Homemade Fiber Tester
I needed the ability to conveniently test fiber, and I needed a light source for a light meter at the office. To buy one would have cost us around $600-1200, so I just made one for around $12 and some parts we already had. 🙂
Parts:
- I used a multimode to singlemode transceiver we had lying around. This way you can test both MM and SM!
- 2 slide switches
- 1 momentary pushbutton switch.
- 1 9volt battery and battery holder
- 2 AA batteries and battery holder
- 1 power plug
- some extra wire
- heat shrink tubing
- project box
Here’s the wiring diagram:
![fiber-tester-wiring Fiber Tester Wiring Diagram](https://gregsowell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/fiber-tester-wiring.jpg)
Fiber Tester Wiring Diagram
As you can see the batteries are wired in series. The two slide switches are wired in series also. This allows you to turn the transceiver on steady, but you have to flip two switches to make it happen. Keeps you from accidentally turning it on. The momentary button is also wired into series with the batteries, so you can just give it a quick push to test.
Here is the finished product:
![dsc052261 Front](https://gregsowell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dsc052261.jpg)
Front
![dsc05228 Momentary...light = good.](https://gregsowell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dsc05228.jpg)
Momentary...light = good.
![dsc05229 Slide Switches = more gooder](https://gregsowell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dsc05229.jpg)
Slide Switches = more gooder
![dsc05230 The Guts](https://gregsowell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dsc05230.jpg)
The Guts