For many years, data centers and many other facilities have been using fiber optic cables. However, multiple types of fiber optic cords appear pretty difficult to distinguish one from another. Some systems were made to solve this issue. They typically involve fiber optic color codes for various fiber optic cords. Such color codes are essential for identifying a particular cable for its jacket material, connector type, buffer, etc. In this article, we`ll discuss what fiber optics cable color code is at all.
What is fiber color code?
Essentially, fiber optic cable color code is a determined system that is designed to help distinguish types of fiber cables visually. Different colors highlight different fiber cords in terms of their connectors, jackets, and other features. Such fiber optic cable color coding is especially helpful for engineers while cable plexus provides the continuity of particular color codes throughout the entire cable run. This way, fiber cables color code is associated with its importance in fiber optic communications.
How to identify the fiber cable color code?
- Outer jacket fiber color codes
This color code is designed to define the jacket for various fiber types. Cables that consist only of one fiber people can quickly identify by their jacket color. Here is a jacket color code for a variety of fiber kinds for non-military applications:
- OM1 multimode – orange
- OM2 multimode – orange
- OM3 multimode – aqua
- OM4 multimode – aqua or violet
- Multimode – orange
- OS1\OS2 single-mode – yellow
- Polarization maintaining single-mode – blue
- Inner fiber color code
It is essential to understand that multi-fiber cables tend to contain several individual fibers under a determined color code. Color codes of jackets, buffers, and tubes on each fiber create a system so engineers can distinguish these fibers. Besides, a fiber optic cable color code will repeat for cables that involve more than 12 strands. Here are 12 variants of inner fibers with the fiber position:
- 1 – blue
- 2 – orange
- 3 – green
- 4 – brown
- 5 – slate
- 6 – white
- 7 – red
- 8 – black
- 9 – yellow
- 10 – violet
- 11 – rose
- 12 – aqua
Interestingly, fibers of 13 to 24 positions have the same color but with black tracers, except from fiber at the 20th position that has a yellow tracer.
- Connector color code
Fiber optic color code also incorporates connectors to identify them as these connectors tend to have various polishing types of fiber cable end-face. Though, metal connectors make it difficult to elaborate on color-coding, so for them, it is typically utilized colored strain relief boots. Here is the color code with fiber-optic types, polish type, and color of connector body:
- OM1 UPC – beige\gray
- OM2 UPC – black
- OM3\OM4 UPC – aqua
- single-mode UPC – blue
- single-mode APC – green