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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Where Are Fiber Optic Patch Panels Used?

Fiber optic patch panels are mostly mounted in 19 inch relay racks, but they can also be mounted on freestanding rails, in cabinets and also on walls. For fiber optic cabling installation, you should plan the location of your fiber connectivity hardware carefully, including fiber patch panels. You can choose between direct cross-connection and patch panel. It is also necessary to arrange your routing and dressing of your fiber patch cords if you choose to use fiber panels. In the meantime, you also have a choice to use fiber cable management brackets to avoid the dangling fiber patch cables.

They are used for horizontal cabling as well as lightwave equipment connections. You should plan your cabling layout carefully to arrange these patch panels conveniently for proper fiber patch cable lengths. These two types of panels should be as close to each other as possible.

In large installations, fiber patch location may have several patch panels. They are usually placed side to side, so that fiber patch cables can cross connect directly without climbing the rails in a route across the top of the racks.

Your TR rooms should be planned such that the total cross-connect and patch cable lengths are within TIA-568-C specs. Horizontal fiber links allow a length of up to 10 meters including cross-connect, fiber jumpers, patch cables and patch panels.

If you exceed TIA-568-C fiber length specs, the lightwave equipment may or may not work anymore. So it is extremely important that you take the standard seriously.

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic communication technology and products. Learn more about Corning patch panels and Corning fiber optic patch panels on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site.

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