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Defining Type and Semi Tight Buffers as Opposed to Loose Tubes in Optical Cables

Published: January 3, 2019
, Last updated: September 17, 2025

Many mechanical field terminable connectors use the 250 or 245 µm coding to restrain a cleaved fiber inside the back of the shell of the connector, therefore if you have a 900 µm tight buffer you have a need to strip the 900um buffer from The 245um UV coating. Typically the amount of distance is about a centimeter. In many cases, this need is called a semi-tight buffer.

When mixing epoxy-type terminations and field splice terminations one of the concerns is that using a loose tight buffer in an Epoxy connector can cause wicking of the epoxy back into the cable end many centimeters which will likely cause a fiber break near the connector backshell.

It is best to consider a specific strip test requirement when purchasing ”tight buffer” type cables based upon how and where you are using them. There are many more definitions than standards on tight buffer strip ability.
 
READ THE BLOG: Defining type and semi tight buffers as opposed to loose tubes in optical cables

 

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FOC Tips Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.
About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment, materials, and supplies known for helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over three decades. Material property consultation is provided by technical experts for lapping film, epoxy, adhesives, optical coatings, and optical plastics during application specific material selection. Technical process expertise is offered in several key technology areas. Specialized expertise includes cable assembly line mastery, fiber broadband field installation best practices, and technical advancements in telecom, datacom, data centers, and hyperscale. Optical cable specification development includes design and quality testing. FOC's impact reaches the network physical capabilities through fiber manufacturing process expertise from preform fabrication and shaping, fiber drawing, and coating requirements for double clad fibers used for high power fiber laser applications to solution doping, vapor phase doping, rare earth chelates and halide recipe consultation. Fiber Optic Center is the preferred choice for the world’s fiber professionals as the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

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