IP Ratings (Ingress Protection Rating System)
What is an Ingress Protection Rating (IP Rating)?
The IP rating of a product describes the level of protection that its enclosed electrical components have from solids and liquids.
This system has been built as a way to classify enclosures and to compare levels of sealing.
It was created by the International Electromechanical Commission (IEC) and the standards are recognized globally (IEC standard 60529).
How to read an Ingress Protection rating:
The first number is the solids rating and the second number is the liquids rating.
If there is no rating for a solid or liquid it is indicated by an "X".
Some examples:
- IP65 indicates that the product is dustproof and is protected against jets of water.
- IP4X indicates that the product is protected against solids bigger than 1 mm, but has no water resistance of any kind.
The IP Rating Guide:
| PROTECTION FROM: | PROTECTION FROM: | |
| RATING | SOLIDS | LIQUIDS |
| 1 | Solids greater than 50 mm. E.g. Hand | Vertically falling water. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 2 | Solids greater than 12.5 mm. E.g. Finger | Vertically falling drops of water with object tilted 15 degrees from vertical. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 3 | Solids greater than 2.5 mm. E.g. Screwdriver | Sprays of water up to 60 degrees from the vertical. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 4 | Solid objects that are greater than 1 mm. E.g. Wire | Water splashed from all directions. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 5 | Two to eight hours of protection against dust. Limited ingress of dust is permitted. | Jets of water. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 6 | Two to eight hours of complete protection from dust. No ingress of dust allowed. | Powerful jets and heavy seawater are not allowed to enter the enclosure in harmful quantities. |
| 7 | N/A | Can be submerged in water from 15 cm to 1 m for 30 minutes without water entering the enclosure. |
| 8 | N/A | Submerged in water and under pressure for long periods of time without water entering the enclosure. |
Some Examples of Products with IP Ratings:
References
IEC Document for degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/2452
Last Updated: Sep 24, 2019
Update History:
Sep 24, 2019 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
Sep 17, 2019 by bbasile from Calgary Fasteners
Jun 18, 2019 by bbasile from Calgary Fasteners
Jun 18, 2019 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
Jun 18, 2019 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
Dec 12, 2016 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
Dec 12, 2016 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
Dec 12, 2016 by jsjohnson from Calgary Fasteners
