One fiber optic cable and two pigtails

A fiber optic cable can be connected to equipment or patch panels using two pigtails, which are short fibers with a connector on one end and bare fiber on the other, spliced to the main cable.

What Are Fiber Optic Pigtails?

A fiber optic pigtail is a short length of optical fiber, typically 0.5 to 2 meters, with a factory-terminated connector on one end and a bare fiber on the other. The connector end is polished and tested for low insertion loss and high return loss, ensuring reliable performance. The bare end is designed to be fusion or mechanically spliced to a fiber optic cable in the field, making pigtails ideal for terminating fibers at an Optical Distribution Frame (ODF), terminal box, or patch panel .

How to Use Two Pigtails with One Fiber Cable

1. Prepare the Fiber Cable: Strip and clean the ends of the main fiber optic cable to expose the bare fibers.
2. Splice the Pigtails: Use fusion splicing or mechanical splicing to join the bare end of each pigtail to the corresponding fiber in the main cable. Fusion splicing is preferred for single-mode fibers due to its low loss and high reliability .
3. Connect to Equipment: The connectorized ends of the pigtails can then be plugged into devices, patch panels, or ODF ports.
4. Protect the Splice: Place the spliced fibers in a splice tray or protective enclosure to prevent damage and maintain signal integrity. Using two pigtails allows you to terminate both ends of a single fiber or connect two fibers from a duplex cable to separate devices, providing flexibility in network deployment .

Advantages of Using Pigtails

• Factory-quality connectors ensure consistent performance.
• Time and labor savings compared to field-terminated connectors.
• Flexibility to splice into any cable system.
• Improved long-term reliability and reduced insertion loss .

Types of Pigtails

• Connector Type: LC, SC, ST, FC, E2000, MPO, etc.
• Fiber Type: Single-mode (yellow jacket) or multimode (orange or aqua jacket for OM3/OM4).
• Fiber Count: Single-fiber or multi-fiber pigtails (6, 12 fibers, etc.), . In summary, using one fiber optic cable with two pigtails involves splicing the bare ends of the pigtails to the main cable and connecting the factory-terminated ends to equipment. This method ensures high-quality, reliable connections while simplifying installation and maintenance.