Patrick's 2021 Fiber Build-out

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

klui

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2019
824
453
63
The pulling grips are quite large and bulky. Looks like 2-3 inches in diameter. I thought Patrick was going to create custom grips. No way to pull them through 3/4" or 1" Sch 40/80 conduit.


Because of their bulkiness if I do get trunks, I will disassemble and hand pull/guide armored into a 1" hole and not use conduit. Coming from the factory all but one MTP are bent backwards to avoid kinking and the bend would need to meet minimum bending radius. Or use multiple single non-armored MTP cables inside conduit. The benefit of using a trunk is each end has a furcation plug that can be used to secure to an enclosure's strain relief point.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: nickf1227

MiniKnight

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2012
3,072
973
113
NYC
They are running plenum cable @nickf1227

One of the reasons you run plenum is so that you can run it outside of a conduit even through HVAC ducts.
 

nickf1227

Active Member
Sep 23, 2015
197
128
43
33
They are running plenum cable @nickf1227

One of the reasons you run plenum is so that you can run it outside of a conduit even through HVAC ducts.
Hi MiniKnight,
I want to make sure I address this because it's very important.

You are correct on the plenum rating and the cable is rated to be run through places where air may travel if there is a fire. The purpose of plenum rating is to reduce smoke so that in the event of a fire, people remain safer. However, that has nothing to do with whether or not you should use innerduct or conduit. Innerduct also comes rated for either riser or plenum, just like the fiber cable itself. Innerduct is used for two primary reasons, neither of which are for fire or electrical codes.

First, to protect the fiber cable from being damaged. If a fiber cable in your wall is cut, there is really no way to repair it unless you have a $$$$$ fusion splicer, a bunch of slack, and the know-how of how to fix it. If a copper cat6 cable gets cut, you can usually get away with just throwing a keystone on it and then yell at the idiot who cut it. I once had an HVAC guy cut 30 cables on me without telling us. They couldn't fit the ductwork they were installing past the cabling so they just cut it...

The second reason is future expansion. Most installers will leave a pull string in the innerduct so you can easily add more strands of fiber in the future.

It is for these same reasons that in new construction, all CAT5/6 runs are usually run inside of conduit. The cat cabling is also probably plenum rated, but that's not solving the same issue.
 

Patrick

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 21, 2010
12,511
5,792
113
Got back from California and it looks like almost all of the fiber is now in the walls! Retrofit takes forever is the key lesson here.

I think we are at like 1600+ of 1700 fibers installed. Just need to get like 24 to the theatre and 24 to the bar, then do a final drop of the big bundle into the equipment closet.
 

klui

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2019
824
453
63
Retrofit = patching sheetrock?

I admit that's stuff I'm not good at. Patching is "trivial" but much harder is texturing. The safer latex cans you can buy at the home center always results in a clumpy and undefined, melted look. I talked to a contractor many years back and the industrial materials work great but emits a very strong odor, probably due to high VOC. This was just on a small 6"x6" area.
 
Last edited:

Patrick

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 21, 2010
12,511
5,792
113
Retrofit = patching sheetrock?

I admit that's stuff I'm not good at. Patching is "trivial" but much harder is texturing. The safer latex cans you can buy at the home center always results in a clumpy and undefined, melted look. I talked to a contractor many years back and the industrial materials work great but emits a very strong odor, probably due to high VOC. This was just on a small 6"x6" area.
My neighbor across the street has a painting company and does the drywall patching + color matching. Luckily that one is easy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zunder1990

Scarlet

Member
Jul 29, 2019
86
38
18
Sorry for hijacking this.

Patrick mentioned that there are cheaper options than FS for specific fiber spools. I'm in need of an at least 25m 12-Fiber OS2 9/125 MTP Trunk Cable, OFNP (Female - Female). Polarity could be A or B, I can handle both. Any suggestions what I could search for on *Bay? I need to get this to Germany, preferrably within less than two weeks.

Thanks in advance for any hints / tips / links :)
 

Patrick

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 21, 2010
12,511
5,792
113
@XeonLab - It all works, but it is a ton of fiber. Part of it is really just remembering that it was <2x the cost of just pulling LC, so it is mostly underutilized.

We have been really busy for the past 6+ months so it has been a bit of a struggle to get videos out in general.
 

james23

Active Member
Nov 18, 2014
441
122
43
52
Maybe i missed a post on STH main page, but where is all this being installed? (i can see its a home), but is it a new STH office? or is it Patricks new home, that he will use as a home/office?

Just curious for context.

Amazing job! and thanks very much for providing all the details you have in this thread / picts / videos! Very helpful info for future jobs. (like others, i had heard of MPO but was not clear on its use-case, this thread has cleared that up nicely!)