IP Ratings Explained
IP Rating or Ingress Protection is the term used to determine the degree of protection an object achieves from the intrusion of solid objects and liquids. It is used commonly in our industry to clarify the capabilities of our enclosures rather than using vague terminology such as “dust proof” and “water proof”. The codes are made up using a combination of two numbers, the first being the ingress protection against solid objects and the second indicates ingress protection against liquids e.g IP65. The below information should help provide clarification.
First number – Intrusion against solids
0 No Ingress Protection
1 Protected against solid objects up to 50 mm e.g accidental touch by hands.
2 Protected against solid objects up to 12 mm e.g fingers.
3 Protected against solid objects over 2.5 mm such as tools and small wires.
4 Protected against solid objects over 1 mm such as tools and small wires
5 Protected against dust – limited ingress permitted (no harmful deposit)
6 Totally protected against dust.
Second Number – Intrusion against liquids
0 No Ingress protection.
1 Protected against vertically falling drops of water-limited ingress permitted.
2 Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical-limited ingress permitted.
3 Protected against sprays up to 60° from vertical-limited ingress permitted.
4 Protected against water sprays from all directions-limited ingress permitted.
5 Protected against low pressure water jets from all directions-limited ingress permitted.
6 Protected against strong jets of water e.g for use on ship decks-limited ingress permitted.
7 Protected against the affects of immersion between 15cm and 1m (up to 30 minutes)
8 Protected against long periods of immersion under
9 Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs.
