Fiber Optic Loose Tube Vs Tight Buffered

In loose tube cables the coated fiber floats within a rugged abrasion resistant oversized tube which is filled with optical gel.

Fiber optic loose tube vs tight buffered.

Both contain a type of strengthening member such as aramid yarn stainless steel wire strands or gel filled sleeves. The acrylate coating keeps moisture away from the cable as the gel filled sleeves do for loose tube cables. Tight buffer fiber contains a thick coating of a plastic type material which is applied directly to the outside of each individual fiber. Instead of a gel layer or sleeve to protect the fiber core tight buffered cables use a two layer coating.

Loose tube fiber optic cable is typically used for outside plant installation in aerial duct and direct buried applications. The other is waterproof acrylate. Loose tube fibers are designed for harsh environmental conditions in the outdoors. Fiber optic cables are constructed in two ways.

However in tight buffered cables there are not so many cables as loose tube fibers. In loose tube cables a high level of isolation from water penetration and extreme temperatures are possible while tight buffered cables being more robust than loose tube cables are better suited for lan or wan connections long indoor runs and direct burial. Between them there are several common denominators like the fact that both have in their interior a strengthening member of sorts that can be made of stainless steel in the form of wire strands aramid yarn or gel filled sleeves. Loose tube cables are designed for harsh environment conditions in the outdoors.

Loose buffer or loose tube cables mean that the fibers are placed loosely within a plastic tube whose inner diameter considerably larger than the fiber itself. Each fiber is coated with a buffer coating usually with an outside diameter of 900m. Each however is designed for very different environments. Loose tube and tight buffered.