Charles FCH-32 Operating and installation instructions

LT-FCH-32
1st Printing, June 21, 2019
©Copyright 2019 Charles Industries, Ltd. All Rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
Availability of features and technical specifications herein are subject to change without notice.
Charles is a registered trademark of Charles Industries.
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Charles Flexible Compact Hub
FCH-32
General Description and Installation
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION..........................................................1
1.1. Document Purpose........................................................................1
1.2. Product Purpose ...........................................................................1
1.3. Product Mounting and Location..................................................1
2. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ..............................................................1
3. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS .................................................................2
4. INSTALLATION.................................................................................4
4.1. Inspecting the Product..................................................................4
4.2. Obtaining Tools and Equipment..................................................4
4.3. FCH Mounting..............................................................................4
4.4. Tray Installation............................................................................5
4.5. Fiber Routing ................................................................................5
5. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND REPAIR SERVICE..............7
6. WARRANTY & CUSTOMER SERVICE........................................7
7. SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................7
7.1. Regulatory Specifications.............................................................7
7.2. Product Specifications..................................................................7
8. ORDERING INFORMATION..........................................................7
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1. Document Purpose
This document provides general information for the Charles Industries’ Flex™ Compact Hub (FCH) enclosures.
1.2. Product Purpose
The FCH is a 32 port enclosure that can house a up to three fiber trays. It is used to deliver service to FTTB or low density dwellings. Fiber
is routed through knockouts on the bottom of the FCH and routed through a splicing splitter tray (trays are ordered separately).
1.3. Product Mounting and Location
The FCH enclosures can be mounted on a wall or pole. There are two pole/wall-mount tabs at the top and bottom of the enclosures.
2. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The FCH is a compact enclosure with the following features:
Interchangeable, removable bottom “feed and drop” cable port plates with variable entry grommets to maximize in/out flexibility
while maintaining environmental protection integrity
Accepts a variety of cable sizes and types
Top knockouts for indoor use
Hinged security door
Swinging fiber bulkhead allows easy access to feed and drop fibers and provides bend radius control and strain relief.
Efficient internal cable management and routing with multiple tie-down locations.
Feed pass-through capability
Backplane accommodates three small hinged splice or splitter trays and cable tie points for fiber splicing.
Molded-in mounting brackets for pole or wall mounting
Figure 1 Front View of the FCH

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3. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
—WARNING—
Risk of serious eye damage! Never look into the end of a fiber optic line or use a magnifier in the presence of laser light or radiation.
Exercise caution when installing, testing or maintaining live circuits. If eyes are exposed to laser light or radiation occurs,
immediately seek treatment by a medical professional.
—WARNING —
Cable and fiber cleaning solvents may contain hazardous or harmful materials. Maintain good housekeeping practices and refer to
the MSDS when working with cleaning solvents or similar products.
Shards and cleaved glass fibers are very sharp and can easily pierce the skin. Use tweezers to pick up cut glass fibers and place
them in a specifically designated container. Do not consume any food products near the cable installation site.
Corrugated metal or armor in feed cables is very sharp when cut or exposed. Exercise extreme caution to prevent personal injury.
Use protective work gloves when handling armored cable.
—CAUTION —
Perform all bonding and grounding prior to making any electrical and communications connections.
Be careful not to damage any buried cables or service wires while digging either to expose cables or to prepare a hole or trench, or
while driving stakes. Buffer tubes and fibers are sensitive to excessive bending, pulling, and crushing forces. To avoid kinking of
buffer tubes and fiber damage or breakage, exercise great care when working with fiber, and do not exceed or violate minimum
bend radius requirements for fibers, buffer tubes, and cables.
Figure 2 FCH Dimensions (in inches)

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Figure 3 FCH Components

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4. INSTALLATION
4.1. Inspecting the Product
The FCH is shipped in a carton. Unpack the unit and dispose of the packaging material.
-INSPECTION NOTE-
Visually inspect the unit for damages prior to installation. If the equipment was damaged in transit, immediately report the extent of the
damage to the transportation company.
4.2. Obtaining Tools and Equipment
The installer must obtain the following:
Sufficient length and quantities of fiber cable (or pigtails)
Cable scoring, opening, and cutting tools for cable sheathing, shields, wrappings, strength members and buffer tubes
Cable, tube, wire, and fiber cleaning materials
Protective and/or insulated work gloves
Safety glasses
Tape measure
Marking utensil
Bond strap (optional, from cable bond clamp to bond post)
Any exterior cable strain relief, per company practice
Slotted and Phillips screwdrivers
Assorted cable ties, clips, or fasteners (optional)
Mounting hardware (bolts/washers/nuts or straps)
Level
4.3. FCH Mounting
The FCH can be mounted on a wall or pole.
The FCH has mounting holes at the top and bottom of the housing for wall mounting (Figure 4). Charles recommends using a minimum
SAE Grade 2, 1/4” diameter corrosion-resistant bolts, washers and nuts for mounting. Bolts need to be of sufficient length depending on the
mounting surface used. A minimum of 3/4” thick plywood or similar surface is required for wall mounting.
The FCH is mounted on a pole using mounting straps (Figure 5).
All mounting hardware is customer supplied. Ensure that the unit is level.
Figure 4 Wall Mounting
Figure 5 Pole Mounting

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4.4. Tray Installation
Fiber splicing and splitter trays are customer supplied. The FCH can accommodate up to three trays. To install a tray, squeeze the tray
hinge and press the hinge into a pair of holes on the tray support (Figure 6)
4.5. Fiber Routing
Before routing fiber, use a 216 tool to open the enclosure. Then open the hinged adapter panel to access the splicing tray.
4.5.1. Feed Fiber
1. Feed fiber enters the FCH through the grommet on the bottom of the housing, on the left side.
2. Use a hose clamp to secure the cable to the cable attachment hardware inside the enclosure, just above the grommet.
3. Strip the cable sheathing just above the hose clamp.
4. Route buffer tubing around the fiber basket, using Velcro to secure the buffer tube to the cable tie points (Figure 7).
Figure 6 Install Tray
Figure 7 Route Feed Buffer Tube to Tray

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5. Route the buffer tube underneath the tray hinge so that
the buffer tube enters the tray on the left side. Secure the
buffer tube to the tray using cable ties or similar.
6. Strip the buffer tubing away to expose the fibers. Route
the fibers into the tray. Splice the fibers as needed in the
splicing area (Figure 8).
7. Route the connectorized tray output fibers out of the
right side of the tray and across to the adapter ports in
the bulkhead. Secure to the cable tie points using
Velcro. Ensure that there is enough slack to open and
close the hinged adapter bulkhead and that the fibers
will not get pinched when the bulkhead is closed.
8. Connect all feed fiber connectors to the adapters on the
inside of the adapter bulkhead.
9. Close the hinged adapter bulkhead.
Note: the top two adapters on each row of the adapter bulkhead
are intended for direct feed connections. Use these for connections
that do not need to be routed through the trays.
4.5.2. Drop Fiber
1. Connectorized 2mm drop cable enters the FCH through
the grommet on the bottom of the housing, on the right
side.
2. Use a hose clamp to secure the cable to the cable
attachment hardware inside the enclosure, just above the
grommet.
3. Use Velcro to secure the cable to the lowest cable tie
point on the side of the bulkhead, ensuring that there is
enough slack below the tie point to open and close the
bulkhead and that the fibers will not get pinched when
the bulkhead is closed.
4. Route drop cable around the cable grooming spools and
secure to the tie points with Velcro.
5. Connect the cables to the adapters on the drop side of
the adapter bulkhead (Figure 9).
Figure 9 Route Drop Fiber to Adapter
Figure 8 Route Fiber to Adapter

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5. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND REPAIR SERVICE
For questions on product repair or if technical assistance is required, contact Charles Technical Support.
847-806-8500
[e-mail] (email)
http://www.charlesindustries.com/techserv.htm
6. WARRANTY & CUSTOMER SERVICE
Charles Industries, Ltd. offers a one-year warranty on the FCH product. The Charles warranty is limited to the operation of the FCH
hardware as described in this documentation and does not cover equipment which may be integrated by a third party. The terms and
conditions applicable to anyspecific sale of product shall be defined in the resulting sales contract. For questions on warranty or other
customer service assistance, contact your Charles Customer Service Representative.
847-806-6300
[e-mail] (email)
http://www.charlesindustries.com/main/telecom_sales_support.htm
7. SPECIFICATIONS
7.1. Regulatory Specifications
Designed to meet GR-950, GR2898
7.2. Product Specifications
Physical
Dimensions and Weight
13”Hx11”Wx6”D; Approx. 7 lbs. as shipped
Materials
Housing: UL94-5VA Gray Polycarbonate
Adapter Bulkhead: 0.063” aluminum
Color
Gray
Fiber Connector Types
SC/APC
Splicing Capacity
Up to three 4”x6” hinged splice trays
Bulkhead Capacity
32 Distribution Adapters
Environmental
Operating Temp Range
-40° to +115°F, -40° to 46°C
Humidity
0 to 95% (non-condensing)
8. ORDERING INFORMATION
Part Number
Description
(See product datasheet for full list)
Flex Compact Hub Enclosure
97-SMHTRAY
Splicing tray for up to 24 fibers
CFST-S11320A
1x32 PLC splitter mounted on a Charles Industries 4”x6” splice tray, 900µm input stub,
SC/APC 900µm output preconnectorized pigtails, tray hinge, 6 tie wraps, address label,
and instructions