EXFO OTDR 2 User Manual
OTDR
Optical Time Domain Reflectometer
User Guide
Copyright © 2013–2014 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form, be it electronically, mechanically, or by any other means such
as photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of EXFO Inc. (EXFO).
Information provided by EXFO is believed to be accurate and reliable.
However, no responsibility is assumed by EXFO for its use nor for any
infringements of patents or other rights of third parties that may result from
its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any patent
rights of EXFO.
EXFO’s Commerce And Government Entities (CAGE) code under the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is 0L8C3.
The information contained in this publication is subject to change without
notice.
Trademarks
EXFO’s trademarks have been identified as such. However, the presence
or absence of such identification does not affect the legal status of any
trademark.
Units of Measurement
Units of measurement in this publication conform to SI standards and
practices.
Patents
Feature(s) of this product is/are protected by one or more of US
patents 6,612,750; and patent appl. US 2013/0088718 A1 and equivalents in
other countries. The design patent is pending for this product.
Version number: 4.0.1.1
ii OTDR
Contents
Contents
Certification Information ......................................................................................................vii
1 Introducing the OTDR .................................................................................. 1
Main Window .........................................................................................................................5
Software Options ....................................................................................................................6
Data Post-Processing ..............................................................................................................6
OTDR Basic Principles ..............................................................................................................7
Conventions ............................................................................................................................9
2 Safety Information ..................................................................................... 11
General Safety Information ...................................................................................................11
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series (Models without VFL) .....................................12
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series (Models with VFL) ..........................................13
Laser Safety Information for MAX-700 Series ........................................................................14
3 Preparing Your OTDR for a Test ................................................................. 15
Installing the EXFO Universal Interface (EUI) .........................................................................15
Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers ...............................................................................16
Naming Trace Files Automatically .........................................................................................18
Setting the IOR, RBS Coefficient, and Helix Factor ................................................................24
Excluding and Including Span Start and Span End ...............................................................28
Setting the Analysis Detection Thresholds ............................................................................30
Setting Macrobend Parameters .............................................................................................35
Setting Pass/Fail Thresholds ..................................................................................................39
4 Testing Fibers .............................................................................................. 45
Setting the Automatic Acquisition Parameters ......................................................................51
Defining Launch and Receive Fiber Settings ..........................................................................54
Enabling or Disabling the First Connector Check ..................................................................57
Applying Acquisition Settings by Wavelength .......................................................................59
Setting Distance Range, Pulse Width, and Acquisition Time .................................................60
Enabling the High-Resolution Feature ...................................................................................62
Monitoring Fibers in Real-Time Mode ...................................................................................64
OTDR iii
Contents
5 Customizing Your OTDR ..............................................................................67
Setting Event Table and Graph Display Parameters ...............................................................67
Selecting the Distance Units .................................................................................................69
Customizing the Acquisition Distance Range Values .............................................................71
Customizing the Acquisition Time Values .............................................................................73
Selecting a Trace Display Mode .............................................................................................75
Selecting the Default View ....................................................................................................76
Setting the Default Storage Folder ........................................................................................78
Selecting the Default File Format ..........................................................................................79
Enabling or Disabling Automated File Saving .......................................................................81
6 Analyzing the Results Manually .................................................................83
Using Markers .......................................................................................................................83
Getting Event Distances and Relative Powers ........................................................................85
Getting Event Loss and Maximum Reflectance .....................................................................87
Getting Section Loss and Attenuation ..................................................................................90
Getting Optical Return Loss (ORL) .........................................................................................92
7 Analyzing Traces and Events ......................................................................93
Graph ...................................................................................................................................94
Summary Tab ........................................................................................................................96
Events Tab .............................................................................................................................99
Measure Tab .......................................................................................................................102
Linear View .........................................................................................................................103
Displaying the Graph in Full Screen ....................................................................................107
Using Zoom Controls ..........................................................................................................109
Viewing Span Start and Span End in Events Table ..............................................................112
Customizing the Events Table Appearance ..........................................................................114
Selecting the Displayed Wavelength ...................................................................................115
Using a Reference Trace ......................................................................................................116
Viewing and Modifying Current Measurement Settings .....................................................119
Modifying Events ................................................................................................................124
Inserting Events ..................................................................................................................128
Deleting Events ...................................................................................................................131
Managing Comments .........................................................................................................132
Analyzing or Reanalyzing a Trace ........................................................................................134
Analyzing the Fiber on a Specific Fiber Span .......................................................................136
Enabling or Disabling the Detection of Reflective Ends of Fiber ..........................................139
Opening Measurement Files ...............................................................................................142
8 Managing Trace Files from the OTDR Test Application ...........................145
iv OTDR
Contents
9 Creating and Generating Reports ........................................................... 147
Adding Information to the Test Results ...............................................................................147
Generating a Report ...........................................................................................................149
10 Using the OTDR as a Light Source ........................................................... 155
11 Maintenance ............................................................................................. 159
Cleaning EUI Connectors ....................................................................................................159
Recalibrating the Unit .........................................................................................................162
Recycling and Disposal (Applies to European Union Only) ..................................................163
12 Troubleshooting ....................................................................................... 165
Solving Common Problems .................................................................................................165
Contacting the Technical Support Group ............................................................................167
Transportation ....................................................................................................................167
13 Warranty ................................................................................................... 169
General Information ...........................................................................................................169
Liability ...............................................................................................................................170
Exclusions ...........................................................................................................................170
Certification ........................................................................................................................170
Service and Repairs .............................................................................................................171
EXFO Service Centers Worldwide ........................................................................................172
A Technical Specifications ........................................................................... 173
MAX-710B ..........................................................................................................................173
MAX-715B ..........................................................................................................................174
MAX-720B ..........................................................................................................................175
MAX-730B ..........................................................................................................................176
FTB-7200D ..........................................................................................................................177
FTB-7300E ..........................................................................................................................178
FTB-7400E ..........................................................................................................................179
FTB-7500E ..........................................................................................................................180
FTB-7600E ..........................................................................................................................181
FTB-720 ..............................................................................................................................182
FTB-730 ..............................................................................................................................183
FTB-700G Series ..................................................................................................................184
OTDR v
Contents
B Description of Event Types ......................................................................185
Span Start ..........................................................................................................................186
Span End ...........................................................................................................................186
Short Fibers .......................................................................................................................186
Continuous Fiber ...............................................................................................................187
End of Analysis ..................................................................................................................188
Non-Reflective Event ..........................................................................................................189
Reflective Event .................................................................................................................190
Positive Event .....................................................................................................................191
Launch Level ......................................................................................................................192
Fiber Section ......................................................................................................................193
Merged Event ....................................................................................................................194
Echo ..................................................................................................................................200
Reflective Event (Possible Echo) .........................................................................................201
Index ...............................................................................................................203
vi OTDR
Certification Information
Certification Information
North America Regulatory Statement
This unit was certified by an agency approved in both Canada and the
United States of America. It has been evaluated according to applicable
North American approved standards for product safety for use in Canada
and the United States.
Electronic test and measurement equipment is exempt from FCC part 15,
subpart B compliance in the United States of America and from ICES-003
compliance in Canada. However, EXFO Inc. makes reasonable efforts to
ensure compliance to the applicable standards.
The limits set by these standards are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in
a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the user guide, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely
to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to
correct the interference at his own expense.
Modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the
user's authority to operate the equipment.
European Community Declaration of Conformity
An electronic version of the declaration of conformity for your product is
available on our website at www.exfo.com. Refer to the product’s page on
the Web site for details.
OTDR vii
1 Introducing the OTDR
OTDR port (singlemode live)
OTDR port (singlemode)
Active LED
(on when laser is emitting)
MAX-700 Series
The OTDR allows you to characterize a fiber-optic span, usually optical
fiber sections joined by splices and connectors. The optical time domain
reflectometer (OTDR) provides an inside view of the fiber, and can
calculate fiber length, attenuation, breaks, total return loss as well as
splice, connector and total losses.
Note: In this documentation, the words “tap” and “double-tap” (related to the
use of a touchscreen) replace the words “click” and “double-click”.
OTDR 1
Introducing the OTDR
SM / MM OTDR
FTB-7200D
SM
MM
LIVE
Handle
Visual fault locator (VFL) port
(optional)
OTDR port (singlemode)
OTDR port (multimode)
Singlemode and
multimode models
Singlemode and
singlemode live
models
SM OTDR
FTB-7300E
SM
SM
OTDR port (for live-fiber testing)
FTB-7000 Series for FTB-2 and FTB-2 Pro
2 OTDR
Introducing the OTDR
OTDR
OTDR port
(singlemode or multimode)
Other models
Handle
Visual fault locator
(VFL) port (optional)
FTB-7000 Series for FTB-2 and FTB-2 Pro
OTDR 3
Introducing the OTDR
OTDR port (singlemode)
OTDR port (singlemode
live and On-line power
meter)
Active LED
FTB-720 / FTB-720G / FTB-720G+
FTB-730 / FTB-730G / FTB-730G+
OTDR port (singlemode)
OTDR port (multimode)
Active LED
OTDR port
(singlemode live)
4 OTDR
Main Window
Event
table
Button bar
Data
display
Graph
overview
window
Introducing the OTDR
Main Window
Note: Due to screen resolution, the appearance of your OTDR application may
vary slightly from the illustrations presented in this user guide.
OTDR 5
Introducing the OTDR
Software Options
Software Options
Software options may be offered with your unit.
With the Source (SRC) software option, you can use your OTDR as a
source.
With the Real-Time (RT) software option, when working with the iOLM
application, you can also have access to the OTDR by pressing the
Launch OTDR button. In this case, the only button available to start an
acquisition is the Start Real Time button. Most of the standard OTDR
features, such as the Events tab, the Summary tab, the Identification,
and the Test Configuration button, are disabled.
The following table presents the software options available for your unit.
Software Options MAX-700B FTB-2 and FTB-2 Pro
Source (SRC) Available for purchase Already included
Real-Time (RT) Available for purchase Available for purchase
Data Post-Processing
To view and analyze traces without the OTDR application, use a computer
onto which FastReporter is already installed.
6 OTDR
Introducing the OTDR
Distance
c
n
-- -
t
2
-- -
=
OTDR Basic Principles
OTDR Basic Principles
An OTDR sends short pulses of light into a fiber. Light scattering occurs in
the fiber due to discontinuities such as connectors, splices, bends, and
faults. The OTDR then detects and analyzes the backscattered signals. The
signal strength is measured for specific intervals of time and is used to
characterize events.
The OTDR calculates distances as follows:
where
c = speed of light in a vacuum (2.998 x 10
t = time delay from the launch of the pulse to the reception of the
pulse
n = index of refraction of the fiber under test (as specified by the
manufacturer)
8
m/s)
OTDR 7
Introducing the OTDR
Microprocessor
Pulse
generator
Avalanche
photodetector (APD)
Display
Reflections come back
to the OTDR
Set of
instructions
Light pulses
Light pulses
Analog-to-digital
converter (A/D)
Returned signal
Analyzed signal
Laser
diode
Optical
coupler
OTDR
port
Fiber
OTDR Basic Principles
An OTDR uses the effects of Rayleigh scattering and Fresnel reflection to
measure the fiber’s condition, but the Fresnel reflection is tens of
thousands of times greater in power level than the backscatter.
Rayleigh scattering occurs when a pulse travels down the fiber and
small variations in the material, such as variations and discontinuities
in the index of refraction, cause light to be scattered in all directions.
However, the phenomenon of small amounts of light being reflected
directly back toward the transmitter is called backscattering.
Fresnel reflections occur when the light traveling down the fiber
encounters abrupt changes in material density that may occur at
connections or breaks where an air gap exists. A very large quantity of
light is reflected, as compared with the Rayleigh scattering. The
strength of the reflection depends on the degree of change in the index
of refraction.
When the full trace is displayed, each point represents an average of many
sampling points. You will have to zoom to see each point.
8 OTDR
Introducing the OTDR
Conventions
Before using the product described in this guide, you should understand
the following conventions:
WARNING
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury. Do not proceed unless you
understand and meet the required conditions.
CAUTION
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
may result in minor or moderate injury. Do not proceed unless you
understand and meet the required conditions.
CAUTION
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
may result in component damage. Do not proceed unless you
understand and meet the required conditions.
Conventions
IMPORTANT
Refers to information about this product you should not overlook.
OTDR 9
2 Safety Information
General Safety Information
WARNING
Do not install or terminate fibers while a light source is active.
Never look directly into a live fiber and ensure that your eyes are
protected at all times.
WARNING
The use of controls, adjustments and procedures, namely for
operation and maintenance, other than those specified herein may
result in hazardous radiation exposure or impair the protection
provided by this unit.
IMPORTANT
When you see the following symbol on your unit , make sure
that you refer to the instructions provided in your user
documentation. Ensure that you understand and meet the required
conditions before using your product.
IMPORTANT
Other safety instructions relevant for your product are located
throughout this documentation, depending on the action to
perform. Make sure to read them carefully when they apply to your
situation.
OTDR 11
Safety Information
Affixed to module’s
side panel
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series (Models without VFL)
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series
(Models without VFL)
Your instrument is a Class 1M laser product in compliance with standards
IEC 60825-1: 2007 and 21 CFR 1040.10, except for deviations pursuant to
Laser Notice No. 50, dated June 24, 2007. Invisible laser radiation may be
encountered at the output port.
WARNING
Viewing the laser output with certain optical instruments (for
example, eye loupes, magnifiers, and microscopes) within a
distance of 100 mm may pose an eye hazard.
The following label(s) indicate that the product contains a Class 1M source:
12 OTDR
Safety Information
Affixed to module’s
side panel
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series (Models with VFL)
Laser Safety Information for FTB-7000 Series
(Models with VFL)
Your instrument is a Class 3R laser product in compliance with standards
IEC 60825-1: 2007 and 21 CFR 1040.10, except for deviations pursuant to
Laser Notice No. 50, dated June 24, 2007. Laser radiation is emitted at the
output port. It is potentially harmful in direct intrabeam viewing.
The following label(s) indicate that the product contains a Class 3R source:
OTDR 13
Safety Information
Laser information of the VFL. Always refer to
the user guide of the MaxTester Series for
the exact information.
Laser information of the test instrument
Laser Safety Information for MAX-700 Series
Laser Safety Information for MAX-700 Series
Your instrument is a Class 1M laser product in compliance with standards
IEC 60825-1: 2007 and 21 CFR 1040.10, except for deviations pursuant to
Laser Notice No. 50, dated June 24, 2007. Invisible laser radiation may be
encountered at the output port.
Viewing the laser output with certain optical instruments (for
example, eye loupes, magnifiers, and microscopes) within a
distance of 100 mm may pose an eye hazard.
The following label(s) indicate that the product contains a Class 1M source:
WARNING
Note: The label is affixed to the back panel of the unit.
For more information on product safety and equipment ratings, refer to the
user documentation of your platform.
All OTDR modules power consumption is below 10 W.
14 OTDR
3 Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Bare metal
(or blue border)
indicates UPC
option
Green border
indicates APC
option
2 3 4
Installing the EXFO Universal Interface (EUI)
The EUI fixed baseplate is available for connectors with angled (APC) or
non-angled (UPC) polishing. A green border around the baseplate
indicates that it is for APC-type connectors.
To install an EUI connector adapter onto the EUI baseplate:
1. Hold the EUI connector adapter so the dust cap opens downwards.
2. Close the dust cap in order to hold the connector adapter more firmly.
3. Insert the connector adapter into the baseplate.
4. While pushing firmly, turn the connector adapter clockwise on the
baseplate to lock it in place.
OTDR 15
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers
Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers
To ensure maximum power and to avoid erroneous readings:
Always inspect fiber ends and make sure that they are clean as
explained below before inserting them into the port. EXFO is
not responsible for damage or errors caused by bad fiber
cleaning or handling.
Ensure that your patchcord has appropriate connectors. Joining
mismatched connectors will damage the ferrules.
To connect the fiber-optic cable to the port:
1. Inspect the fiber using a fiber inspection microscope. If the fiber is
clean, proceed to connecting it to the port. If the fiber is dirty, clean it as
explained below.
2. Clean the fiber ends as follows:
IMPORTANT
2a. Gently wipe the fiber end with a lint-free swab dipped in isopropyl
alcohol.
2b. Use compressed air to dry completely.
2c. Visually inspect the fiber end to ensure its cleanliness.
16 OTDR
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers
3. Carefully align the connector and port to prevent the fiber end from
touching the outside of the port or rubbing against other surfaces.
If your connector features a key, ensure that it is fully fitted into the
port’s corresponding notch.
4. Push the connector in so that the fiber-optic cable is firmly in place,
thus ensuring adequate contact.
If your connector features a screwsleeve, tighten the connector
enough to firmly maintain the fiber in place. Do not overtighten, as this
will damage the fiber and the port.
Note: If your fiber-optic cable is not properly aligned and/or connected, you will
notice heavy loss and reflection.
EXFO uses good quality connectors in compliance with EIA-455-21A
standards.
To keep connectors clean and in good condition, EXFO strongly
recommends inspecting them with a fiber inspection probe before
connecting them. Failure to do so will result in permanent damage to the
connectors and degradation in measurements.
OTDR 17
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Naming Trace Files Automatically
Naming Trace Files Automatically
Each time you start an acquisition, the application suggests a file name
based on autonaming settings. This file name appears at the bottom of the
window.
The file name is made of one or more static parts (alphanumeric) and one
or more variable parts (numeric) that will be incremented or
decremented, according to your selection, as follows:
If you choose incrementation... If you choose decrementation...
Variable part increases until it
reaches the highest possible value
with the selected number of digits,
then restarts at 1.
Note: To decrement values, the start number must be higher than the stop
number.
After saving a result, the unit prepares the next file name by incrementing
(or decrementing) the suffix.
Variable part decreases until it
reaches 1, then restarts at the highest
possible value with the selected
number of digits.
18 OTDR
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Naming Trace Files Automatically
You can select the number of digits displayed for the incremented or
decremented values.
Select "#" if you want to keep the value exactly in the same format as
defined in the start and stop values. If a value is to be incremented from 1
to 10, it becomes 1, 2, 3, ... 9, 10. One "#" is the default format.
Select two, three, or four "#" if you want all values to be expressed with the
same number of digits. The application fills the empty spaces with zeros
before the increment or decrement to ensure the appropriate format is
displayed. For example, if you select two "#" and the value is to be
incremented from 1 to 10, it becomes 01, 02, 03, ... 09, 10.
Note: If you choose not to save a particular trace file, the suggested file name
remains available for the next trace you acquire.
This function is particularly useful when testing multiple-fiber cables.
If you deactivate the automatic file naming function, the application will
use the default file name, which is Unnamed.trc.
By default, traces are saved in native (.trc) format, but you can configure
your unit to save them in Bellcore (.sor) format (see Selecting the Default
File Format on page 79).
Note: If you select the Bellcore (.sor) format, the unit creates one file per
wavelength (for example, TRACE001_1310.sor and TRACE001_1550.sor, if
you included both 1310 nm and 1550 nm in your test). The native (.trc)
format contains all wavelengths in a single file.
The autonaming parameters can be set only for files that have not been
saved yet. You will only see the parameters for the current and next
acquisition (when the test is done but not saved yet), or for the next
acquisition only (test is not done yet). Otherwise, the parameters will not
be displayed.
It is also possible to revert the settings to their default values.
OTDR 19
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Naming Trace Files Automatically
To configure the automatic file naming:
1. From the Main Menu, tap Identification.
2. From the Apply to list, ensure that Next Acquisition or Current and
Next Acquisition is selected.
3. Enter all the information as follows:
3a. Locate the row corresponding to the identifier that you want to
modify.
3b. Tap t he Value column corresponding to the desired identifier.
3c. Enter the information.
Note: You cannot edit the information in the dark gray boxes.
20 OTDR
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Naming Trace Files Automatically
4. If you want to increment automatically the cable ID, the fiber ID or the
location (A and/or B), proceeds as follows:
4a. Tap the Increment button.
4b. In the Increment window, select the Auto Increment check box
corresponding to the identifier you want to increment.
4c. Enter the start, stop and increment values as desired.
Note: To decrement values, the start number must be higher than the stop
number.
4d. Choose the type of format in the list.
4e. Tap OK to return to the Identification window.
OTDR 21
Preparing Your OTDR for a Test
Items that can be
included in the file
name
To modify the order
of appearance of
the selected
identifiers in the
file name
This preview is
updated
automatically as you
make your selections
To s e l e ct t h e
separator in the
automatic
numbering section
To revert to factory settings (not
available for the Current acquisition)
Naming Trace Files Automatically
5. Select the desired identifiers to include in the file name. You can
change the order of appearance of the highlighted component with the
up and down arrow buttons.
6. Ta p OK to confirm your new settings and to return to the main window.
22 OTDR
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