WHAT DOES IP RATING MEAN? AND HOW DO YOU READ IT?

What does IP Rating mean?

IP classification refers to Ingress Protection Rating, also known as the international security mark, which is a code that the manufacturer must specify so that the customer knows whether the product is protected against penetration by solid particles or liquid particles.

The code looks like this: the short version of Ingress Protection, which is IP, followed by two digits or the letter X.

The first digit indicates the resistance of the object against solid objects,

The second indicates the protection offered against liquids.

The letter X signifies that the product was not tested for the respective category (either solids or liquids)

.

For example

IP65 = First Digit - Solids

The first digit indicates the degree of protection provided to hazardous areas (such as electrical conductors, moving parts, etc.) and the entry of solid foreign materials.

IP65 = Second Digit - Liquids

The second digit defines the safety of the equipment in the room against various types of humidity. (drips, sprays, submersion etc)

IP ratings chart and table

The following IP assessment table tells you what each digit in the standard IP code is. This threshold security chart can be used to get a clear picture of the specific hazards and scenarios in which the mechanical or electrical components of a given object need to be protected, and to what extent.

FIRST DIGIT - protection from the foreign body and particulate ingress:

(or X - see section below): It is not rated (or not rated) for protection against this type of entry.

Protection against solid objects over 50mm (accidental hand contact with open palm), but not against deliberate body contact

Protection against solid objects over 12mm (accidental finger contact).

Protection against solid objects over 2.5mm (tools and wires).

Protection against solid objects over 1mm (fine tools and wires, nails, screws, larger insects and other potentially invasive small objects)

Partial protection against dust and other particles, which means that no ingress will damage or impede the satisfactory performance of the internal components.

Full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow

SECOND DIGIT - protection from moisture ingress:

(or X - see the section below): Not rated (or no rating supplied) for protection against ingress of this type.

Protection against vertically falling droplets, such as condensation, sufficient that no damage or interrupted functioning of components will be incurred when an item is upright.

Protection against vertically dripping water when the enclosure is tilted up to 15° off vertical.

Protection against direct moisture spray at angles up to 60° off vertical.

Protection against splashing water from any direction, tested for a minimum of 10 minutes with an oscillating spray (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).

Protection against low-pressure jets (6.3 mm) of directed water from any angle (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).

Protection against powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) of directed water from any direction.

Protection against full immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths between 15 cm and 1 metre (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).

Protection against extended sinking (i.e. greater depth) under high pressure. The exact parameters of this test are set and advertised by the manufacturer and include additional factors such as temperature fluctuations and flow rates depending on the type of equipment.

Protection against high-pressure, high-temperature jet sprays, washing or steam cleaning procedures - this assessment is often found in specific road vehicle applications (standard ISO 20653: 2013 road vehicles - safety titles).

IP RATING REFERENCE CHART

Below is easy to follow reference chart to help you decide which IP rating you need or have

IP00

First Digit : Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP01

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP02

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP03

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP04

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP05

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP06

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP07

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 meter in depth.

IP08

First Digit: Not protected from solids.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP10

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP11

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP12

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP13

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP14

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP15

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP16

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP17

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 meter in depth.

IP18

First Digit: Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP20

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP21

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP22

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP23

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP24

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP25

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP26

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP27

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 the meter in depth.

IP28

First Digit: Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP30

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP31

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP32

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP33

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP34

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP35

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP36

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP37

First Digit Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 the meter in depth.

IP38

First Digit: Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP40

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP41

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP42

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP43

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP44

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP45

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP46

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP47

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 meter in depth.

IP48

First Digit: Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP50

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Not protected from liquids.

IP51

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from condensation.

IP52

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP53

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP54

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from water spray from any direction.

IP55

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP56

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP57

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 meter in depth.

IP58

First Digit: Protected from limited dust ingress.

Second Digit: Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

IP60