Scratches on PCB, PC works, but what to do next?

[idolezal]

Hi would like to ask you for advice.

I did build my first PC. All went well and PC works. Only one think went wrong - I scratched the PCB on back side of the motherboard and would like to ask you for your opinion what to do.

First what happened:

I did install after market cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO on the motherboard (Asus Z87-A) in accordance with instruction manual. At the end of the instruction was following comment: Don’t peel of the insulating tape. Because there is no any other explanation what is the insulating plate, I did check on internet and find out, that insulating plates are at the back side of the Back Platex1(back late), which is mounted directly on the PCB of the motherboard. Some owners reported missing insulating plate. I wanted to double-check that my product is OK, I disassembled the part and find out that two insulating plates are missing. But what is worse, I found out that two legs of Back Platex1 without the tapes have burrs directed to the motherboard. These burrs scratched the PCB. Several PCB lines are scratched through. I completed the PC with original cooler from Intel and returned the Cooler Master.

As mentioned, PC works fine. But I’m not sure if it can go worse with the time. Can the exposed lines on PCB corrode and create short circuit in future?

I did contact Asus with question what to do, but their answer was not really helpful except the told me that damaged product is loosing warranty.

Root cause: in my opinion the root cause of the issue lays fully on shoulders of Cooler Master for these reasons:
Two insulations were missing (production failure)
Missing instruction in IFU to double check that insulation is on place (Design failure)
Burrs on Backplate are directed to the Motherboard (Design failure)

I see 3 possibilities what to do now:
1, do nothing
2, somehow protect exposed PCB lines from corrosion
3, get and install new motherboard (I do believe this can go on cost of Cooler Master)

What would you advise to do?
Do you see any potential it can go worse when is all functioning well today?

Here are pictures of scratches:

http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/idolezal/media/Asus%20motherboard/_DSC1201_zps1b1d42a5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/idolezal/media/Asus%20motherboard/_DSC1204_zps8060b936.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/idolezal/media/Asus%20motherboard/_DSC1217_zps949a109d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0



i7 4771, RAM 32GB Corsair Vengeance, Asus Z87-A, Asus Geforce GTX 760 2 GB, 2* SSD Samsung 840 PRO, WD 3TB black, WIN 8,1 64

 

[13thmonkey]

tricky, if it works, it'll probably stay ok, you could try some nail varnish to coat the copper.

I doubt you'll have much luck going after coolermaster, but it might be worth trying.

 

[Flying-Q]

The simple answer is you got lucky with the depth of the scratches. It is clear from the first and third picture that the back plate could have shorted those two traces if left in place and using the intel cooler was a good idea in the short term.

As for getting cooler master to pay for a new motherboard you can only try. Research consumer law for where you live to see if you actually have any recourse with them. Take very clear pictures of the back plate showing the manufacturing fault and send them in an email with your clear requirements to cooler master. Good Luck.

 

[cozmium]

Since you installed a faulty/incomplete product I doubt you'll have any ground against coolermaster. Scratches on motherboards always look a lot worse than they are because of the lacquering, so I wouldn't worry too much, but you could always just paint over it with some emulsion or something - something protective for when you might want another aftermarket cooler.