self.raymond asked 3 months ago
- Do ESP32 GPIO pins really need protection from current and voltage spikes? How critical is this?
-
What are the best methods to protect GPIO pins? I’ve heard about:
- Voltage dividers
- Current-limiting resistors
- Zener diodes
-
Optocouplers
Are these all necessary, or overkill?
- Has anyone here actually damaged their ESP32 due to unprotected GPIO pins? What happened?
- For a beginner, what’s the simplest protection method you’d recommend?
- Are there any specific scenarios where GPIO protection is absolutely crucial?
I’m working on a project and want to make sure I’m not overlooking something important. Any advice, personal experiences, or resources you can share would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance for your help!
1 Answers
Sara Santos Staff answered 3 months ago
Hi.
I personally, don’t have much experience with those methods because that never happened to me to damage an ESP32 because of that. However, I don’t do many projects involving AC voltage.
But, it depends on the project you’re working on and what you’re controlling. If you’re controlling relays, the most common method is to use an opto coupler. However, most relay modules already come with opto coupler protection. And in that case, I think the opto coupler is really needed.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Sara