Laser Wire® Systems · Installation
Patch Cable Installation Guide
The Laser Wire® Patch Cable transports the illuminated section of cabling away from the laser module using an FC-to-FC coupler. Used when the module must be housed in a different location than the lit fiber. V0.7.
What Is the Patch Cable?
The Laser Wire® Patch Cable takes the illuminated section of Laser Wire® cabling and transports the light from one end to the other. This makes it ideal for installations where the laser module needs to be housed in a different area than the illuminated Laser Wire® cabling. The Patch Cable has an FC connector on each end, which plugs directly into any Laser Wire® Capsule Module or DMX RGB Module without any special tools.
Think of the Patch Cable as a dark extension cord: light enters one end, travels through the cable, and exits the other end where it feeds the decorative Laser Wire® cabling. The Patch Cable itself does not glow.
Minimum Bending Diameter: 5mm
The Patch Cable has the same glass-fiber construction as Laser Wire® cabling. The minimum bending diameter is 5mm. Bending, pinching, or kinking past this point will cause the glass core to break. Use caution when routing and installing.
Items Required
- Laser Wire® cabling (illuminated section)
- Laser Wire® module (Capsule or DMX, with FC Connector Housing)
- Laser Wire® Patch Cable
- FC-to-FC Coupler
- Coupling gel
- Power source
Step-by-Step Installation
1
Mount the module first
Identify where the laser module will be permanently mounted. This is the most important step. The most common point of failure is at the connection point where the Laser Wire® cabling meets the metal FC connector. Keep weight off the connector and finalize the module location before running any cabling. Mount the module firmly so there is zero movement at the connector.
2
Screw Patch Cable onto the laser module
Screw the Patch Cable directly onto the laser module output hand-tight. No coupling gel is needed at this end. The FC connector threads onto the module output port.
3
Apply coupling gel to the far end FC connector
Take the other end of the Patch Cable with its FC connector. Apply a small dab of coupling gel onto the tip of this FC connector. It will be either a white ceramic tip or a metal tip. A little goes a long way — the smallest dab (less than a drop of water) is more than enough.
4
Screw FC Coupler onto the gel-dabbed end
Screw the FC-to-FC Coupler onto the Patch Cable end you just dabbed with gel. Hand-tight. There is a small slot on the FC coupler that corresponds with the connector for a perfect fit.
5
Attach the decorative Laser Wire® cabling
Take your Laser Wire® cabling (the piece you want to glow) and apply a small dab of coupling gel to its FC connector tip. Screw it into the open end of the FC Coupler hand-tight.
6
Connect power and verify
Connect your laser module to a power source. The light should start right where the FC Coupler ends and run through the decorative cabling section. If the cabling is dim, check that coupling gel is applied at both FC connections and that all connectors are fully seated.
FAQ
Can the Patch Cable itself be cut?
Yes. The Patch Cable is standard Laser Wire® cabling with FC connectors on each end. It can be cut, but cutting it defeats its purpose as a patch. If you cut it, the cut end will glow brighter than the rest of the run. Use black heat shrink to cap any cut ends you want to suppress.
Do I need coupling gel at both connections?
Yes. Coupling gel should be applied at both FC interfaces: the coupler-to-Patch-Cable connection and the coupler-to-decorative-cabling connection. Skipping the gel at either point reduces optical efficiency and can result in a dim output.
How long can the Patch Cable be?
The Patch Cable follows the same diffusion length rules as standard Laser Wire® cabling. A Patch Cable using Pop profile fiber has a practical maximum run of 5M before significant light loss occurs. For longer patch runs, use Accent profile.
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