ESD Protection | MobiFlight | Page 1

wooden trench Dec 15, 2025, 4:02 PM

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Hello everyone,

Currently working on a new PCB and something new came to mind: transient voltage suppression diodes!

Most arduinos come with some level of ESD protection on the USB connection. I've neglected this so far but have been thinking about it occasionally.

Is this something you guys incorporate in your designs? If so, how do you implement it(USB ESD IC, TVS diodes...)?
Since I'm not using an Arduino or Pico but am designing my circuitboard to have the uC onboard I'm unsure whether this is an extra feature worth the expense...

Looking forward to your replies.

slate ridge Dec 15, 2025, 4:13 PM

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I've never bothered

wooden trench Dec 15, 2025, 4:20 PM

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I figured as much. I haven't either and never had any issues, but thought it might be a negligent thing to omit

slate ridge Dec 15, 2025, 4:21 PM

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If you were producing a real board for sale, it's likely required. For a personal board where you wind up with 5 from JLCPCB and maybe only use one, you have 4 backups if you fry it somehow 😁

wooden trench Dec 15, 2025, 4:24 PM

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I wasn't particularly worried about the board. As you've mentioned, a few will always be around as backup. I would hate having to buy a new motherboard over having omited a 0,45€ ESD protection IC though

pseudo storm Dec 15, 2025, 4:29 PM

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Currently in the process of designing a board for purposes largely unrelated to MobiFlight, and while it does not have USB, it has external communication connectors that I am slapping protective circuitry on largely because I can. Schottky for reverse polarity protection, anti-overvoltage zener and all that fun stuff. Planning to go with a BAT54S on the external lines for input clamping

wooden trench Dec 15, 2025, 5:34 PM

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Schottky on power supply pins is a must for me... reverse polarity is real and its results terrify me 😄
That includes the Vbus pin on USB connectors, as I don't wish to feed my computer unintended current.
What I'm going to continue ignoring for now are transient voltage protection devices on the D+ and D- lines

#ESD Protection