Tech Guides
Plastic Fiber Harness
Why Plastic Fiber?
Plastic
fiber is available as end emitting and side emitting cable, both
solid core and stranded. Unlike glass fiber, plastic fiber can
be measured, field cut and bundled on-site. This introduces a
flexibility in accommodating field conditions and lead times
which
is not possible with glass fiber. However:
Caution: Cutting of plastic fiber requires care so as
not to mar the ends of the fiber. It is critical that installation
of plastic fiber be by an installer (who need not be an electrician),
who will be careful and meticulous in ensuring the fiber is cut
properly and remains clean and free of dust and debris on construction
sites. An appropriate Lucifer® supplied cutting
tool must be ordered for use with all plastic fiber installations
to maintain warranty coverage.
The
end emitting and side emitting plastic fiber supplied by Lucifer
Lighting is generic solid core and stranded fiber manufactured
by established optical fiber manufacturers.
End emitting plastic fiber is sheathed with a black protective jacketing. Side emitting plastic fiber is clear cable unsheathed to permit continuous side glow along its length. Note: Specify reflector end cap with side emitting fiber if not double pumped.
Harness Make-up
A
cable harness of plastic fiber consists of solid core or stranded
fiber with a common end and multi-tailed ends as with glass
fiber. However, at the common end, the plastic fibers of the
single tails are press-fit into a coupler rather than being
aggregated and ground together as with glass fiber. The other
end of the coupler is then inserted into the port opening of
the illuminator to retain the plastic fiber in position to
receive
the concentrated light – and heat – from the illuminator
lamp source.
Caution: Plastic fiber can be subject to degradation
from illuminator heat, which causes the fiber to discolor with
operation. A standard or cold coupler must be used at the
illuminator source to ensure reliable light output over time.
The Standard Coupler is a glass light guide which acts as an intermediate medium to transition heat from the illuminator to the plastic fiber tails. It is a conventional means of using plastic fiber reliably in illuminators over time. The Cold Coupler is an innovative, custom machined, aluminum component which accepts plastic fiber directly, transitioning heat through and out its machined body without the need of intermediate glass fiber.
Lucifer Lighting reserves the right to determine whether to supply a standard or cold coupler device based on the required quantity and size of tails, and the intended application.
The Standard Coupler is available only in 30mm common end. The Lucifer Cold Coupler is available in 30mm common end; or custom 55mm common end, to accommodate larger plastic fiber sizes and quantities. Catalog details for specifying plastic fiber follow. Refer to Specification Order Guide for ordering logic to specify harness make-up.
Solid
Core Plastic End Emitting Fiber
|
|
|
|
|
|
FBPE-S8 |
1/8" (3) |
.50" (13) |
52 |
7 |
30 |
FBPE-S24 |
3/16" (5) |
.75" (19) |
16 |
7 |
19 |
FBPE-S36 |
1/4" (7) |
1.00" (25) |
11 |
4 |
14 |
FBPE-S60 |
3/8" (10) |
1.50" (38) |
6 |
1 |
7 |
FBPE-S120 |
1/2" (13) |
2.00" (51) |
- |
1 |
4 |
Solid
Core Plastic Side Emitting Fiber
|
|
|
|
|
|
FBPS-S36 |
1/4" (7) |
1.00" (25) |
11 |
7 |
19 |
FBPS-S60 |
3/8" (10) |
1.50" (38) |
6 |
4 |
10 |
FBPS-S120 |
1/2" (13) |
2.00" (51) |
- |
1 |
7 |
Stranded
Plastic End Emitting Fiber
|
|
|
|
|
|
FBSE-S36 |
1/4" (3) |
2.00" (52) |
11 |
14 |
44 |
FBSE-S60 |
3/8" (5) |
2.00" (52) |
6 |
7 |
24 |
FBSE-S96 |
7/16" (7) |
2.00" (52) |
- |
4 |
14 |
Stranded
Plastic Side Emitting Fiber
|
|
|
|
|
|
FBSS-S24 |
3/16" (5) |
2.00" (52) |
16 |
7 |
24 |
FBSS-S36 |
1/4" (7) |
2.00" (52) |
- |
4 |
12 |
FBSS-S60 |
3/8" (10) |
2.00" (52) |
- |
3 |
7 |
Refer to Specification/Order Guide for ordering logic to specify harness make-up.
Note: Stranded plastic can be used with the Cold Coupler on all illuminator models except ILQH-2 and ILQH-3. For use of stranded plastic with ILQH-2 and ILQH-3, specify 30mm Standard Coupler. Stranded plastic end emitting fiber contains the following number of fiber strands per bundle: S36 (12 fibers), S60 (50 fibers) and S96 (75 fibers)
