Group buy for 613 core fiber cable

[Bevanj 9]

Hi all, 

The 613 core fiber cable used in most commercial fiber cables is actually pretty cheap per meter, but can only be bought in bulk (500M spool). 

New fiber can be wound around a pencil, and be immersed in boiling water to produce the slinky coils before use. 

I'm sure the fiber used in most Nauticam/Howshot/Sea&Sea cables is P/N MCQ-1500-22 made by Asahi Kasei in Japan. 

With enough interest, it may be worth the group buy of a spool, and dividing it up. 

As we all know, when fibers break, the connectors on the ends are still perfectly good. It is remarkably easy to put a new fiber into the old connectors. 

A single spool of this fiber is in the realm of $1700USD ($3.4/m).  With enough people, we can save considerable money by buying a spool and reusing our old end connectors. 

With 20 people, at $85 each (plus a little shipping), we would each get 25m of high quality fiber cable. 

Even at 10 people and $170 each (plus a little shipping), it would give 50m of fiber each.  

Given the price of replacement standard cables, this is a no-brainer in my mind. 

Any takers? 

Bevan

[UncaDon 0]

Bevanj,

 

You can buy this fiber by the meter from this supplier:

https://i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php

 

 

[TimG 62]

10 minutes ago, UncaDon said:

Bevanj,

 

You can buy this fiber by the meter from this supplier:

https://i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php

 

 

Yeah, that's what I did and it was $7.50 a meter. 

Great idea from Bevanj and if I hadn't ordered it already from i-fibreoptics, I'd have been up for it. But I ordered 4 meters and made 4 cables (easy!) and doubt I'll ever need any more!

[kdgonzalez 37]

I would be interested. 

[Mark Green 4]

On 7/28/2021 at 4:50 AM, UncaDon said:

Bevanj,

 

You can buy this fiber by the meter from this supplier:

https://i-fiberoptics.com/fiber-detail-asahi.php

 

 

This company is in the same city where I live. What exact product did you order? 

Thanks,

Mark

[TimG 62]

Hey Mark

I got this from i-fiberoptics:

81 0556 - 613-core Fused Multi-core Simplex Cable, Polyethylene Jacket- MCQ-1000 -  : 4 : 7.50 

The 4 = 4m and the 7.50 = the  price per metre 

[Kraken de Mabini 168]

i-fiberoptics appears to be a good source for fiber optic cable.  One can then plug the cable into the housing and strobe with 7 mm diam. plug ends from Amazon, which can be glued on with ABS plumbers cement and trimmed with a razor: The plugs are available here:
uxcell 20pcs 27mmx7mmx4mm Micro Strain Relief Cord Boot Protector

With them one has budget priced fiberoptic cables.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Kraken de Mabini

[Mark Green 4]

3 hours ago, TimG said:

Hey Mark

I got this from i-fiberoptics:

81 0556 - 613-core Fused Multi-core Simplex Cable, Polyethylene Jacket- MCQ-1000 -  : 4 : 7.50 

The 4 = 4m and the 7.50 = the  price per metre 

Thanks Tim

[TimG 62]

1 hour ago, Mark Green said:

Thanks Tim

[TimG 62]

3 hours ago, Kraken de Mabini said:

uxcell 20pcs 27mmx7mmx4mm Micro Strain Relief Cord Boot Protector

These are also good fibre connectors

http://www.divervision.com/howshot-fiber-adapter-l-for-seasea-ys-strobes-FAL-SS.html

[diggy 54]

Is this the same cable ? If so FWIW its available at a cheaper rate here p.m. 

https://fiberfin.com/product/1-x-2-2mm-industrial-pof-cable-19-multi-core-ul-vw-1-rated-500-meter-spool/Diggy

Edited August 2, 2021 by diggy

[JohnLiddiard 29]

I measured the core of a Nauticam cable and got 1.5mm rather than 1mm. Are either of the cables above  the best cable for the job?

Edited August 2, 2021 by JohnLiddiard

[TimG 62]

John, I'm using the i-fibreoptics with Retra strobes.

Got about a 50cm long cable with Howshot L-adaptors at the housing bulkhead end; and the Inon double bush plugs at the Retra end. Works fine.

[pbalves 52]

On 8/2/2021 at 12:00 PM, diggy said:

Is this the same cable ? If so FWIW its available at a cheaper rate here p.m. 

https://fiberfin.com/product/1-x-2-2mm-industrial-pof-cable-19-multi-core-ul-vw-1-rated-500-meter-spool/Diggy

Hi Diggy

This is not the same fiber. THis has only 19 cores, the "good one" has 613 cores.

[bvanant 189]

I have made coils from many of the Asahi cables. All for use with LED firing modules and S&S strobes. The 613 and 217 core both work perfectly There is a 1.5 mm core 613 fiber but not available by the meter from i-fiberoptics (at least today).

Bill

[bvanant 189]

As for the group buy, 50 meters of cable is a lot unless you are going into business (although I admit I probably have bought more than 50 meters if you add up all the cables that don't work. For most situations, 2 meters is a good cable length if you coil it so 10 meters would make 5 cables. If you do coil it, I have found that putting it in cold water then heating to just boiling then letting it cool (all the way to room temp) works best.

 

Cheers

Bill

[diggy 54]

On 7/28/2021 at 5:09 AM, Bevanj said:

Hi all, 

The 613 core fiber cable used in most commercial fiber cables is actually pretty cheap per meter, but can only be bought in bulk (500M spool). 

New fiber can be wound around a pencil, and be immersed in boiling water to produce the slinky coils before use. 

I'm sure the fiber used in most Nauticam/Howshot/Sea&Sea cables is P/N MCQ-1500-22 made by Asahi Kasei in Japan. 

With enough interest, it may be worth the group buy of a spool, and dividing it up. 

As we all know, when fibers break, the connectors on the ends are still perfectly good. It is remarkably easy to put a new fiber into the old connectors. 

A single spool of this fiber is in the realm of $1700USD ($3.4/m).  With enough people, we can save considerable money by buying a spool and reusing our old end connectors. 

With 20 people, at $85 each (plus a little shipping), we would each get 25m of high quality fiber cable. 

Even at 10 people and $170 each (plus a little shipping), it would give 50m of fiber each.  

Given the price of replacement standard cables, this is a no-brainer in my mind. 

Any takers? 

Bevan

Is a 213 core good enough to use ??

 

Thanks

 

Diggy

[Michael T. 1]

even though i got some cable, i would also join the group buy. So count me in for 50 m or 25 m, both is fine. 

[TimG 62]

I'm with Michael. It's a terrific idea Bevan, so I'd take 20m to support the effort.

[diggy 54]

On 8/3/2021 at 7:39 PM, pbalves said:

Hi Diggy

This is not the same fiber. THis has only 19 cores, the "good one" has 613 cores.

Thanks I realised after studying this a bit more :-) 

[diggy 54]

On 8/3/2021 at 9:31 PM, bvanant said:

I have made coils from many of the Asahi cables. All for use with LED firing modules and S&S strobes. The 613 and 217 core both work perfectly There is a 1.5 mm core 613 fiber but not available by the meter from i-fiberoptics (at least today).

Bill

Thanks that clarifies my question later in the chat. 

[Dann-Oh 40]

On 7/31/2021 at 11:50 AM, TimG said:

These are also good fibre connectors

http://www.divervision.com/howshot-fiber-adapter-l-for-seasea-ys-strobes-FAL-SS.html

Tim,

Do you by chance know what the length of the plug is (see photo below)?  I have the AOI Tentacle housing (for the Oly EPL10) and when using the dome port for the Pana 8mm fisheye I have a hard time connecting the fiber cables.  Most times I have to remove the Vacuum and port to install the fiber plug when I forget to install the plug before pulling vacuum.

 

[TimG 62]

Just measured it Dann-Oh:  23.5mm

[LeeCat 2]

I'll join the group buy for 10m

[Bevanj 9]

As has been pointed out, you can get the MCQ-1000 easily by the meter, but the core is 1mm diameter. The Nauticam cables use MCQ-1500 cable, which is 1.5mm diameter. Sadly, the MCQ-1500 isn't listed by the meter. I've tried emailing www.i-fiberoptics.com to ask if they would consider selling it by the meter, but didn't hear back. Perhaps someone Stateside would be willing to give them a call? 

If that fails, and we get enough people together to divide up a spool, is there a time-trusted Wetpixel member in the US that might be willing to divide it up? I'm guessing that most people wanting some will be Stateside. However, the main reason I suggest this, is that i-fiberotpics.com quote close to $500USD to ship a spool to NZ where I am located - it does seem a tad pointless if I'm just going to divide it up and ship most of it back.