Buying Guide

Fiber Optic Patch Cord Buying Guide

The seven things a patch cord order has to state, and what happens on site for each one you leave out.

In This Guide

A Patch Cord Order Has Seven Variables
Connector And Polish, Stated Per End
Fiber Mode And Core Size
Length: Order What You Need, Not What Is Stocked
Jacket Rating Is A Building Code Question
Boots Labels And Packing
What Testing To Ask For

A Patch Cord Order Has Seven Variables

Connector type at end A, connector type at end B, polish at each end, fiber mode and core size, length, jacket rating, and boot or labeling requirements. Every one of these has a default that a supplier will apply if you do not state it, and every one of those defaults is occasionally wrong for your site.

Connector And Polish, Stated Per End

State both ends separately even when they are the same. Mixed-connector cords are normal where equipment and frame differ, and mixed-polish cords are legitimate where an equipment port is UPC and the distribution path is APC. If you state one connector and one polish, you will receive a symmetrical cord.

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Fiber Mode And Core Size

Single mode or multimode, and for multimode, 50/125 or 62.5/125. This has to match the installed plant at both ends. Ordering the wrong core size produces a cord that works but runs several decibels worse than expected, which is the hardest kind of fault to find later.

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Length: Order What You Need, Not What Is Stocked

Cords are cut and terminated to order, so a three point five meter cord costs roughly what a three meter cord costs. Buying long cords and coiling the excess wastes money, occupies cable management and creates bend radius risks behind the rack.

Jacket Rating Is A Building Code Question

PVC is the general purpose default. LSZH is normally required for enclosed public buildings and tunnels. Plenum ratings apply in some jurisdictions and building types. This is determined by the local code for the installation, not by preference, and it is expensive to discover after installation.

Boots Labels And Packing

Boot color, label format and packing are what make a dense patch field readable two years later. Cords can be supplied pre-labeled to your own naming scheme, which is realistically the only way a large field ends up documented.

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What Testing To Ask For

Insertion loss and return loss are measured on assemblies before they are capped and bagged. The test records can be supplied with the shipment, but they are prepared at dispatch, so ask for them on the order rather than after delivery.

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FAQ

Questions This Guide Gets Asked

Do you supply non-standard patch cord lengths?

Yes. Cords are cut and terminated to the length on the order, which is usually cheaper and tidier than buying a longer stock length and coiling the slack.

What jacket should I specify?

PVC for general purpose, LSZH where enclosed public spaces require it. The requirement comes from the building code that applies to the site. Tell us the installation environment and we will confirm on the quotation.

Can I get a different connector on each end?

Yes, mixed-connector assemblies are normal. State both ends explicitly, including polish for each end.

Are patch cords individually tested?

Each assembly has its end faces inspected and its insertion loss and return loss measured before it is capped and bagged.