Internal ESD protection

[JohnsonMiller]

Hi Guys,

In some components there is an internal ESD protection block, example: USB, RS232/485. How far we can trust them and in such case can we omit the external ESD protection components?

BR,

[robertferanec]

In many modern chips there is internal ESD protection, but always if people can touch the connectors I place there external ESD protection. Often the chip ESD protection is low (e.g. I have just checked a random chip and it is 2kV), but for real application you may want to use something better e.g. 15kV (depends where the device is going to be used)