Rodent-proof fiber optic cable, also called anti-rodent fiber optic cable, refers to the internal structure of the cable to add a protective layer of metal or glass yarn, to prevent rodents from chewing the cable to destroy the internal optical fiber and lead to signal interruption of a communication fiber optic cable.
Because whether it is a forest overhead cable hanging line, pipeline cable hole, or high-speed, high-speed rail line along the laying of fiber optic cable channel, the laying of fiber optic cable channel is often squirrels or rats and other rodents like to move about the place.
Rodents have the habit of grinding teeth, with the increase in the amount of fiber optic cable laying, due to rodent gnawing caused by fiber optic cable in the fiber optic interruption is also more and more common.
Protection Methods For Rodent-Proof Fiber Optic Cables
Rodent-proof fiber optic cables are protected in the following 3 main ways:
1.Chemical Stimulation
That is, in the sheath of the fiber optic cable to add a spicy agent. When the rodent gnawing fiber optic cable sheath, the spicy agent can make the rodent’s oral mucosa and taste nerves are strongly stimulated, so that the rodent to give up gnawing.
The chemical nature of the choric agent is relatively stable, but the cable is used in along-term outdoor environment, the choric agent or water soluble factors such as gradual loss from the sheath, it is difficult to ensure that the cable’s long-term anti. rodent effect.
2.Physical Stimulation
Add a layer of glass yarn or FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastics) consisting of glass fibers between the inner and outer sheaths of the fiber optic cable, as shown in the figure below.
As the glass fiber is extremely fine and brittle, in the rodent bite process, the crushed glass slag will hurt the rodent’s mouth, so that it produces a sense of fear of fiber optic cables.
Physical stimulation method of anti-rodent effect is better, but the manufacturing cost of fiber optic cable is higher, fiber optic cable construction is also easy to hurt the construction personnel.
Because they contain no metal components, fiber optic cables can be used in strong electromagnetic environments
3.Armor Protection
That is, a hard metal reinforcement layer or armor layer (hereinafter referred to as armor layer) is set outside the cable core of the optical cable, making it difficult for rodents to bite through the armor layer, thereby achieving the purpose of protecting the cable core.
Metal armor is a conventional manufacturing process for optical cables. The manufacturing cost of optical cables using the armor protection method is not much different from that of ordinary optical cables. Therefore, the current rodent-proof optical cables mainly use the armor protection method.
Common Types Of Rodent-Proof Fiber Optic Cables
According to the different materials of the armor layer, the current commonly used rodent-proof fiber optic cables are mainly divided into two kinds: stainless steel tape armored fiber optic cables and steel wire armored fiber optic cables.
1.Stainless Steel Tape Armored Fiber Optic Cable
Indoor tests show that the conventional GYTS fiber optic cable has a good anti-rodent(house mouse) ability, but when the cable is laid in the field, rodent bites the exposed steel tape will gradually corrode, and the steel tape overlap is easy for rodents to further gnawing, as shown in the figure below.
Therefore, the ordinary steel tape armored fiber optic cable anti-rodent ability is very limited.
Stainless steel tape has good corrosion resistance and higher hardness than ordinary steel belt, as shown in below Figure, the fiber optic cable model GYTA43.
GYTA43 fiber optic cable has a better anti-rodent effect in practical application, but there are also the following two aspects of the problem.
The main protection against rat bites is the stainless steel belt, and the aluminum+ polyethylene inner sheath has no effect on preventing rat bites. In addition, the outer diameter of the optical cable is large and the weight is heavy, which is not conducive to laying, and the price of the optical cable is also high.
Fiber optic cable stainless steel tape lap position conducive to rodent bites, the long-term effectiveness of the protection needs time to test.
2.Steel Wire Armored Fiber Optic Cable
The penetration resistance of steel wire armored fiber optic cables is related to the thickness of the steel tape, as shown in Table.
The increase in the thickness of the steel tape will make the cable’s bending performance worse, so the thickness of the steel tape in the fiber optic cable armoring is usually 0.15mm to 0.20mm, while the steel wire armored fiber optic cable armoring layer with a diameter of 0.45mm to 1.6mm fine round steel wire, steel wire diameter for the thickness of the steel tape of a few times, which greatly enhances the cable’s anti-rodent biting performance, the cable still has a good bending performance.
When the core size is unchanged, steel wire armored fiber optic cable is larger than the outer diameter of steel tape armored fiber optic cable, which leads to the self-importance and high cost.
In order to reduce the outer diameter of steel wire armored fiber optic cable, steel wire armored rodent-proof fiber optic cable core is usually used in the central tube structure as shown in the figure below.
When the number of cores of steel wire armored rodent-proof fiber optic cable is more than 48 cores, in order to facilitate the management of the fiber core, multiple micro-bundle tubes are set up in the loose tubes, and each micro-bundle tube is divided into12 cores or 24 cores to become a fiber optic bundle, as shown in the following figure.
Due to the steel wire armored anti-rodent fiber optic cable core size is small, the mechanical properties are poor, in order to prevent deformation of the cable, in the winding package of steel wire outside the steel tape will then be armored to ensure that the shape of the cable. in addition, the steel tape also further strengthens the anti-rodent performance of the fiber optic cable.
Put At The End
Although there are many types of rodent-proof fiber optic cables, the most widely used ones are GYTA43 and GYXTS as mentioned above.
From the structure of the fiber optic cable, GYXTS long-term anti-rodent effect may be better, anti-rodent effect has been nearly 10 years of time test. GYTA43 fiber optic cable has not been used in the project for a long time, and the long-term anti-rodent effect has yet to be time-tested.
At present, an operator procurement of anti-rodent cable only GYTA43 a, but from the above analysis can be seen, whether it is anti-rodent performance, ease of construction, or the price of the cable, GYXTS anti-rodent cable may be slightly better.
At ONE WORLD, we supply key materials for rodent-proof fiber optic cables like GYTA43 and GYXTS — including FRP, glass fiber yarn, and water blocking yarn. Trusted quality, fast delivery, and free samples available.
Post time: Jun-24-2025