Question Are those washers enough to provide correct insulation?

[Squere5]

Hi,
I have a really odd question for you today, after 8 years i made a new PC, I7 12700K, Z690 Aorus Elite DDR4...
I made a little mistake, while i was trying to install the cooler (Arctic Freezer Liquid II) I scratched my new and expensive motherboard around the CPU holes with the cooler standoffs, I forgot to put the included sticky washers that are made to prevent such things (you can see them in the bottom right, they are made of some kind of paper LGA1700 Mounting Kit - Liquid Freezer II Series | MPSAS00891A (arctic.de) ).
When i saw the damage that I was making, I decided to remove the standoffs, stick the washers over the scratches and then screw the standoffs back again, the correct way.
The good news is everything works fine, it's been 6 months now and my PC works smootly, i'm not sure but i don't think i scratched any traces.
The bad news is that i'm very paranoid and i searched a lot online about motherboard scracthes and i read a lot about the risks of corrosion and oxidation that can happen in years, a lot of people suggests to apply a little bit of nail polish on the scratches. I paid a lot for this components, i don't wanna take any risks.
So this is my odd question:
Am i safe right now? Are those sticky washers enought to prevent the risks of future oxidation on the scratches? Right now the scratches are completely covered by those sticky washers made of some sort of cardboard, or should I do something about it? Like use some kind of UV mask kit? The place is not the best because it's right under where the standoffs goes, so i don't want to do other damage by applying sostances...


Thank you guys for your time and your answers!
Have a nice day!

 

[Karadjgne]

Buy a new car and park it in the garage. As you are squeezing past, your keys rub right down the side putting some ugly scratches in the paint. Might affect resale value, but does zero to affect how the car performs.

Same for the mobo. The mounting holes are just holes, the metal is there for reinforcement of the holes for stock cooler pushpins, nothing else.

As long as the scratches are not deep and across the painted part of the mobo, only in the area of the holes, you are fine, just scratches in the paint job.

Stopping scratches is a minor function of the washers. Their main purpose is to help provide the correct mounting height for cooler to cpu, so use the washers as instructed.

 

[Squere5]

Buy a new car and park it in the garage. As you are squeezing past, your keys rub right down the side putting some ugly scratches in the paint. Might affect resale value, but does zero to affect how the car performs.

Same for the mobo. The mounting holes are just holes, the metal is there for reinforcement of the holes for stock cooler pushpins, nothing else.

As long as the scratches are not deep and across the painted part of the mobo, only in the area of the holes, you are fine, just scratches in the paint job.

Stopping scratches is a minor function of the washers. Their main purpose is to help provide the correct mounting height for cooler to cpu, so use the washers as instructed.

Thank you very much for your reply and your time!
I totally agree with you, unfortunately the solder mask is gone, the CPU holes were not with protective metal and i made a lot of pressure to the standoffs because they were spinning around freely, but if the damage is only estetich and there is no risk of future oxidation it's all good!
Thanks again for your time!

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
Am i safe right now? Are those sticky washers enought to prevent the risks of future oxidation on the scratches?
...

The risk of corrosion really only comes up if your computer is kept in a fairly harsh environment. Something like the salty air of an ocean coastal town or humid industrial environment. If you do, you'd probably also find a rust film forming on the screws and cut edges of some of your case components where bare metal may exist.

If you're worried anyway you could put a thin coat of fingernail polish on the scratches but it sounds like the washers are covering them and working to the same purpose.

 

[Squere5]

The risk of corrosion really only comes up if your computer is kept in a fairly harsh environment. Something like the salty air of an ocean coastal town or humid industrial environment. If you do, you'd probably also find a rust film forming on the screws and cut edges of some of your case components where bare metal may exist.

If you're worried anyway you could put a thin coat of fingernail polish on the scratches but it sounds like the washers are covering them and working to the same purpose.

Hi drea, thank you for your reply and your time, if it is so difficult for oxidation to happen, I am more relieved. My biggest concern was about the risk of collateral damage, maybe to my I7 or my future 4070 🆒
I was thinking about to steal some nailpolish to my girlfriend, but I don't like the place where i should put it, right under the washers, if i put too much polish I don't wanna risk to create difference in height between the cooler standoffs.
I know this is a lot paranoid, but It's my first PC in 8 years and i paid approximately 300€ for a mobo
I really hope the sticky washer will be enought.
Thanks again for your answer! Have a nice day!