Remove an FPC or Quad-wide PIC

The router can have up to eight FPCs or quad-wide PICs mounted vertically in the FPC card cage on the front of the chassis (see Figure 1). An FPC that houses four PICs weighs about 3 lb (1.5 kg).

To remove an FPC or quad-wide PIC, follow this procedure (for brevity, the instructions refer to FPCs only):

1. Place an antistatic mat or electrostatic bag on a flat, stable surface to receive the FPC. If any of the PICs on the FPC use fiber-optic cable, also have ready a rubber safety cap for each transceiver and cable.

If you are removing PICs from the FPC, use a foam antistatic mat instead. If a foam mat is not available, substitute a standard flat antistatic mat but use extra care when laying the FPC component side down on it, to avoid damaging the electrical components.

2. Attach an ESD strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis.
3. Label the cables connected to each PIC on the FPC so that you can reconnect the cables to the correct PICs.
4. Take the FPC offline by pressing and holding its offline button for 5 seconds or until the red FAIL LED next to the button goes out. The offline button for each FPC is located just below it on the craft interface (see Figure 75).

Figure 75: Remove an FPC

5. Disconnect the cables from the PICs on the FPC. If a PIC uses fiber-optic cable, immediately cover each transceiver and the end of each cable with a rubber safety cap.  Carefully thread each disconnected cable through the hooks in the cable management system, to prevent the cables from developing stress points.   
   
   

   Do not look directly into the ends of fiber-optic cables or into the transceivers on the PIC faceplate. Single-mode fiber-optic cable and the PICs that use it (such as ATM and SONET/SDH interfaces) emit laser light that can damage your eyes. Do not leave a transceiver uncovered except when removing or inserting the cable. The safety cap keeps the port clean and prevents accidental exposure to laser light.

   
    
6. Unscrew the thumbscrew at each end of the FPC, using a Phillips screwdriver if necessary.
7. Pull the ends of the extractor clips, which are adjacent to the thumbscrews, outward toward the ends of the FPC (see Figure 75).
8. Grasp the FPC with both hands and slide it about halfway out of the chassis.
9. Place one hand underneath the FPC to support it, and slide it completely out of the chassis. Set the FPC on the antistatic foam mat prepared in Step 1. 
   
   

   To avoid damaging any components, use extra care when laying the FPC on the antistatic mat, particularly if the mat is not made of foam. Do not stack the FPC on top of or under any other component.

   
   
10. If you are removing or replacing PICs on the FPC, see Replace a PIC.
11. If you are not immediately reinstalling an FPC into the slot, cover the slot with a blank panel so that cooling air can circulate properly through the FPC card cage.