Thoughts on running conduit for fiber optic cable under sidewalk?
Here’s the situation, I have a new building at work that we’ve been waiting for three weeks for Cox to come up and bury the fiber optic cable. We’ve held off on pouring the sidewalk until they do, but I’m tired of waiting as that’s the only thing keeping me from transitioning operations to the new building.
Any ideas on a way to run a conduit around the cable without having to unhook it? It took them forever to get us hooked up so I’m in no mood to wait for them to come unhook it and feed it through a conduit. I’d rather encase what’s there and pour over top of it.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
Complacency sucks…
June 12, 2022, 05:08 PM
.38supersig
You can try a conduit slitter.
Position the cut at the bottom of the conduit so the concrete mix won't seep in as much.
Most fiber will have Opti-Tap connectors. You should be able to unscrew the end from the terminal with no issues instead.
Tape the cap of a Sharpie over the end of the fiber to prevent signal loss to the connector if you run conduit (with an extra pull string).
June 12, 2022, 05:09 PM
vthoky
In your situation, and assuming (yikes!) that the cable itself is suitable for direct burial to begin with, I'd consider using rigid PVC for the conduit. I'd slit it end-to-end (short jigsaw blade and some careful patience), drop the cable into it, rotate it so the slit is downward, "cork" the ends, and carry on.
I'm sure there will be a better plan offered shortly, but that's where I'd start.
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Edit: Or perhaps a similar plan, offered just seconds before mine.
God bless America.
June 12, 2022, 05:28 PM
Abn556
They ran fiber optic under our driveway and under the street in front of our house. No issues.
I was so happy to be able to fire Suddenlink. Worst company ever…
+
June 12, 2022, 06:14 PM
Anush
My neighborhood was built in 2001 thru 2010 & and conduit was run to all homes & townhomes. When AT&T came in with fiber they just used the same conduit under the street to my home.
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit!
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June 12, 2022, 06:45 PM
Genorogers
quote:
Originally posted by vthoky: In your situation, and assuming (yikes!) that the cable itself is suitable for direct burial to begin with, I'd consider using rigid PVC for the conduit. I'd slit it end-to-end (short jigsaw blade and some careful patience), drop the cable into it, rotate it so the slit is downward, "cork" the ends, and carry on.
This is what you want to do. Once the fiber is installed you can use some zip ties to close up the split or if you want to get fancy run some heavy packing tape or metal mend tape down the split. Make your pour and move on.
I'm sure there will be a better plan offered shortly, but that's where I'd start.
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Edit: Or perhaps a similar plan, offered just seconds before mine.
June 12, 2022, 06:51 PM
tatortodd
What does the fiber optic termination look like? If it's just a plug, then I'd:
run a regular conduit under sidewalk
run your fish tape through conduit
tape together the fiber optic and a rope (for future pulls) to the end of the fish
pull through conduit
plug the fiber optic back in to the termination
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June 12, 2022, 07:06 PM
SigSAC
If the fiber is within your network, then the following is something to consider. If it is on the Cox-side of your network, don't touch it - they will disavow any support later if issues come up. Also, you really don't want to slit a conduit - that is just an invitation for moisture and rodents to infiltrate.
Run a temporary fiber above ground and connect it. Pull the original and fish it through conduit and then re-connect it. Finally, take the temporary, put it into the conduit, re-connect, and trunk the two fibers together.
This gives you redundancy as well as doubling the potential transmission between the buildings.
June 12, 2022, 07:27 PM
SigM4
You can see the line here.
I think my best bet is to run conduit empty and have the walk poured with the temp run just held away from the pour. Once cured and I can finally get someone with Cox out they can use the conduit I run to snake underneath the slab.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
Complacency sucks…
June 12, 2022, 07:36 PM
MikeinNC
^^thats what I’d do. Lay a conduit, make sure you leave some fish tape in it, seal it, bury it and pour.
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June 12, 2022, 10:17 PM
SigM4
Thanks for the suggestions all.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.
Complacency sucks…
June 13, 2022, 12:00 AM
slosig
I think you have a great plan. I’d go bigger than necessary on the conduit and seriously consider throwing a couple other (spare) conduits in while the trench is open. I’ve never regretted having an unused extra conduit, but I have many times wished that I had installed more spares.
June 13, 2022, 01:10 PM
architect
Don't forget, you can use a shop vac to suck a pull string through installed conduit to subsequently pull cable. Tying a paper "butterfly" on the end of the pull string can help on long traverses. This is a lot easier than pushing a fish tape.
June 13, 2022, 05:02 PM
lithog
I have used this method with success. You should be able to do this with fiber optic cable.
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