Ingress Protection Rating (IP Rating) – The IP Rating System Explained.
IP Rating
The IP Code, otherwise known as Ingress Protection Rating, or International Protection Rating, consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. As defined in the international standard IEC 60529, it classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrustion of solid objects – for example, dust or water – in electrical enclosures. This standard aims to provide users more detailed information regarding the suitablity of an electrical product for use in various environments or locations.
The digits indicate conformity with the conditions, sumarrised below.
First Digit – Solids
The first digit indicates the level or protection that an eclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g. electrical conductors and moving parts( and the ingress of solid foreign objects.
| Number | Level of Protection |
|---|---|
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against any solid object greater than 50mm in size, such as the back of a hand |
| 2 | Protected against any solid object greater than 12.5mm in size, such as a finger |
| 3 | Protected against any solid object greater than 2.5mm in size, such as a thick wire or a tool |
| 4 | Protected against any solid object greater than 1mm in size, such as a wire or thin metal object |
| 5 | Limited ingress of dust permitted |
| 6 | Completely protected against dust |
Second Digit – Liquids
The second digit indicates the level or protection that an enclosure provides against the harmful ingress of water or liquids in electrical equipment.
| Number | Level of Protection |
|---|---|
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against vertical dripping water drops such as condensation |
| 2 | Protected against dripping water drops at 15° angle from the vertical |
| 3 | Protected against water spray up to a 60° angle from the vertical |
| 4 | Protected against any water spray or spashes from any direction |
| 5 | Protected against water jets from any direction |
| 6 | Protected against powerful water jets from any direction |
| 7 | Protected against immersion in water up to 1m for a maximum of 30 mins |
| 8 | Protected against immersion in water for long periods |
| 9 | Complete protection from high pressure water from any direction |
What Level of Protection Do I Need?
The IP rating required varies depending on the demand of your application. If you’re looking to light an office, or shop where there is no change of condensation, the demands may be suitable for a unit with an IP rating of IP20. Alternatively, if you’re working in a hazardous environment, you’ll probably be requiring a unit that meets the demands of a fully IP68 rated unit.
Due to the varying conditions, icLighting offer a full range of IP rated units so we can offer the best, most cost-effective solution for you. If you want to chat through what IP rated units you need, give our friendly team a call on 01780 435002 who can talk through exactly what you need.
