Fibre Optic Cables: Keeping them Happy and Firing

Some time back, I wrote an article about creating your own fibre optic cables: a quick, easy, inexpensive and very satisfying process. In case you missed it it, a link to the piece is here.

https://waterpixels.net/articles/articles_technique/diy-fibre-optic-cables-easy-r32/

Now, many months on, a couple of additional suggestions:

BURPING

On entering the water and descending the plugs at both ends of the cables often need burping. Tiny air bubbles seem to be able to block fibre optic light transmission. Easy to resolve of course: simply remove and replace the plugs at the camera bulkhead and strobe ends of the cable.

Worth checking especially before setting up for that crucial, once in a lifetime image.

DAMAGING THE CABLES

On a recent long dive trip in Raja Ampat, my system was being hauled in and out of RIBs with the strobe arms being moved and folded sometimes by me, sometimes by the boat crew.

At some stage one of the fibre optic cables gained a small “crimp” which resulted in the attached strobe not firing consistently. Annoying of course although easy to replace the cable.

This got me thinking about a way to protect the cables. For my next trip I used some cheap garden micro-watering system hose tubing to provide a protected route for the cables from the housing bulkheads to the strobes. Cost was a few cents.

I found it slightly better to cut the tubing slightly shorter than the fibre cables as this allowed for easier curves at each end.

The tubing is held against the float arms using short loops of bungee cord.

I found it worked best to push the fibre cables into the strobe plugs only on descent or at depth. This allowed for burping and avoided any strain on the connections whilst handling during entry.

In general I’ve found it better not to have fixed connections at both ends of the fibre cable. If one end can pull loose when strained (best I've found is the strobe end) this avoids breaks and overstrains especially during transportation or in rinse tanks (avoid them at all costs!). If stretched or tugged the cable will simply pop out of the strobe end bush. No damage results and the cable is easy to push back in.

The first photograps shows the fibre optic cable and the garden hose tubing; then with the fibre pushed through the tubing; "hung" on the strobe arms; and the loops to hold the tubing and cable in place.