Re: Underwater Fiber

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Marc) wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (matt) wrote in message news:
> > If someone was going to run an underwater power cable for about 25
> > miles...would it make sense to run fiber with it...or in the same
> > cable?
> 
> Hello Matt,
> 
> This kind of application does exist already, in fact since 20+ years :
> since the very first submarine optical cable, copper and fibers are
> mixed. A typical application is off-shore gas or oil plants.
> So you're right, it makes sense ;-)
> 
> HTH,
> _Marc

Matt,

Your answer on one cable or two: "It depends ..."

Making a combined cable is not that hard, however splicing a combined
cable could get a good bit trickier depending on cable design,
voltages, etc.

A lot will depend on the cable handling equipment you have and the
environment in which you're placing the cable (will it have to be
buried and/or heavily armored to avoid fishing nets and anchors?). A
more heavily armored cable will be much bigger and heavier, requiring
either lots of splices (if the reels are small) or a bigger ship (if
reels are longer and heavier).

The power cable's voltage will also determine many of the project's
characteristics; the higher the voltage, the bigger and heavier the
cable.

Water depth will also be a factor -- if you're linking 2 Hawaiian
islands, you'll be sinking a cable thousands of feet. If you're
crossing a big lake or shallow bay, you'll probably just need a small
tug and a barge.

Regardless of whether you use a combined cable or two separate cables,
I recommend deploying fiber at the same time as you're building a
power link unless you've already got a ton of unused bandwidth in
place on that route.

Feel free to contact me if I can be of further help.
---------------------------------------------------
Alexander A. Bonnyman
Fiber Planners Inc.
Fiber optics experts and designers for power utilities and
municipalities
http://www.fiberplanners.com

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