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The Fibre Optic Harness Explained

What is it and what does it do?
  • The harness is the 'fibre' part of a fibre optic lighting kit. It is made up of many strands of optical fibre which are usually wrapped in a flexible black sheathing for protection.
  • The harness is used to transport the light from the light source to the end fitting. One end of the harness has a 'common end' which is the connector used to plug it into the light source. The other end is either terminated with a number of metal 'ferrules' which are used to connect the end fitting, or the fibres are left bare for use in products such as the star ceiling kit.
  • No electricity runs through the harness making it safe to route it through wet or humid areas. It is also safe to touch - our sensory kits actively encourage touching and playing with the fibre.
  • If the harness is to be routed underground where is may come into contact with garden tools or other hazards we recommend that armoured conduit be used to protect it.
  • Unlimited Light polish and properly terminate the harness which results in much greater light output. This is one of the reasons Unlimited Light kits are far superior to others on the market.
Harness Examples
Example Fibre Optic Harness A
Example Fibre Optic Harness B
example harness a
example harness b

This type of harness is used in most of our kit ranges - you will see the ferrules fitted to the end of the individual tails. These are used to screw the end fittings which are supplied with our kits onto the harness. The ferrule ends are hightly polished to allow for maximum light output. At the other end of the harness is the connector which plugs into the light source - this is called a common end. The black sheathing material on these tails is not removable - it conceals tightly bound bundles of individual fibres which provide the light to each fitting.

This type of harness is supplied in our star ceiling kits. In this case the fibre tails are much thinner - in fact they are individual strands of fibre. The black sheathing material can be cut back to expose the tails and allow them to be spread out over a wide distance. When fitting the star ceiling kit you have the choice of either leaving the bare ends of the fibre or using small push-fit star lens end fittings.

Contact Us

If you require any help or advice on our range of products, please contact us either by email or telephone. Our phone lines are manned from 8.30am until 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

  • Phone: (01890) 883522

Customer Testimonials

Thanks for the quick delivery of our fibre optic floor paver kit. What a difference it has made in our hallway.