Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common

Mandrel

-Mark Mullins

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 1

Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel

While the smart people who install, test and certify network cabling plants know the
importance of meeting standards performance parameters and ensuring application support, even
the best of us can make mistakes that adversely impact the bottom line and customer satisfaction.
Lets take a look at the #8 Dumb Thing that smart people do when testing network cabling
systems Using BIMMF (Bend Insensitive Multimode Fiber) test cords and a common mandrel.

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 2

Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel
Eliminating Unwanted Modes

Multimode fiber can support hundreds of modes. These modes

are categorized into lower order modes that travel a shorter distance
closer to the fiber core and higher order modes that bounce back and
form from between the core-cladding boundary and therefore travel a
longer distance. As you can imagine, these unstable higher order modes
are much more susceptible to bending losses.
Unlike lasers used in today's high speed fiber network that
concentrate light in the center of the fiber core, the recommended LED
light source used in testing tends to overfill a fiber, exciting both the lower
order and the higher order modes. So why are LED recommended for
testing? The underfilled launch of a laser can overlook high loss events
such as a misaligned connection, resulting in an overly optimistic lower
loss measurement and the potential for a bad link to PASS. Standards
bodies therefore long ago determined that an overfilled launch (i.e., LED)
with pessimistic results is the better option.
29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 3
Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel
Eliminating Unwanted Modes

Unfortunately, exciting all the modes with an LED source also

ends up with wide variations in the measurement--as much as 0.1dB on
every connection. While that variation wasn't as much of a concern when
dealing with 1 and 10 Gig links, a 0.1dB variance per connection could
mean the difference between PASS and FAIL in today's advanced 40 and
100 Gig fiber links with much more stringent loss requirements.
Controlling launch conditions so that the light source excites
primarily the relatively stable lower order modes and removes the higher
order modes improves accuracy. One of the early and simplest methods to
do this was the use of a common mandrel. When a launch cable is tightly
bent around the mandrel, the higher order modes that are more
susceptible to this bending are removed so that only low order modes
emanate from the launch cable. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well not so
much anymore--especially when using BIMMF test cords!

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 4

Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel
Goodbye Mandrel, Hello EF

While the mandrel does a good job of removing unwanted

modes, it still is not accurate enough for testing today's high speed fiber
links. That's why we now have the Encircled Flux (EF) method that more
precisely launches the light to better match the laser launch condition of
the transceiver (Click here to learn more about encircled flux).
If you do still use a mandrel, beware of your test reference cords.
Because test reference cords are not cheap, some may choose to use
normal cords. But normal cords are often made from bend insensitive
multimode fiber (BIMMF). And if you use BIMMF test cords in
conjunction with a mandrel, you are certainly asking for trouble. Why?

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 5

Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel
Goodbye Mandrel, Hello EF

BIMMF was introduced to withstand tighter bends with substantially less signal loss, which is
critical in high speed fiber applications where the strict loss budgets leave little margin for bend-
induced loss due to installation. With BIMMF, a common 25mm mandrel therefore does not strip out
the higher order modes at the 850nm wavelength. While a smaller, specially designed mandrel might
do the trick with a BIMMF test reference cord, you can't use that same mandrel at the 1300nm
wavelength--you will likely find that your link passes at 1300nm but fails at 850.

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 6

Cabling Mistakes #8: Using BIMMF Test Cords and Common
Mandrel
Problem Solved

The answer is an easy one. Don't use BIMMF for test cords at all-
-even when testing a BIMMF link. To find out more about the ins and
outs of testing BIMMF, download the white paper here.
And it's time to put away that mandrel and use the latest EF
method of testing. Not only is EF a more accurate method of testing, it
also required by industry standards for testing of today's fiber links.
An even easier way to ensure accuracy? Fluke
Network's CertiFiber Pro Optical Loss Test Set which is encircled flux
compliant out of the box and comes with EF non-BIMMF test reference
cords. Problem solved.

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 7

 Thank You!

29-10-2017 www.flukenetworks.com| 2006-2017 Fluke Corporation 8