process, you are basically performing two installations: | | | | be run through the existing innerduct thereby |
| the installation for the fiber optic cable and the | | | | maximizing your investment. Should you need to do |
| installation for the protective innerduct. Although | | | | the same thing with armored cable, you will incur the |
| innerduct is a great, reliable investment for cable | | | | cost of having to buy and install new armored cable, |
| protection, the above mentioned factors can equate | | | | which is more expensive than standard fiber optic |
| to higher installation costs. Not only do you pay more | | | | cable. |
| for the physical innerduct material, the time it takes | | | | Important things to consider |
| to install the innerduct also presents additional time | | | | It is important to consider this when making the |
| and labor costs. Wouldn’t it be easier and less | | | | decision on whether to go with armored fiber cable |
| expensive if the fiber optic cable, could be installed | | | | or innerduct. |