How to Use FS Field Tool Kit to Change MTP® PRO Connector Gender

During the design phase of MTP cabling systems, polarity and gender are important considerations to ensure that the fiber system can work properly. However, this is a challenge for many IT installers because they are rather tricky and confusing. Therefore, MTP cables with the wrong polarity and gender are often purchased, which may cause project delays and significant expenses. To solve this, FS introduced MTP® PRO cable and field tool kit for quick cable polarity and gender change in the field. This article will lead you to get a quick understanding of this field tool kit for MTP® PRO cable and direct you to use it in application scenarios.

What Is MTP® PRO Cables?

The MTP® PRO cable is pre-terminated with MTP® PRO connectors. With a novel design focused on simplicity and reliability, MTP® PRO connectors offer quick and effective polarity and pin reconfiguration in the field while ensuring product integrity and performance. FS MTP® PRO Trunk cables are the optimal options due to the following excellent features:

 

• Quick and Easy Gender Change

With MTP® PRO connectors, FS MTP® PRO Trunk Cables can reconfigure the fiber gender and polarity in one simple step, without removing the connector housing.

• Signal Stability

Corning® ClearCurve® Fiber in FS MTP® PRO Cables is designed to withstand tight bends and challenging cabling routes with substantially less signal loss.

• Bend Insensitive Fiber

The minimum bend radius of the fiber in FS MTP® PRO Cables is 7.5 mm, improving pipe utilization and enabling smaller enclosed spaces.

What Is the Field Tool Kit for MTP® PRO Cables?

By simply inserting a specially designed MTP® PRO tool, the keying configuration can be reversed by retracting the exposed key while pulling out the hidden key on the opposite side of the connector. With the MTP® PRO field tool kit, the polarity of MTP® PRO cables can be changed easily on-site without removing the connector housing or handling loose pins. Consequently, the MTP® PRO field tool kit is a cost-effective solution for MTP® PRO cable polarity and pin reconfiguration.

Figure 1: the MTP® PRO field tool kit

MTP® PRO Field Tool Kit Components

Normally speaking, a fiber optic tool kit for MTP® PRO cables covers five main components:

1. 1x MTP® PRO Field Tool

The holes are the position to insert the connectors for polarity or pin changes. The left one is for the polarity while the right one is for the gender.

2. 1x Green Gripper

Compress the black handles and lift up on the jaws of the gripper, used for pin removal.

3. 20x Pin Exchanger

Pin exchanger retrieves and deposits pins, field-friendly configuration with no risk for damage.

4. 1x Fiber Optic Cleaner

Designed for cleaning the ferrule end-faces of MTP/MPO connectors. Recycle clean times up to 500+.

5. 1x MTP® PRO Sample Cable

MTP® PRO mechanical sample cable, 8-in length.

All of the above-mentioned components are indispensable when using the tool kit. When it comes to the application of field tools, it is typically twofold: to change the polarity of the MTP® PRO patch cords and to transfer the pin of the cables.

How to Use the Field Tool Kit？

The following video can show you how to use the FS MTP® PRO field tool kit to change polarity and pin.

You can also read the following literal procedure description to find the guidance.

MTP Polarity Change Guide

The position of the "key" will be moved upside down when using the MTP® PRO field tool to realize the change of the polarity of the MTP® PRO trunk cables. Take MTP-12 MTP® PRO trunk cable as an example, we'll demonstrate how to use the field tool to change the polarity from Type A to Type B:

Polarity Change Steps:

1. Align key on the MTP® PRO connector with "KEY UP" on the Polarity Change Port;

2. Insert the MTP® PRO connector in the Polarity Change Port until audible "CLICK";

3. Remove the MTP® PRO connector from the Polarity Change Port;

4. Polarity changed from Black Key exposed to Off White Key exposed.

Figure 2: MTP Polarity Change Steps

Contrariwise, if it is required to change the polarity of the MTP-12 MTP® PRO trunk cable from Type B to Type A, just follow the aforementioned steps.

MTP Gender Change Guide

The gender transfer is mainly carried out in the pin removal from male to female, and the pin insertion from female to male.

Transfer Male to Female Steps

1. Insert pinned MTP® PRO connector in the Pin Change Port until audible "CLICK";

2. Align and insert Pin Exchanger on the opposite end of the Pin Change Port;

3. Slide Gripper onto the Pin Exchanger. Compress the black handles;

4. Compress the Green Gripper handles until they touch and pull the Pin Exchanger out.

Transfer Female to Male Steps

1. Insert unpinned MTP® PRO connector in the Pin Change Port until audible "CLICK";

2. Align Pin Exchanger with pins attached to the opposite end of the Pin Change Port;

3. Insert Pin Exchanger into the opposite end of the Pin Change Port until audible "CLICK";

4. Pull out Pin Exchanger and verify the insertion of the pins onto the MTP® PRO connector.

FAQs

Is the MTP® connector an MPO connector?

Yes, the US Conec MTP® connectors are fully compliant with the MPO standards, achieving higher performance levels when compared to generic MPO connectors.

Is this field tool kit suitable for general MTP/MPO connectors?

No. The field tool kit can only work for MTP® PRO cables, not available for the standard MTP/MPO patch cords.

What are the precautions I need to pay attention to when using the field tool kit to change the polarity and gender of MTP® PRO cables?

As is known, the fiber optic cable is very sensitive to excessive pulling, bending, and crushing forces. Please pay attention to the following "Dos" and "Don'ts":

 

• Always keep a dust cap on unplugged ber connectors and never touch the end face of the connectors.

• Read the datasheet and the manual for the cable you are installing.

• Do not bend the cable sharply than the minimum recommended bend radius.

• Do not apply more pulling forces to the cable.

• Do not crush the cable or allow it to kink.