VeEX's innovative patent pending field-replaceable optical ferrule system adds an extra layer of protection to the internal end-face of calibrated optical test ports, preventing contamination, accidental damage, and wear-and-tear during the course of regular use and eventual accidents. This optimized and robust solution extends the instrument’s lifespan, reduces downtime, lowers cost of ownership and improves productivity.
FX150+ OTDR with protected optical test ports and dust cap kits
Handheld test set with protected optical ports (without dust cap kits)
Competitive Edge
- Eliminates Downtime & Empowers Your Team (easy field replacement process)
- Protects Your Investment
- Protects Instruments' Accuracy & Reliability
- No Re-calibration required after ferrule replacement
- Low Maintenance Cost (affordable spare ferrules)
- Durability - Internal end-face Not Exposed during regular connector type exchanges (e.g., APC to UPC, or FC to SC)
Compared to other optical connector protectors or port savers available in the fiber optics test and measurement market, VeEX's solution acts like a regular solid panel-mount connector with a typical universal connector type adapter that doesn't expose the internal calibrated end-face. Neither when performing regular connector type changes, nor when replacing damaged or worn-out external end-faces.
The optimized design of VeEX's field replaceable ferrules not only reduces exposure and cost, it is intended to eliminate the time to repair (downtime), since local garages can afford to keep a few spares at hand (only the ferrule is replaced, when/if the external end-face gets damaged).
From VeEX's point of view, this patent pending design offers the simplest, affordable and most robust field replaceable optical connector protector solution available.
Here are some of the perceived disadvantages from other vendors' approaches:
- Ideally, the job of an optical 'connector protector' or 'connector saver' is to reduce the number of matings and exposure of the internal (calibrated) end-face to one or two incidents during the lifetime of the instrument. While the external sacrificial (replaceable) end-face is the only one being exposed on a regular basis. However, for modular/cassette types, the internal end-face gets exposed every time the connector type is changed (e.g., from SC to FC or LC), increasing the chances of contamination and/or damage.
- Replaceable optical cassette/module systems use regular plastic SC connector bodies for their internal mating, which expose both of their internal end-faces to accidental contact and contamination during the exchange process.
- Modular/cassette systems' slots may also expose the instrument’s internal components and circuits to harsh environments, during every connector exchange process.
- Their internal end-face tend to sit far inside the test set and may not be easy to clean, inspect or maintain.
- Modular plug-in connectors from one vendor come in different incompatible form factors, so they are not interchangeable among their products. Customers would have to stock both types of optical connector cartridges and that can be quite expensive.
- Self-contained modular connector cassettes or sacrificial extenders tend to be considerably more expensive to replace (up to 16x), which may make end users less likely to have spares available, increasing repair downtime. Even if the instrument doesn't have to go back to a service center, users still need to go through their internal purchasing process, vendor fulfillment and wait for the delivery of the replacement parts.
- Those replaceable modules with plastic securing/locking click-on tabs could be accidentally unseated, causing inaccurate measurement readings.
- Some of the rigid sacrificial 'port extender' types may make test ports protrude too much, cumbersome to work with, and add unnecessary mechanical stress to the optical port assembly (prone to accidental damage).
- Some test and measurement vendors simply rely on short sacrificial patch cords, which is still considered a good practice. However, since these test cords often need to be removed before storing the test set in a carrying case for transportation, that defeats the main purpose of reducing the number of matings and exposure for the calibrated connectors' end-faces.
We understand that this article may be considered bias, however it is meant to encourage your own independent research and evaluation when sourcing field instruments with optical connector protector options.
To learn more about VeEX's Optical Port Connector Protector with field-replaceable ferrule solution (optical connector protector or port saver), refer to the Field-replaceable Optical Connector Protector article and the Simple Ferrule Replacement Procedure and How Bad Connectors affect OTDR Measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Do the Replaceable Ferrules Need to be Exchanged?
Technically, they should only need to be replaced when/if there is damage to the external end-face. For example, for OTDRs used on the field (e.g., construction and maintenance), this may occur never, once or twice in their lifespan, with an average of once. So, the replaceable ferule solution helps in keeping the internal calibrated end-face unexposed and well protected. Note: >98% of the traditional OTDRs (with fixed connectors) that are sent in for repair are due to damaged test port end-face, followed by physical connector damage.
What About Changing from APC to/from UPC? Doesn't it Increase Exposure?
Yes, that would be true for all connector protector solutions available, if used that way. However, that has not been a traditional requirement, just because it was not possible before. The new Replaceable Ferrule certainly opens up the ability to convert the external end-face of a test set between APC ↔ UPC, on the fly. However, we still recommend the traditional use of a short (sacrificial) converter patch cord or launch cable, in order to reduce unnecessary exposure of the internal end-face.