How Many Closures Do You Need?

If you can spare two minutes, I’ll explain a feature that makes Prysmian’s Eagle closure extremely versatile and easy to configure on the job site.

Butt Splices and Mid-Span (Ring-Cut) Splices are two very common splicing scenarios.? A Butt Splice joins the ends of two cables together.? A Mid-Span “intercepts” a limited number of fibers in the middle of a cable and lets the other fibers pass through.

Butt Splices

Since every fiber is spliced in a Butt Splice, you’ll typically want a closure with plenty of splice storage.? Unfortunately, some popular closures are shipped by default without any splice trays.? The Eagle closure ships with three loose-tube splice trays, with capacity for up to 144 splices.? There’s room for three more, for a maximum of 288.? Extras are available, but you can also save unused trays from Mid-Span Splices, as we’ll see below.? The same closure can also ship with ribbon capacity for 288 and a maximum of 432.

The photo below shows the Eagle closure with a 288 Butt Splice (the dome is not shown in this photo). ?Notice how there’s still room below the six splice trays for routing the buffer tubes in an organized fashion.

Mid-Span Splices

Mid-Span Splices are almost the opposite situation.? You’ll typically use only one splice tray, but you’ll need somewhere to coil and secure lots of unopened buffer tubes.? Many manufacturers offer a “basket” for this purpose.? As you’ve probably guessed, this can also cost extra and/or complicate inventory management.?

The Eagle has an integrated feature we call the “nest."? It interchangeably stores splice trays and tubes.? There’s no wasted space and no extra parts to buy or fiddle around with.? Just remove (and save) unneeded trays to free up space for more tube storage.? It’s a quick conversion that requires no advance planning or inventory management.

The photo below shows a typical Mid-Span splice.? The nest has a single splice tray at the top and lots of buffer tube stored underneath. ?Notice how the tubes have been secured to slots in the nest (using included hook-and-loop straps) for a neat installation.

So, there you have it.? One closure can be quickly configured for anything from a 288/432 Butt Splice down to a Mid-Span Splice for a few drops.? A single closure part number covers both extremes.? It’s a user-friendly approach that simplifies engineering, ordering, and loading the truck up every day.