ESD protection / filter networks

SpamYouToDeath

I asked for a, Custom Rank and, Learned My Lesson.
15 Year Member
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Oct 3, 2005
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On many arcade boards, I see some aggressive ESD protection (?) around all the connectors. It's often a lot of 3-pin parts, each sitting between a connector pin and an IC pin. A good example is the side-facing board on a NAOMI, with the IO connections. There's a ton of these unlabeled 3-pin parts, in the way of every signal.

These seem to be some kind of filter network, I guess to absorb transients from the switches/cables/whatever. Does anyone know the actual values for these parts? Does anyone know where to source them?

I'm designing some boards that ought to have similar protection, but this is a bit outside my expertise.
 

awbacon

Kyokughen Trainee
10 Year Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Posts
4,220
On many arcade boards, I see some aggressive ESD protection (?) around all the connectors. It's often a lot of 3-pin parts, each sitting between a connector pin and an IC pin. A good example is the side-facing board on a NAOMI, with the IO connections. There's a ton of these unlabeled 3-pin parts, in the way of every signal.

These seem to be some kind of filter network, I guess to absorb transients from the switches/cables/whatever. Does anyone know the actual values for these parts? Does anyone know where to source them?

I'm designing some boards that ought to have similar protection, but this is a bit outside my expertise.

Try digikey? Their search engine is pretty insane at finding components with some basic info. I’ve found connectors that were unlabeled just by putting in pin pitch / row / pin # data. Won’t be as easy for what you are attempting but I’d still give it a shot.

Also try reddit r/electricalengineering. The people on there know a ton and I’ve had some random parts they’ve been able to hive mind identify in hours.
 
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