VFLs work well for exposed lengths of fiber near a patch panel by illuminating bad connections and breaks. They are not very helpful for cable runs more than a few meters, or when the cable not visible or accessible, or when the laser light cant penetrate the jacket.
Optical Time Domain Reflectometers (OTDR) provides graphical data and analysis along the entire length of a cable, way beyond the reach of a VFL, but they can be expensive and require more time to and skill to operate.
Fiber QuickMap fills the gap between a VFL and an OTDR. These models have the simplicity of a VFL, and provide distance and power information on high losses, breaks, and the end of the fiber. They also identify live fiber
Works on multimode fiber, 50/125µm and 62.5/125 µm
850 nm output wavelength. Measure up to 4,921 feet (1,500 metres) of fiber in seconds
Locate severe bends, high-loss splices, breaks and dirty connectors in multimode fiber
Measure and locate high-loss splices
Locate the end of a fiber
Find potential sources of high bit error rates caused by reflectance from dirty or poor connections
Detects live optical signals before it begins testing
Quick set-up. Connect your fiber and press the Test button. No lengthy set-up necessary
Find problems quickly. Six-second test time—no more blind troubleshooting that can waste hours
Change the Index of Refraction (IOR) to improve fiber length accuracy
Visible in dark areas. Backlighted display turns off automatically
Removable SC adapter is easily cleaned
Optional LC, ST and FT interchangeable adapters are available
Long battery life, 1,500 tests (typical) from 2 AA alkaline batteries