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I had to store a computer motherboard were the cardboard box was lost. The motherboard is in the original antistatic bag still closed with tape. I decided to put it inside a regular plastic bag thinking the motherboard would be protected from ESD by the antistatic bag. However, now I have second thoughts if this was a good idea.

Could my motherboard get damaged from ESD by the plastic bag, when it's still in the original antistatic bag?

Ken Hansen
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  • What's more important is to ensure that _you_ don't emit an ESD when you take it out of the bag. The usual, unscientific way to do so, is to touch a radiator or some other fixed metal object, before touching the board. – Lundin Apr 18 '17 at 09:11
  • Good point. I have an antistatic mat with a wrist wrap connected to the computer case, that I will place the motherboard on before unpacking it. – Ken Hansen Apr 18 '17 at 22:03

2 Answers2

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No, it will be fine. Just take the inner ESD bag fully out of the outer bag before removing the motherboard.

The ESD bag ensures that all parts of the motherboard are at the same voltage. Any static charges on the outer bag will be evenly distributed by the inner one.

Simon B
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There are two kinds of ESD bags, conductive/shielding bags (the black or black-meshed ones) and dissipative ones (the slightly rancid smelling pink ones).

The conductive bags, as long as they are well closed, are suitable to storing ESD-sensitive objects inside packaging that can generate ESD (plastic bags, styrofoam...) - the dissipative materials are merely meant as a packaging that does not generate static charges in places that are already well ESD protected (eg inside a conductive bag and/or metal container).

That said, your average computer mainboard is very likely full of ESD protection built into the circuitry itself (eg zener diodes built into ICs), since these are often handled in very non-ESD-safe locations. Still, relying on such circuitry tends to wear it down until actual damage will happen.

Putting a computer mainboard into a conductive bag, if it is of style where all surfaces are conductive, directly could lead to rapid discharging of the RTC battery.

rackandboneman
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