Buzzlineman is reader supported. If you purchase after clicking the affiliate links, I’ll earn some money- maybe even enough to buy me a new pair of work gloves. You do not pay a higher price.
Installing fiber optic cable is a process that can change from situation to situation. However the concept is the same every time. First install the support strand, afterwards install the fiber. Let’s go into more detail about both strand and fiber.
Support Strand
The support strand is the foundation for the fiber and keeps the fiber tight in the air. The strand comes on wooden spools and each spool has about 5,000 feet of galvanized strand (guy wire). It’s pretty tough- you can run it over with trucks, bend it, even our bolt cutters struggle at times to cut it. It’s also much more forgiving than fiber when you make mistakes.
The process goes like this:
- Strand is pulled out or driven off by 4 wheeler or service truck
- Lineman drills the hole for the frame
- Insert strand into frame
- Tighten the strand via service truck/ 4 wheeler or hoist
- Lineman installs the bonds
Let’s start at the top and go into a bit more detail about each step.
1. The ideal and most efficient situation is when you’re working down a gravel road and all the poles are easily within reach with a bucket truck (see photo below). Hopefully all the neutral power lines are on the roadside. If this is the case the service truck will be equipped with the trailer that is loaded with the strand. This truck will simply stay ahead of the bucket trucks the entire time and the strand will be ready for the lineman when they pull up to their pole each time.
That is an ideal situation, but of course that is not how it goes every day. Many poles will be in pastures, near houses, in the woods, and other tough places that you can’t get a truck to them at all. This is when the 4 wheeler comes in handy and is NEEDED. You’ll attach the strand to the wheeler and drag it to where you are going to start. A lot of times you will have to stop and cross creeks, fences, trees, and other obstacles.
2. Once the strand is in the place the lineman will now be ready to drill the hole for the frame, which will soon be the final spot for the strand. Many poles will require a straight through frame that consist of a 3 bolt clamp (see photo below). The lineman either uses the bucket truck or climbs the pole to get the work done. He or she will measure the required distance from neutral and then drill the hole at that mark (this is a great drill option). Insert the bolt and washer from the backside of the pole, washer and square nut on the front, and then tighten down the square nut with a bell wrench.
3. When it comes time to insert the strand into the 3 bolt clamp it’s easiest if you loosen the nuts on the clamp to allow space to insert the strand from the bottom of the clamp in the pre grooved area. Once you have the strand in the correct spot in the clamp you can finger tighten those nuts you loosened and then slide the clamp onto the frame that was just installed. Put on 1 more square nut, also finger tight, and then you’re ready to be sucked up.
4. When tightening the strand via truck or 4 wheeler it is very important to go at a slow and safe speed. Too many times have I seen the new line hit the power lines and cause chaos. The lineman need to be aware of this possibility and not be touching anything during this process because it could cause death or serious injury if the lineman is touching the strand or vertical when power is hit. Back to the process….get the strand to the desired spot and then tighten the square nut and the other nuts on the 3 bolt clamp. Don’t forget your lock nut 🙂
5. A copper bond is to be attached to the copper line that runs vertical on nearly every pole. The rules for when to apply these change project to project. Some projects want them on every pole, some want them on every other pole. Also if you have 2 or more frames on a pole you will need to bond those together with a weaver (1/2 wrench for weaver).
That is about the gist of installing support strand. However, there is much more to it and lots of poles require a different frame which changes things. This 3 bolt clamp is typical and straight forward so it’s good for getting the basic understanding of how support strand is installed.
Fiber
When installing fiber you really have to have a plan. You need to know what count fiber to use, 12, 24, 144, etc. You need to pay attention to your maps that indicate where taps, 80 foot coils, and other extra footage needs to be accounted for. Most importantly you need to know where to set your trailer that has your fiber reel.
Fiber is more delicate than the strand- you can’t run it over with trucks, you can’t bend it because it will break. You just have to be more mindful with it. With that being said, most days I enjoy the fiber installation part more than the strand. Plus, it pays a bit more $$
The process of installing fiber goes like this:
- You NEED a lasher. It attaches the fiber to the strand via wire.
- A Lineman will pass the lasher from pole to pole
- Attach bug nuts, straps & spacers, and fiber tag.
- Install riser guards, 10 foot coils, 80 footers.
Let’s touch upon each part again.
1. If you’re doing strand and fiber installs you NEED a lasher (see photo below). The lasher is going to wrap the fiber to the strand via rolls of wire that are secured in the lasher. Those rolls of wire will need replaced throughout the day multiple times.
You don’t want to let the lasher run out of wire, but I have been there done that…it sucks. The lasher will be pulled mostly behind the 4 wheeler or by hand.
2. Let’s use the straight through 3 clamp pole as an example here. The lasher comes in on one side of the pole and needs to be swapped to the other side of the pole in order to keep things going. There’s multiple actions that need to be made here in order to do that.
First, take the backside harness and put it on the front side. Then open the front and back gates and spin the lasher until it unlocks. At this point the fiber will release from inside the lasher and be free. Continuing on, unlock the strand lock and pick up the lasher (it’s heavy) and move it to the other side of the pole, back onto the strand. Then redo everything you just undid.
3. Once the lasher is swapped the lineman needs to attach the bug nut (use a wrench like this) on the side of the pole that the lasher came from. During all of this the wire is still connected, but it’s about to be cut. After the bug nut is installed, cut the wire (lineman pliers) and wrap it correctly and secure it via the bug nut.
Install another bug nut on the other side of the pole (they should match) and wrap the wire again. Once it’s attached to the bug nut it can be taken to the next pole…if there is no tap, coil, etc that needs to be accounted for.
Clean up your wire and finish your bug nuts, then attach the straps and spacers, along with the fiber tag (see photo below). Don’t forget to get your numbers too! I use my phone to store all my numbers throughout the day. Some people use pen and paper.
4. If you pulled extra fiber before sending the lasher then now is the time to install your riser guard. 18 inches down from the frame and then 12 feet from the ground is the area the riser guard needs to be….on most projects. I use an impact drill with a 7/16 head for the lag screws. Some people use a hammer…I don’t recommend it. Coil it nicely and then you’re done at that pole.
Much like the strand, there is much more to installing fiber like the sno-shoes that need to be installed, how to figure 8 and jig out, how to pull underground, plus more. But a typical easy run is what I have highlighted above.
Final Thoughts
Installing fiber optic cable and support strand is challenging work and it changes from day to day because of obstacles. However it’s a very rewarding type of work once you are experienced and have a good idea how to get the job done. There’s obviously a ton more details that go into completing the job efficiently and correctly.
Unfortunately the specs change from project to project so you really need to pay attention to details or it could come back to bite you and cost you a lot time wasted.
For the most part, get the strand to the pole, attach it with the frame, suck it up, and go on to the next pole. Then bring the fiber, pass the lasher and do it all over again at the next pole. This is the life of an aerial fiber optic lineman.
Check out the article detailing The 9 Best Accessories for Fiber Optic Lineman.
