Fibre Optic Cables? Make your own....

[bvanant]

11 hours ago, Michael said:

i just saw that Macar0n also fancies 4-6 m. But that is not enough to get a bulk order yet. Too bad that i-fibreoptics charge 150$ for shipping... (plus tax it doesn't make sense...).

Maybe too many people don't want to save money on DIY-cables und prefer to buy them from the shelf.


I really don't know why we don't find them in Europe. I've been searching every few weeks but with no luck. 
 

There is an Asahi Kasei office in Dusseldorf, you might ask them there.

BVA

 
 

 

[fruehaufsteher2]

4 hours ago, bvanant said:

If you want to put together an order for say 20 meters, I will be happy to ship it to anyone via USPS. I have done this for individuals in Europe before.

BVA

Yep. Let’s go. 
Please dm and we’ll have that done. 

[Muellema]

Hi,

 

also interested in approx. 8-10m.

 

Br Markus

[TimG]

Guys, I’m traveling at the moment and back in about 2 weeks. I’d be happy to sort this out with @bvanant when I’m back but can’t at the moment. If anyone in EU would like to step in, then by all means. 
 

Please do bear in mind that with shipping, import duties and, doubtless “handling fees” the final cost could easily be doable the US list cost. 
 

If someone has a bit of time, could they research the Asahi FRG office angle?

[fruehaufsteher2]

Hi Tim,

 

I thought about making the middle man - but in the next 6 months I will be travelling very often.

 

Sending to EU would be about 20,-€ but in fact tax will be added. So for example 20m will be around 300.- all in all with the help of @bvanant

null

That shouldn't be a problem. But then distributing is an additional effort that currently I cannot do.

[fruehaufsteher2]

https://i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php?id=3360&sum=166

[TimG]

I don’t mind organising the distribution in the EU and U.K.  I did it last time. But I can’t do anything before the middle of the month. Many thanks to Bill for his offer of help - which he’s done kindly before too. 
 

I suggest anyone wanting cable repeats their order now setting out exactly how much they want and the final country for destination. 
 

It’s hard to be exact on price until the goods arrive and we know the full costs including taxes, handling etc. Based on the US total cost of about $9 a metre, I’d guess that cable shouldn’t cost more than, say, €20 a metre.  But that’s a guesstimate. When the time comes I’d ask people to make payment to either my U.K. or NL bank account. I’ll set out all the costs and calculations. 

[bvanant]

There are a couple of ways to do this.

1. I will pay for the fiber and postage to a single or maximum 2 European/UK address(es) and get reimbursed by someone.

2. Someone in the EU/UK buys the cable and has it shipped to me. I will then ship ($20ish) to Europe/UK and get reimbursed for the shipping by someone. 

 

Let me know

bill.vanantwerp@gmail.com

[stiebs]

I'll jump onto this as well for 10-20m (in Australia)

 

Here's the per meter shipping to Aus 😯

 

 

 

Edited August 1 by stiebs

[TimG]

6 hours ago, bvanant said:

There are a couple of ways to do this.

1. I will pay for the fiber and postage to a single or maximum 2 European/UK address(es) and get reimbursed by someone.

2. Someone in the EU/UK buys the cable and has it shipped to me. I will then ship ($20ish) to Europe/UK and get reimbursed for the shipping by someone. 

 

Let me know

bill.vanantwerp@gmail.com

Hey Bill

 

i was going to suggest option 2.

 

Last time we did this the cable arrived on a huge cardboard drum. if we went with option 2, it be great if you could unpack it and just coil it into a Jiffybag. If you ship it to me, I’ll cut, repack to individuals for shipping in the EU or U.K.  

 

For Stiebs, I’d happily ship to Oz, but bear in mind, the consignment would have got hit entering the EU for taxes etc. Postage to Aus would then be added on and, I guess, Aus import duties too on arrival Down Under. It could get very pricey. Unless Bill would be happy to go with his option 1 and ship one batch to EU and one to Aus. 

[CaolIla]

A question : Why do you want this 613 core fiber optic cable ?

I use simple 3mm (1core) fiber optic cable. It works well, i have no problems (also with my retra pro X 😉 )

The cost for such cable is near nothing 

[Dave_Hicks]

1 hour ago, CaolIla said:

A question : Why do you want this 613 core fiber optic cable ?

I use simple 3mm (1core) fiber optic cable. It works well, i have no problems (also with my retra pro X 😉 )

The cost for such cable is near nothing 

The 613 fiber is a better transmitter of more light and it has a tighter bend radius so it won't be damaged as easily. This allows for longer cables, support for less sensitive strobes, and protocols like ttl that need more signal. 

 

Cheap toslink cable is nearly as good but more fragile. The 3mm stuff is probably not glass and is not great for strobes like S&S. 

[TimG]

1 hour ago, CaolIla said:

A question : Why do you want this 613 core fiber optic cable ?

I use simple 3mm (1core) fiber optic cable. It works well, i have no problems (also with my retra pro X 😉 )

The cost for such cable is near nothing 

Have you tried the 1 core with the Retras set to TTL? I don’t use TTL but I’d be intrigued to know how that works with non-613. 

[CaolIla]

1 hour ago, TimG said:

Have you tried the 1 core with the Retras set to TTL? I don’t use TTL but I’d be intrigued to know how that works with non-613. 

No I only use manual. I also can't try TTL because my trigger is only manual. I used TTL with my precedent housing... but I didn't like that.  Is the reason I have only a Manual Trigger

I looked for 613core but the price (shipment) was not acceptable...  Since over 2 years (more or less 200 dives) I'm using a single core cable without any problems

[CaolIla]

6 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

The 613 fiber is a better transmitter of more light and it has a tighter bend radius so it won't be damaged as easily. This allows for longer cables, support for less sensitive strobes, and protocols like ttl that need more signal. 

 

Cheap toslink cable is nearly as good but more fragile. The 3mm stuff is probably not glass and is not great for strobes like S&S. 

Thanks for your answer.

1) bend radius ok it's an argument, but I didn't have any problem (for the moment)

2) This allows for longer cables, support for less sensitive strobes : I turn the problem to the other side... The strobe sensor ist not good enough 

3) TTL humm I don't undestand why...   or it's the same answer a 2)   ?

 

 

[Dave_Hicks]

1 hour ago, CaolIla said:

Thanks for your answer.

1) bend radius ok it's an argument, but I didn't have any problem (for the moment)

2) This allows for longer cables, support for less sensitive strobes : I turn the problem to the other side... The strobe sensor ist not good enough 

3) TTL humm I don't undestand why...   or it's the same answer a 2)   ?

 

 

Yes, some strobes have notoriously weak sensors, especially S&S. The Backscatter MF-1 was not super strong either. I think the latest Retra firmware update had a fix to improve sensitivity. So this is a common issue. 

 

If what you are using works then you are set. If you ever have problems, you know what to do. 

[CaolIla]

5 minutes ago, Dave_Hicks said:

If what you are using works then you are set. If you ever have problems, you know what to do.

Yes thanks 

[stiebs]

13 hours ago, TimG said:

For Stiebs, I’d happily ship to Oz, but bear in mind, the consignment would have got hit entering the EU for taxes etc. Postage to Aus would then be added on and, I guess, Aus import duties too on arrival Down Under. It could get very pricey. Unless Bill would be happy to go with his option 1 and ship one batch to EU and one to Aus. 

 

Yes, would be better to ship direct from the US. Shipping via USPS, or even UPS shouldn't be as expensive as IF's shipping estimate - I'm sure they're adding a fair whack of "handling fees". As far as import duty, Aus is generally pretty lenient on not charging duty for small value items. When it gets up to the $1k mark, consignment is likely to be held until import duties are paid, a couple of hundred usually slips through.

 

[stiebs]

11 hours ago, CaolIla said:

A question : Why do you want this 613 core fiber optic cable ?
I use simple 3mm (1core) fiber optic cable. It works well, i have no problems (also with my retra pro X 😉 )
The cost for such cable is near nothing 

 

I have a 10m sample of single core (https://www.digikey.com.au/en/products/detail/industrial-fiber-optics/IF-C-E1000/811036) which is almost identical to the 613 specs. Same material, diameter, refractive index, numerical aperture. Only key different is bend radius - 3mm for the 613, 15mm for my single core. I haven't put it through a proper test yet, but certainly bend radius for the Inon L connectors is way tighter than the 15mm spec. Will make up a cable and run some bench tests and hopefully take it out soon.

 

(This cable is also IFO branded, and I happened across it when I was looking for something to add to my DigiKey cart to get free shipping. I couldn't find the 613-core on DigiKey, and this was relatively cheap. But it appears that DigiKey no longer carry IFO cable - must be a recent thing, because I only bought it about 2 months ago)

Edited August 2 by stiebs

[bvanant]

I have made cables from single core Asahi 1mm core and 1.5 mm core. Also with 217 and 613 multi-cores. The 1.5 mm core could trigger the MF-2 in RC mode (for blackwater) as could the 217 and 613 core fibers. The 1 mm core mostly didn't trigger in RC mode but was fine for manual (AOI LED trigger).  There is no IFO cable they are a distributor. The fiber is made by Asahi, digikey is famous for putting a variety of names on commodity stuff.

 

Let me know. I am leaving for Komodo on the 7th so it will have to be after that, back Sept. 8

BVA
 

[TimG]

Guys

 

Can I check who actually wants cable before getting rolling with this?

 

So far I have only heard from @Joerg Malke and @stiebs. No other takers???

 

I don't really need any myself so if there's only one person in the EU and one in Aus, then a bulk order becomes a bit pointless. No bulk, no order?

 

 

[fruehaufsteher2]

In fact I am really interested- some 2 or 3m. 
but I‘d also take 20m and distribute in EU… 

[makar0n]

4 hours ago, TimG said:

Guys

 

Can I check who actually wants cable before getting rolling with this?

 

So far I have only heard from @Joerg Malke and @stiebs. No other takers???

 

I don't really need any myself so if there's only one person in the EU and one in Aus, then a bulk order becomes a bit pointless. No bulk, no order?

 

 

 

Would happily take 4-6m as well.

Shipping wise @fruehaufsteher2 might be a good idea - from my experience in this general part of the world DE has often the most reasonable customs - in fact packages around 100 Euro in value would not attract VAT and customs charge would be 10-20 euro max...or none ;]

DHL (not courier but German post) is also probably one of the cheapest EU wide carriers as well.

 

But yeah still tiny order per se.... I might be heading US side towards the end of year perhaps but unsure yet sadly, but if so, no issues with being a carrier pigeon.

I've emailed Asahi DE but no response...guess they do not bother with private customers.

[TimG]

It’s a good idea, makar0n and probably cheaper than via NL. But @fruehaufsteher2 said he can’t manage onward distribution. 
 

I’ve organised a Red Sea dive trip for October on which a number of US residents are joining. Hmmm….. wonder if I could ask one of them to bring it in their baggage. Weighs nothing…….  I’ll explore. 
 

Your 4-6m noted. 

[fruehaufsteher2]

2 hours ago, TimG said:

It’s a good idea, makar0n and probably cheaper than via NL. But @fruehaufsteher2 said he can’t manage onward distribution. 
 

I’ve organised a Red Sea dive trip for October on which a number of US residents are joining. Hmmm….. wonder if I could ask one of them to bring it in their baggage. Weighs nothing…….  I’ll explore. 
 

Your 4-6m noted. 

Hi Tim,

sitting here in Dharavandoo and just having killed another cable I changed my mind- I feel able to forward distribute as long as it is inside EU.