DIY fiber optic writeup with parts

This is a great thread! After losing 2 Sea&Sea cables in the last two trips, I need a robust, yet economical alternative to spending $85.00 on almost every trip... Interestingly, Ive an old skinny S&S cable thats 9 years old and its never given me any issues... I think the newer fiber cable is just a bit too rigid/brittle...

Thanks, to everyone, for all of the great info!

I just ordered some of the same multi-fiber material that S&S and Nauticam use, I will see if it can be coiled. BUT using standard 1 mm fiber, my new coiled cables can trigger YS-D1 strobes from the Nauticam LED trigger.

Cheers

BIll

Hi, You can use a disposable wood sushi stick to roll up the wire, without breaking it, then dip it in boiling water. When cooling, the plastic covering the cable will be wavy.

For my Nauticam fiber optic cables, instead of wasting $160 or more for two commercial cables, I made my own for under $10 following the suggestions described in this post, using fiber optic Toslink cable, scissors, rubber or ABS glue, and a new one-edge razor.

The cable connects to the housing’s bulkheads with a cap made from concentric rubber and vinyl tubes, fitted into each other and held together by pressure.

The rubber tube’s inner diameter is 9 mm, 20 mm long; it fits snugly on the strobe’s threaded bulkheads. The inner two vinyl tubes are 8 mm long.

The cable connects to the strobe with rubber grommet fitted with a 1 x 5 mm O ring.

I have dived for two weeks using these cables and had no problems; they remained securely attached to the housing. Had I needed a tighter fit I could have used a small cable tie to tighten the rubber tube.

The fiberoptic Toslink cable I used is 3 mm diam. The cable now available on eBay is about 4 mm diam.: To fit its tip inside the rubber grommet, I shaved the cable coating with a razor, like one sharpens a pencil, until it fit tightly and stuck out a bit from the free end. Then I pulled the cable out of the grommet, dipped it in ABS plumbers (or rubber) glue, and re-plugged it. Once dry, I hand trimmed the free end of the grommet + cable with a new single edge razor, as described in the preceding comments.

Note: eBay sells thin and thick fiberoptic cable (Toslink); I prefer the thicker cable as it is tougher, and as the fiberoptic cable itself appears to have a larger diameter (1 mm vs about 2 mm diameter to my uneducated eye) and conducts more light.

Part suppliers: Amazon: rubber grommets, eBay: Toslink fiberoptic cable, Home Depot: glue and razors, and O Ring Store (1x5 mm O rings).

Fiberoptic cable for an Inon strobe can be made from the thin 2 mm Toslink cable and Inon compatible FIT terminals sold by Fun-In Underwater Photo in Taiwan.

The cable can be force bent into the fitting, or it can first be softened in boiling water as described above by Maumatus (the cable can also be coiled) so it bends easily. The free end of the cable should stick out a little from each fitting, so it can be trimmed with a sharp razor.

http://www.fun-in.com.tw/oc/index.php?route=product/product&path=58_137&product_id=1139

Sorry to bump this thread, but which thickness end glow works best? I've got one cheapo cable and a sea and sea which is busted now. I did consider going sync cord for a bit but I'd have to buy a new module and a cable! 

The inner or light conducting core of Toslink is a bit over 1 mm in diameter, outer diameter 3 to 4 mm,  from eBay or Amazon. I cut it with a sharp razor. and it has worked consistently well over 4 years.

Does anyone know if the Toslink cable that was mentioned in the beginning has a high enough transmission rate for LED triggers?
(Or similar transmission rate like original cables, for example from Inon?)

If not, does anyone have a link to buy 613 core cable by the metre? 

 I have used and continue to use Toslink single strand fiber-optic cables with a Nauticam NA-D500 housing, Subal ND800, 7100 and 500 housings, all with excellent performance.  The Nauticam NA-D500 and Subal ND500 housings have LED triggers; and with Toslink fiber optic cables they have consistently, without problem, fired the Sea&Sea YS-D2 and -D2J, and Inon D2000, Z240 and Z300 strobes. 

Older models of housings with LED triggers (such as Nauticam) may have weaker trigger LEDs which emit insufficient light to trigger the strobes. This may be why some recommend the multi strand fiber optic cables, which do conduct more light and will be needed with weak LED's.

Another solution would be to replace the old weak LED's in older triggers with new high intensity red LED's, which are inexpensive and easy to replace with a small soldering iron. But thus far I have not been able to find where to buy them, and information on a reliable source will be appreciated..

9 hours ago, Kraken de Mabini said:

 Another solution would be to replace the old weak LED's in older triggers with new high intensity red LED's, which are inexpensive and easy to replace with a small soldering iron. But thus far I have not been able to find where to buy them, and information on a reliable source will be appreciated..

You may have already checked here, but have you tried suppliers like DigiKey and Mouser electronics?  Those are my go-to vendors for electronic parts.

I've been using something like this for years now with both Inon and Ikelite (with optical trigger adapter) for years now.  2 or 3mm side/end glow cable.  Available on Ebay for about $7 for 5 meters.  It's tough, durable, easy to work with.  The transparent sheath it's in make for an interesting look too, you can see the red led trigger glow though the cable if you look carefully.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2mm-3mm-Car-Home-12v-LED-Light-Lamp-Decoration-Side-Glow-Fiber-Optic-Cable-DIY/183502421631?hash=item2ab998be7f:g:IZcAAOSwHgRb0Vf3

Digikey and Mouser Electroncis, excellent suggestions.  I will add super bright red LED's to my electronic parts shopping list.
Thank you.
ps. Previously I had bought from three eBay sellers, whose "super bright" turned out to be, no surprise, "super weak" LED's.   

I can not get the Toslink fiber to reliably trigger most strobes from the Nauticam LED trigger. You can get multi-core fiber by the meter at Industrial Fiber Optics. 

Bill

Hi Bill:  I looked up Industrial Fiber Optics and they sell several makes and models of multi-strand f.o. cable.

Which one do you recommend?  Thank you. Elias A.

You want the Asahi stuff MCQ 1000

https://www.i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php?id=3355&sum=166

Now it is $7.50 per meter.

Bill

On 6/30/2020 at 7:04 PM, bvanant said:

You want the Asahi stuff MCQ 1000

https://www.i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php?id=3355&sum=166

 

Now it is $7.50 per meter.

Bill

 

Does anybody know where to get this Asahi MCQ 1000 cable someplace else, maybe Europe. i-fiberoptics does sent it to Finland, shipping with UPS costs 150$.

Or does someone know a good alternative? I have a new Nauticam Mini Flash Trigger for Olympus and it will not fire INON Z-240's with single core 1mm cable (custom made).

I can certainly buy you some fiber and ship it to you via USPS. Should cost about $23 or so for an large envelope full.

Bill

17 minutes ago, bvanant said:

I can certainly buy you some fiber and ship it to you via USPS. Should cost about $23 or so for an large envelope full.

Bill

I sent you a message!