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User Guide
Optical Time Domain Reflectometer
This guide is written for use with the OTDR 800 series.
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL IS BELIEVED TO BE ACCURATE AND RELIABLE, HOWEVER, NO RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED BY
RIPLEY TOOLS FOR ITS USE NOR FOR ANY INFRINGEMENTS OF PATENTS OR OTHER RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES THAT MAY RESULT FROM ITS
USE. NO LICENSE IS GRANTED BY IMPLICATION OR OTHERWISE UNDER ANY PATENT RIGHTS OF RIPLEY TOOLS.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE PUBLICATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for choosing Ripley's ODM® brand for your fiber optic testing requirements. Our professional staff is available to answer
any questions or provide assistance that you require. We at Ripley Tools strive to provide premier customer care and technical
support by providing timely responsiveness and training. We are proud of our quality and high standards and assure you, the most
user friendly and affordable fiber optic solutions to meet individual needs.
PRECAUTIONS
Optical time domain reflectometers are optical instruments that emit laser radiation and though this level of radiation is
not considered a danger, there are safety considerations and certain practices that should be followed.
Please read and follow all warning and caution information noted in this manual. There are warnings, cautions and notes posted
throughout this manual.
WARNING
A warning alerts to situations that could cause personal injury.
CAUTION
A caution alerts to situations that may cause damage to the equipment or produce poor testing conditions resulting in
inaccurate test results.
NOTE
A special annotation that will assist the user with operational features.
PAGE 2
Chapter 3: Safety
Prior to operating the equipment in any way, it is highly suggested the user reads all safety information.
The information in this chapter pertains to safety consideration of OTDRs in general. This product has been designed and tested
in accordance with the manufacturer’s safety standards, and has been supplied in a safe condition.
Information contained in this document must be followed by the user to ensure safe operation and to maintain the functionality of
the product. Failure to follow these safety warnings and cautions may result in harm to the user and/or damage to the instrument.
WARNING
Personnel should always be aware when working with fiber optic test equipment that active fibers may be present and
therefore, infrared optical energy may be present.
WARNING
Never look directly into the end of a connected fiber optic cable or the fiber optic interface of optical test equipment; to
do so may expose the user to laser radiation and may result in personal injury.
WARNING
To Prevent Fire or Shock Hazard:
• Do not install battery types other than those supplied by the manufacturer.
• Do not use the charger without the proper batteries installed.
• Do not expose the battery charger to rain or excessive moisture.
• Do not use the AC adapter when there are signs of damage to the enclosure or cord.
• Ensure that you are using the correct charger for the local line voltage.
• Do not use any other charger than the one provided with this instrument.
• Do not puncture batteries.
• Do not incinerate batteries.
• All batteries should be disposed of in a proper manner.
Failure to follow these caution statements may cause unsafe conditions for the operator and/or equipment, and may void
the warranty.
CAUTION
Fiber-optic connectors are easily contaminated or damaged. The connection to the OTDR is by physical contact types of
connections. Dirty or damaged connectors may impair the instruments capabilities at a minimum, and at worst, result
in the need to return the OTDR to the factory for unwarranted repairs. Prior to making any connection to the unit, ensure
that all proper cleaning procedures have been followed. Use APC Finish Connectors Only -- DO NOT insert UPC connectors
into the optical ports.
CAUTION
The OTDR is equipped with a protection circuit to avoid damage from live fiber connections. Therefore, the instrument
will not operate properly with active fibers. Even with circuit protection, high power output from EDFA’s or other
equipment can damage detectors and should never be connected to the OTDR. If a live fiber is connected to the OTDR
and a scan is attempted, a warning dialog will be displayed as in Fig. 3.1. Immediately remove the live fiber from the OTDR
and press select to clear the message.
Fig 3.1
PAGE 4
Chapter 6: OTR 800 Description
6.1 OTDR Physical Description
Instrument Enclosure
The ODM® Brand OTDR 800 is packaged in a rugged housing and further protected by a rubberized boot. Although the front panel
is weather-resistant, care must be taken to prevent liquids and contaminants from damaging the fragile optical and electrical
connectors, as well as the glass display. Use a mild cleaning agent and soft damp cloth to clean up the panels and the outside
case. Clean the optical connector if needed using only industry accepted fiber cleaning methods. NEVER open the instrument for
cleaning. Return the unit to the factory for servicing, if necessary.
Kickstand
Protective
Rubber Boot VFL Port Unit Serial Number
Color
Touchscreen
Velcro
Hand
Strap
Power Button
USB Charging / Data Port
Battery Charge Indicator OTDR Port
Fig 6.2
Stylus
Fig 6.1
VIEW TRACE
Tap this icon to open the previously run
trace results.
VIEW TRACE
OTDR SETTINGS
VFL (VISUAL FAULT LOCATOR) VFL : OFF Tap this icon to change the OTDR time, date, and
Tap this icon to toggle between the VFL sleep timer settings.
modes, ON (CW), or 2HZ Modulation.
Fig 6.3
WARNING
To Prevent Fire or Shock Hazard:
• Do not install battery types other than those supplied by the manufacturer.
• Do not use the charger without the proper batteries installed.
• Do not expose the battery charger to rain or excessive moisture.
• Do not use the AC adapter when there are signs of damage to the enclosure or cord.
• Ensure that you are using the correct charger for the local line voltage.
• Do not use any other charger than the one provided with this instrument.
• Do not puncture batteries.
• Do not incinerate batteries.
• All batteries should be disposed of in a proper manner.
Failure to follow these caution statements may cause unsafe conditions for the operator and/or equipment, and may void
the warranty.
The useable range for fault location depends on many factors including the type of fiber, cable, and the overall loss. To activate the
VFL, tap the "VFL" button on the home screen to cycle through the available states of "Off", "Continuous" or "Modulated" modes.
PAGE 6
Chapter 8: OTDR Operation
8.1 Entering OTDR Function
Press the Power button to turn on the OTDR 800. The unit has two OTDR options to choose for running a network test: Auto Test
and Custom Test. Select either option to begin entering test parameters.
WARNING
Before connecting a fiber to the OTDR, ensure that the fiber has no active optical sources or instruments connected at the
other end. Skin or eye damage may result from high power sources such as EDFAs, and/or instrument damage may occur,
voiding the warranty.
WARNING
Clean all connectors in use thoroughly prior to connecting them to the appropriate port of the OTDR. Failure to ensure the
connectors used with the OTDR are properly cleaned may result in poor launch conditions at a minimum, or even damage
to the optical interface that requires the unit be returned to the factory for repair.
NOTE
To switch between imperial and metric units, use the length editing menu.
Set Wavelength
Tap the textbox on the display to open the wavelength list and choose the desired wavelength for the test. Select either a single
wavelength, or two for dual mode operation. Wavelengths are selected when they are highlighted in dark gray. If the wavelength(s)
are light gray, they are not selected for testing.
NOTE
The wavelengths selections for the dual SM OTDR are 1310 nm, 1550 nm, and 1310/1550 nm. The 1310/1550nm settings
are for Dual Mode operation where the OTDR will test both wavelengths in one operation. Dual Mode is covered in section
8.9 of this guide. At least one wavelength must be selected to start the test.
Start AutoTest
Tap the "Begin Test" button to start the test. The OTDR will conduct a test at the selected wavelength(s) with a dynamic averaging
time (typically around 60 seconds). The OTDR will automatically select the best average time, pulse width, and range parameters
appropriate for the fiber being tested.
Fig 8.1
User Config 1 User Config 1 User Config 1 User Config 1 User Config 1
BACK START
TEST
Launch/Receive Lengths Network Range Pass/Fail Settings Averaging Time Test Parameter
Wavelength(s) Pulse Width Index of Refraction Event Sensitivity Summary Page
Fig 8.2
Confirm the parameters shown on the summary page and tap the "Start Test" button to begin the test using the parameters. The
OTDR will show the progress via a percentage value. If running a dual trace, the value shown represents only the first wavelength.
Once the first wavelength has finished, the second test using the other wavelength will begin again at 0%.
NOTE
To switch between imperial and metric units, use the lenght editing menu.
Set Wavelength
Tap the textbox on the display to open the wavelength list and choose the desired wavelength for the test. Select either a single
wavelength, or two for dual mode operation. Wavelengths are selected when they are highlighted in dark gray. If the wavelength(s)
are light gray, they are not selected for testing.
NOTE
The wavelengths selections for the dual SM OTDR are 1310 nm, 1550 nm, and 1310/1550 nm. The 1310/1550nm settings
are for Dual Mode operation where the OTDR will test both wavelengths in one operation. Dual Mode is covered in section
8.9 of this guide. At least one wavelength must be selected to start the test.
PAGE 8
Set Range
To set the Range, tap the textbox on the display to open the available range list and choose the desired range for the test. Only one
range can be selected for testing.
NOTE
When setting the Range and Pulse Width, it is necessary to keep in mind that using certain pulse widths with some ranges
is not beneficial. Pulse widths are not all available for use with all of the ranges. The chart below indicates the pulse
widths that are available with each range.
Pulse Width
5 ns 10 ns 30 ns 100 ns 300 ns 1µ 3µ 10 µ 20 µ
250 m
500 m
1 km
2 km
4 km
Range
8 km
16 km
32 km
64 km
128 km
Fig. 8.3
NOTE
There is an ORL and a Reflection Threshold setting. The ORL is the return loss for the entire link/system and the Reflection
Threshold is the return loss value of an event. Thresholds are "pass thresholds" where a value entered as a threshold is a
passing value.
Setting Examples:
LOSS If a 1.00dB splice/event loss is acceptable, set the threshold to 1.00. If an events loss of 1.00 is the fail point, set the threshold to 0.99.
ORL If a system ORL of -35 dB reflectance is acceptable, set the threshold to 35. If -35 dB is the fail point, set the threshold to 35.1.
REFL If a -45 dB, event reflection is acceptable, set the threshold to 45. If -45 dB link loss is the fail point, set the threshold to 45.1.
LINK If a 20 dB, link loss is acceptable, set the threshold to 20. If 20 dB link loss is the fail point, set the threshold to 19.5.
If an event loss of 3 dB should trigger the end of fiber, set it to 3.0. If the end of
EOF
fiber should be anything greater than 3 dB loss, set it to 3.1.
Set IOR
It is necessary to have the Index of Refraction set as close as possible to the actual IOR of the fiber. If this is unknown, it is best to
use the default setting in the OTDR. The default IOR for the wavelength chosen is shown in the text field. If an adjustment needs
to be made to the IOR, tap the textbox and enter an appropriate value for the IOR for the fiber and wavelength used. Tap the "OK"
button to set the IOR.
NOTE
The longer the averaging time, the "cleaner" the results will be. This is due to the extra data points included in the
average that helps to filter out any extra noise that might be present on shorter average time tests. If testing dual
wavelengths, this is the averaging time for just one of those wavelengths. For example, if testing dual wavelengths and
the averaging time is set to 1 minute, the first wavelength will run for a minute and then after it completes, the second
wavelength will run for another minute.
Sensitivity Settings
There are three levels of sensitivity for the event table and schematic views: low, medium, and high. To set the event sensitivity, tap
the textbox for the sensitivity setting, select the desired setting, and then tap "OK".
The lowest setting possible should be used to help filter out any false events that may be caused by short pulse widths or "noisy"
traces, but are not true perturbations in the optical signal. High sensitivity settings present events with loss down to approximately
0.05 dB, medium presents loss down to approximately 0.2 dB, and low presents loss down to about 0.5 dB. Longer pulse widths
and averaging help to lower the number of false events. The highest sensitivity settings should only be used for "clean" traces with
high signal level, low noise, long pulse widths, long ranges, and long averaging time.
EVL A
PASS
PASS VIEW SELECTED
Saves the Current Trace Data. The User can Name the File and Select the Project to
SAVE
Save to. If Saving in Dual Mode, the Wavelengths will be Appended to the File Name.
TRACE SETTINGS Shows Current Trace Parameters and Allows User to Edit Parameters for a New Test
RUN RUN Runs a New Trace or Starts Live Mode (Trace View Only)
TRACE VIEW WITH LIST Opens the Event List View overlaid with the trace (Trace View Only)
Fig 8.5
RUN
Reflective Events
Passing Event is Green
Failing Event is Red
Event Location
Fiber Span
Non-Reflective Event
End of Fiber
FAIL
Navigation Arrows
FAIL Link
Fig 8.6
NOTE
The Link Icon is the last item in the Schematic View. It contains Pass/Fail data for the entire link.
RUN RUN
VIEW SELECTED
Navigation
Arrows
Zoom View Selected Event in Trace View
Event Table
Loss Between
Event Event Loss Previous and
Location in dB dB per Km, Kf or Mi
Current Events
Pass/Fail Between Events
Event
Number
EOF Event
Information
System
Link ORL
Information
Link Loss Link dB per Km, Kf or Mi
Fig 8.7
# Event Number:
Indicates the event in sequence, where the higher the number the further distance from the OTDR the event occurs. The last two
events in the list are special. The first, which indicates a "type" of “End" is the determined end of the fiber under test. The last
row is with the type "Link" includes data that is relevant to the entire system link (full fiber under test).
Km or KF or MI:
Event Location (Distance from OTDR) is labeled "Km" for kilometer, "KF" for kilo-feet, and "MI" for mile. The measurement is the
distance/location where the event occurs along the fiber link. This data should be the same for th End of FIber and Link.
PAGE 12
LOSS:
Event Loss is the loss of the splice, mated pair, or other effect on the fiber considered to be an event. A positive number is the
amount of loss and a negative number indicates a gain normally due to mismatched index of refraction. It is a configurable
threshold for Pass/Fail purposes. The "End" event will always display "N/A".
2-POINT:
2-Point Loss is the loss measured from the end of the dead zone of the previous event to the beginning of current event. The
value in the "Link" row of the table in this column is the link loss, the loss from the beginning of the trace to the event determined
to be the "EOF". This is the value used to determine if the fiber link passes or fails its loss threshold.
dB/Km:
The dB per (dB/...) measurement column is determined by the selected unit of measurement: "KM" for kilometer, "KF" for kilo-
feet, and "MI" for mile. It represents the calculated loss per Km, Kf, or Mi from the end of the dead zone of the previous event to
the beginning of the current event. The value in the "Link" row of the table is the dB loss rate for the total link.
TYPE:
Event Type is the type of event, or the return loss of an event. If the event has no reflection, "splc" is displayed, and if the event
is reflective, the reflectance value is displayed. For the last two events, the first of which is labeled "End", there is not a value
displayed, it simply shows "End". The last row effectively named the "Link" row, the Optical Return Loss for the link is displayed
(System ORL)
RUN
"A" CURSOR WITH POSITION DATA
MAIN TRACE SCREEN (Active)
LOSS METHOD
ZOOM CONTROL
Displays 2 point loss, 4-point/LSA loss,
and dB per Km. Touch anywhere in this EVL A Displays the zoom level, and also the
values of distance and dB in the vertical
area to cycle through the loss methods.
and horizontal grids. Continue to touch the
button to cycle through the zoom levels.
REFLECTIVITY
Displays the measure reflectance value
of the event (if applicable) or N/A if the WAVELENGTH DISPLAY / BUTTON
event has no reflectance. Displays the wavelength that was tested.
In Dual Mode, this field becomes a button
CURSOR NAVIGATION EVENT NAVIGATION to swap between the two traces.
Scrolls the selected cursor. Jumps to the next recorded event.
Fig 8.8
Unit of Measure
The Distance Unit of Measurement is available in Kilometer (Km), Kilo feet (Kf) or Miles (Mi). To set the Unit of Measurement,
change the unit in the test parameters.
Zoom
There are six Zoom Levels: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x. To change the Zoom Level, tap the Zoom button on the screen. It will cycle
through the six levels. When viewing the Trace at a Zoom Level other than 1x, the active cursor is centers on the Trace Display.
When the cursor moves, the Trace moves and the cursor will remain centered.
Cursor Movement
The Active Cursor displays as a solid line and the Inactive Cursor as a dashed line. Tap the A/B button on the screen to toggle
between the two cursors to set the Active Cursor. The active cursor will snap to the position tapped on the screen, or use the
right and left arrow indicators showing in Figure 8.8 to make fine adjustments.
RUN RUN
EVL B EVL B
Fig 8.9
2-Point Loss
2-Point Loss Measurements calculate the difference in vertical height between where the A and B cursors cross the fiber trace.
The information is located on the Trace View Screen within the A-B section of the Trace Information as shown in Fig. 8.8. It is a
quick method of checking the loss between any two points on the fiber optic link.
The 2-Point Loss Method is designed for use in noisy environments when it is difficult to attain an 4-point area that lays flat on
the backscatter before and after the cursor. It takes an average of the selected points before and after the Active Cursor and uses
the average to estimate the Event Loss. Although it is an estimation, the method may be more accurate than using the 4-Point /
LSA Loss Method in noisy environments.
PAGE 14
When using this 2-Point Loss Mode, it is necessary to set the cursors and loss areas in clear backscatter (areas that do not consist
of other events). For accurate loss measurements, set a cursor at the beginning of an event and set the loss measurement areas.
Loss Measurement Areas follow the undulations of the backscatter line unlike 4-Point areas.
NOTE
It is necessary to set the areas in clear backscatter to acquire the most accurate measurements. Therefore, they must
not include other events.
ATTENUATION
The Attenuation (dB/kft or dB/mi) Loss Method takes the 2-Point Loss in dB and divides it by the distance between the cursors
in km (kilometers), kf (kilofoot) or mi (miles). For accurate dB/ Loss Measurements, the two cursors must be on level backscatter
points at least 100 m apart. ("N/A" will show for distances that are not sufficient for measurement).
RUN RUN
Active 4-Point
Zone Cursor
Active 2-Point
Zone Cursor
4-Point Loss
EVL A EVL A Basic A-B Loss
Measurements Measurements
Fig 8.10
NOTE
A vertical green line is used to show which point of the LSA Measurement Areas is in focus when using the left and right
buttons. To move to the next point, tap the cursor select button to move to the next area.
NOTE
It is necessary to create the project before saving a trace as the file will not be available to save after going through the
project creation sequence.
Factory
AUTO CUSTOM
TEST TEST Selected Project ODM
Navigation Arrows
RIPLEY
[DEFAULT]
VIEW TRACE
Delete Selected
Project Rename Selected Project
VFL : OFF Return to Home Back Edit New
Screen Create New Project
Fig 9.1
PAGE 16
Project Management Menu
To open project management, tap "Saved Tests" from the home screen. The project management screen will open. There are four
options available at the bottom of the screen: Back, Delete, Edit and New. Refer to Figure 9.1.
Delete a Project
To delete a Project, highlight the project name using the navigation arrows and tap the "Delete" icon at the bottom of the screen.
Refer to Figure 9.1. Ensure that the right Project is highlighted because once it is deleted, the project and all files associated with
the project cannot be restored.
NOTE:
"Delete" must be held for approximately 2 seconds to complete the delete function.
Rename a Project
To rename a Project, highlight it using the navigational arrows. Tap the "Edit" button at the bottom of the screen. Refer to Figure
9.1. Use the on-screen QWERTY keyboard to rename the project and then tap "OK".
Factory TRACE 1
Saved Traces
ODM TRACE 2
Navigation Arrows
RIPLEY TRACE 3
[DEFAULT] Selected Trace TRACE 4
Delete Selected
Trace Rename Selected Trace
Back Edit New Return to Projects Back Edit Share
Screen Upload to OpTrace
NOTE
Opening a saved trace will unload any "active" trace data. Please ensure that all previous test data has been saved before
loading a saved trace.
Delete a File
To delete a file, with the file to be deleted highlighted, tap and hold "Delete" icon for at approximately 2 seconds. Ensure the proper
file is selected as once deleted, the file cannot be recalled.
Highlight the file to be uploaded using the navigational arrows and then tap the "Share" button. The file will be uploaded to the
target folder on the computer.
NOTE:
When using OpTrace2, the file upload function is completed using the Software only once the OTDR is connected to the
computer.
PAGE 18
LINEARITY ± .05 dB/dB
MEMORY CAPACITY ~ 40,000
MEMORY TYPE Internal
POWER SUPPLY / CHARGER Universal
BATTERY TYPE / LIFE Li-ion / 6 Hours (Typical)
STORAGE TEMPERATURE -20° to 60° C
OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE -10° to 50° C
DIMENSIONS (WITHOUT RUBBER BOOT) 6.25″ L x 4.125″ W x 1.875″ H (159 mm L x 105 mm W x 48 mm H)
WEIGHT 1.5 lb (0.7 kg)
COMMUNICATIONS PORTS USB / Bluetooth®
CONNECTOR STYLES Choice of FC or SC
U.S. Choice of FC or SC Adapters; Android™ Application, Windows®
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED
Compatible Software, Rubber Boot, Hard Carry Case, Manual
LASER SAFETY
CLASS 1 SAFETY PER FDA/CDRH
AND IEC-60825-1 REG.
LASER SAFETY
CLASS II FDA21 CFR1040.10 & 1040.11
IEC 60825-1: 1993
4. Hands-On Training
Inspection Process; Connector Cleaning; dB Loss Testing
5. Classroom Exam
Certification is valid for two years after the training session.
Ripley Tools maintains a database of certified technicians for
the QA groups of major wireless carriers. Ripley Tools will only
issue replacement certificates to the company or individual
who initially paid for the training course.
Contact Ripley Tools to receive more information or to set up a
certification course.
RIPLEY TOOLS ■ 171 DANIEL WEBSTER HWY, UNIT 1 ■ BELMONT, NH 03220 USA
P: (603) 524-8350 E: TECH.SUPPORT@ODM.RIPLEY-TOOLS.COM W: WWW.RIPLEY-TOOLS.COM