This FOA virtual hands-on (VHO) tutorial on fiber optics covers fiber optic cable splicing using a typical portable fusion splicer. It is copyrighted by the FOA and may not be distributed without FOA permission. What is a mechanical splice? What is a fusion splice? Why splice? Fiber splicing is one way to join two optical fibers together so the light energy from one optical fiber can be transferred to another. Fusion splicing is both an art and a science. 1dB loss that will last the life of the cable plant. For outside plant work, fusion splicing is almost always the right choice. A fiber optic cable splice is the process of permanently joining two fiber optic cables to create a continuous light path—vital when cables are cut, damaged, or need extending. Fiber optic strands are ultra-lightweight and about as thin as human hair, and yet, they have more than eight times the pulling tension of a copper wire.
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